Skip Expensive Tile: There's A Cheaper Way To Add Style To Boring Walls

Tile is an amazing design choice that can transform the most basic room into a luxurious space. However, that luxury comes at a cost. With the average professional tile installation costing between $13.50 and $83 per square foot, things can get expensive quickly. If tile isn't in your budget but you still want to add some texture to your walls, limewash paint is a stylish and affordable option.

At its simplest, limewash paint is a combination of water and pulverized limestone that has been mixed into a chalky slurry that comes in muted beige or white colors. Pigments can also be added to provide you with the color of your choice, though you will likely need to add multiple coats to get the definition you want. Some traditional limewash paint colors include ochres, earth tones, and terracotta. 

The aggregates present in limewash paint are what give the plaster-like quality to the surface, albeit with a more organic feel. The subtle texture adds extra dimension to your wall that a flat paint can't match. You can paint an entire room with limewash, or use it as a stunning layered finish to an accent wall. Limewash paint can cost between $25 to $100 per gallon, making it way cheaper than tile. Not only that, but limewash paint is way easier to apply, too. 

Limewash has historically been used to protect exterior timbers and stones. It soaks into the surface, allowing the porous materials to breathe while simultaneously letting moisture evaporate, which reduces the potential of dampness, rot, and mold. As drywall is neither wood nor stone, you will need to apply a limewash primer before your first coat of paint. The primer will help bond the limewash to the wall, allowing for a more consistent application. 

Once the primer has dried, actually limewashing the walls is quite easy, as you're able to brush it in different directions and patterns. As the lime aggregates build up, the high and low spots will naturally create texture and color variations, providing greater visual depth. You will need to apply at least two to three coats to get the most definition, and it's important to note that the limewash will get lighter as it dries, so the color that first goes on is not going to be the final product. 

Unlike flat paints, there is always a level of uncertainty with limewash. Color and texture can vary depending on the surface, and it can be tricky to get the desired layering effect. It's also not likely to be found in your local hardware store. Thankfully, there are plenty of companies, such as Sydney Harbour Paint Company, that sell limewash paint online.