Addressing Problem Spots In Old Plaster Walls and Ceilings

Q.  How can you mask terrible imperfections in the plaster walls and ceilings of an old house?

-Kelsey (St Clair Shores, MI)

A. Thanks for asking, Kelsey!  Plaster walls contribute to the character and charm in many older homes.  For historical preservation purposes, I would recommend keeping the plaster if at all possible.  There are many online tutorials about how to repair and patch plaster walls and ceilings in an older home.  I assume you are already past that stage and still having trouble with imperfections.  As a designer, I can recommend certain finish treatments that will hide the imperfections.  Your other option would be to consult with a contractor regarding replacing or resurfacing your plaster walls.

The first thing I would recommend would be using a faux finish to mask the imperfections in the wall.  FREEZE! PUT AWAY THE SPONGE… I would NEVER recommend any of the cheesy wall treatments that were common in the 1980′s. There are plenty of cool modern day options options such as a combing technique, rag technique, faux leather or stone techniques.  No matter which one you chose- the key is to keep it minimal and DO NOT GO OVERBOARD!  My favorite wall technique is venetian plaster.

This shows a venetian plaster wall treatment. This is a technique where plaster is applied to the existing walls. They can use a trow to create as much or as little texture as you would like. This is a relatively advanced technique, so I would recommend consulting a professional. Once the plaster is applied they can use a rag technique to add subtle color variations in the paint. A little color variation is nice, but I would keep this to a minimum to avoid looking too dated.

Venetian plaster walls with lots of texture. This one uses a trow to create texture and also multiple paint colors to add depth.

This is an example of a smooth venetian plaster finish with only one color of paint.

The next option you would have would be a wallcovering:

There are countless eco-friendly Grasscloth and Bamboo wall-coverings available.

My next recommendation would be wallpaper:

You could go with something that appears to be textured like the venetian plaster. I like this Bark wallpaper by Paper Mills.

Or you could go a totally different direction with wallpaper. I like this Judit Gueth Wallpaper - Lilies in Black available at www.wallpapercollective.com.

I could see this Kate Sterling "Cattle Kate" wallpaper fitting in nicely in a charming historic home.

You could also go with something much more subtle like this Ziddi wallpaper in charcoal. It is available at www.wallpapercollective.com

Maybe people say that painting the ceiling a dark color will mask imperfections better than a light color would.  I have never personally tried this, but you could always try it on your worst area and see if you like it!  If you do, paint the rest.  If not, just use killz primer over it and paint it back.

The last idea I have to address damaged plaster  is to embrace the damage!

This is what you call embracing history. The "damage" to this wall from the movie The King's Speech is both beautiful and charming!

The March 2011 Anthropologie catalog cover features plaster walls with a lot of character!

I hope this helps you solve your damaged plaster issues!