How do I achieve this old world look?

MrKb

New Member
Hi there,

For a long time I have adored the look of the wall and ceiling finish of an old French chateau that was restored. I suppose that lime plaster and limewash was used to achieve the looks, but after hours of googling I have not been able to find out the exact approach to do the finish. I am sure that it is some sort of traditional method, so no faux painting, etc.

The look can be seen on the attached pictures. It is somewhat rustic and aged, and the walls are not perfectly straight/even thus giving a play of shadows and light.

Question 1:
With a flat drywall as my base, how do I achieve a soft, 'uneven' wall base finish like in the pictures?

Question 2:
How do I achieve the aged, rustic look of the walls? My guess is that it is either colored lime plaster or a finish coat of lime wash over a plaster base. If so, what are the exact steps of application etc?

Hoping somebody is able to guide me in the right direction.

Best wishes,
 

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A few more photos.
 

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The look can be seen on the attached pictures. It is somewhat rustic and aged, and the walls are not perfectly straight/even thus giving a play of shadows and light.

Question 1:
With a flat drywall as my base, how do I achieve a soft, 'uneven' wall base finish like in the pictures?

Question 2:
How do I achieve the aged, rustic look of the walls? My guess is that it is either colored lime plaster or a finish coat of lime wash over a plaster base. If so, what are the exact steps of application etc?

Hoping somebody is able to guide me in the right direction.

Best wishes,

Get @Andy g to do it.
marty-feldman.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hi there,

For a long time I have adored the look of the wall and ceiling finish of an old French chateau that was restored. I suppose that lime plaster and limewash was used to achieve the looks, but after hours of googling I have not been able to find out the exact approach to do the finish. I am sure that it is some sort of traditional method, so no faux painting, etc.

The look can be seen on the attached pictures. It is somewhat rustic and aged, and the walls are not perfectly straight/even thus giving a play of shadows and light.

Question 1:
With a flat drywall as my base, how do I achieve a soft, 'uneven' wall base finish like in the pictures?

Question 2:
How do I achieve the aged, rustic look of the walls? My guess is that it is either colored lime plaster or a finish coat of lime wash over a plaster base. If so, what are the exact steps of application etc?

Hoping somebody is able to guide me in the right direction.

Best wishes,

Looks all right in a French chateau but it'll look ridiculous in your kitchen, mate.
 
Hi there,

For a long time I have adored the look of the wall and ceiling finish of an old French chateau that was restored. I suppose that lime plaster and limewash was used to achieve the looks, but after hours of googling I have not been able to find out the exact approach to do the finish. I am sure that it is some sort of traditional method, so no faux painting, etc.

The look can be seen on the attached pictures. It is somewhat rustic and aged, and the walls are not perfectly straight/even thus giving a play of shadows and light.

Question 1:
With a flat drywall as my base, how do I achieve a soft, 'uneven' wall base finish like in the pictures?

Question 2:
How do I achieve the aged, rustic look of the walls? My guess is that it is either colored lime plaster or a finish coat of lime wash over a plaster base. If so, what are the exact steps of application etc?

Hoping somebody is able to guide me in the right direction.

Best wishes,
Ask @Mickymoo83 hes the best on this site and has got year of experience in the trade so there won’t be nothing he can’t handle.
 
Hi there,

For a long time I have adored the look of the wall and ceiling finish of an old French chateau that was restored. I suppose that lime plaster and limewash was used to achieve the looks, but after hours of googling I have not been able to find out the exact approach to do the finish. I am sure that it is some sort of traditional method, so no faux painting, etc.

The look can be seen on the attached pictures. It is somewhat rustic and aged, and the walls are not perfectly straight/even thus giving a play of shadows and light.

Question 1:
With a flat drywall as my base, how do I achieve a soft, 'uneven' wall base finish like in the pictures?

Question 2:
How do I achieve the aged, rustic look of the walls? My guess is that it is either colored lime plaster or a finish coat of lime wash over a plaster base. If so, what are the exact steps of application etc?

Hoping somebody is able to guide me in the right direction.

Best wishes,
Speak to RobJack on this site. It can be achieved by both ways you describe but needs an experienced hand.
 
Looks like old age with years of smoking, damp and condensation stains, but if deliberately done maybe a historical building methods site on net somewhere ?
 
Due to the fact you are using the term drywall rather than plaster board I'm going to assume you are not from uk. From a di y perspective personally I would using a plastering trowel apply dry wall compound to the desired area approx 2mms thick leaving slight ridges and lines as you apply it but, not too much depth on lines and ridges. When fully dry sand area but, DO NOT, use a sanding block or electric sander, instead, wrap some sand paper around a sponge and beginning to smooth out the transitions at the lines and ridges this giving a smooth but uneven surface. You will have to experiment mixing paints until you reach the desired effect \ colour tone you like.I

Experiment on scrap pieces of dry wall first until you at happy with the process and effect you are achieving.

TBh a set designer\builder would be you best option for advice.
Best of luck with your project and come back and post pics of the finished areas of you go ahead with it.
 
Due to the fact you are using the term drywall rather than plaster board I'm going to assume you are not from uk. From a di y perspective personally I would using a plastering trowel apply dry wall compound to the desired area approx 2mms thick leaving slight ridges and lines as you apply it but, not too much depth on lines and ridges. When fully dry sand area but, DO NOT, use a sanding block or electric sander, instead, wrap some sand paper around a sponge and beginning to smooth out the transitions at the lines and ridges this giving a smooth but uneven surface. You will have to experiment mixing paints until you reach the desired effect \ colour tone you like.I

Experiment on scrap pieces of dry wall first until you at happy with the process and effect you are achieving.

TBh a set designer\builder would be you best option for advice.
Best of luck with your project and come back and post pics of the finished areas of you go ahead with it.

Be a lot of hard work doing that with multi..... might be an idea to try that roll on stuff that Larry was asking about recently.
 
A few more photos.
Hi there,

For a long time I have adored the look of the wall and ceiling finish of an old French chateau that was restored. I suppose that lime plaster and limewash was used to achieve the looks, but after hours of googling I have not been able to find out the exact approach to do the finish. I am sure that it is some sort of traditional method, so no faux painting, etc.

The look can be seen on the attached pictures. It is somewhat rustic and aged, and the walls are not perfectly straight/even thus giving a play of shadows and light.

Question 1:
With a flat drywall as my base, how do I achieve a soft, 'uneven' wall base finish like in the pictures?

Question 2:
How do I achieve the aged, rustic look of the walls? My guess is that it is either colored lime plaster or a finish coat of lime wash over a plaster base. If so, what are the exact steps of application etc?

Hoping somebody is able to guide me in the right direction.

Best wishes,
plaster it with your chosen material then at the right time slowly with the touch of an angels wing starting at the top draw very wet paint roller down over the wall face slowly pushing water infront as u go wright down to floor level re wet roller and repeat prosses again till u work to other end it works for me on a castle I work on but its trail and error to achieve what u want paint is not my scene sorry have ago on a small area first the bits at top and bottom the roller misses do with a wet sponge good luck
 
I have achieved something similar with lime , if not the same but I have to see it to tell what it is. I have chosen coarser sand and finished it like Venetian- same short strokes and after firmed went on top with the trowel just to flatten slightly the high spots . Lime wash with the brush the same way and you will have very nice finish, which actually makes the wall alive and the more you are looking at it the more you like it . It gives the wall dept than normal plastering never will.
 
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