If you are like most of us you want where you live to look and feel beautiful. A place to be proud of when welcoming friends and family. A peaceful oasis for you and your loved ones to call home. So how do interior designers go about creating this? Keep reading and find out.
Image credit: The Farm by The Design Files
First off, we have to say that as interior designers, we love to work with natural materials. And limewash is one of them! The material and the traditional painting methods are centuries old and but it still feels as fresh and contemporary today as when the first Egyptian Interior Designer thought of using it to coat a wall. Genius! And we couldn’t love it more.
Image credit: Bauwerk
Limewash. So, yes, it’s practically been around since the dawn of time. From King Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt and the temples of Mesopotamia to the Acropolis of Ancient Greece and the Colosseum in Rome, those ancient humans used lime-based chalk and plaster, mortar, and stucco to create monuments that have gracefully stood the test of time. Due to the natural pigments in the lime retaining their colour (while non-organic or synthetic paints tend to lose their colour) these monuments.
Natural limewash colour swatches – Image credit: Bauwerk
Contrary to popular belief, limewash is not a painting technique – it is just a different type kind of paint. And the even better news is that it is actually a more eco-friendly paint than your average paint product.
Image credit: Bauwerk
Why do we like limewash? It is a natural, environmentally friendly paint. Broken limestone is burned and “quenched” with water to form a kind of paste or putty. The paste is aged, diluted with water and a mineral pigment is added for colour. And voilà, we have limewash. A breathable paint that allows moisture to escape and cures by filtering carbon dioxide from the air. Whilst curing, calcium carbonate crystals form, giving the surface a unique clarity and transparency when light hits it.
Image credit: The Farm by The Design Files
And due to the many ways you can apply it, limewash can be used in almost any interior. Consider, for example, a breezy Ibizenca home or a Mediterranean finca in light tones. Or how about a Moroccan decor with a dark purple or blue application? Or maybe a black variant in a more contemporary setting?
Image credit: Rose & Grey
Limewash paint is a budget-friendly alternative to microcement, the wall finish we used in this kitchen renovation in Altea.
A very important detail is to apply this paint to a perfectly finished wall. For example, re-plastered or treated with at least two layers of good quality primer. Sometimes uneven spots on a wall haven’t been smoothed out and the limewash paint will react differently in these places than on the rest of the wall, no matter how many layers you apply.
Used properly, limewash through its subtle texture or its earthy tones will add character to your space, creating that feeling of serenity and calm for your home.
Header image credit: Fenton & Fenton x Bauwerk