Renovating
Building Components
12 Wall Finishes That Go Above and Beyond Plaster
How to accentuate your home using other wall finishes when just painting the plaster wall will simply not do
There are times when you are renovating your home, or designing it from scratch, where you inevitably ask yourself the question: is there any other material I can use other than plaster for the internal walls? Well, that answer is yes. More often than not, however, completely substituting the entire plaster from your home for another material is not viable. Mainly because of cost, but also because as a designer you want to limit the use of other material on the walls or ceiling to help you accentuate the space, define a mood or lead your eye to a particular area. Though this is not a rule, there are times when plaster is out the door and something else is more appropriate. So what tricks do designers use when using wall finishes to complement plaster? Read on…
Timber feature wall
In the previous photo, timber was used to make the space feel taller and larger than it is, but timber can also be used to do the opposite. If you want to make a space in your home feel cosy and give the illusion that the ceiling is lower, this can be achieved by creating horizontal bands on a wall.
Here, the architects at PAD Studio have clad a bedroom feature wall in horizontal timber planks that draw your eye from side to side as opposed to up. Light also filters down the side plaster wall, giving the appearance that the ceiling has been lowered.
In the previous photo, timber was used to make the space feel taller and larger than it is, but timber can also be used to do the opposite. If you want to make a space in your home feel cosy and give the illusion that the ceiling is lower, this can be achieved by creating horizontal bands on a wall.
Here, the architects at PAD Studio have clad a bedroom feature wall in horizontal timber planks that draw your eye from side to side as opposed to up. Light also filters down the side plaster wall, giving the appearance that the ceiling has been lowered.
Timber on all walls
Well it hasn’t taken long for my rule about not substituting all the plaster in a room with an alternative material to be broken. Reflecting on the furnishings used in this bedroom – including the antique bed, the pleated lampshade, the panelled door and the bed linen – there is no doubt the architects had a distinctive mood and style of architecture they wanted to convey. This, of course, could have been achieved using plaster, but to create texture and trim highlights, timber was used. This was more than likely true to the period of architecture to which this house belongs.
Well it hasn’t taken long for my rule about not substituting all the plaster in a room with an alternative material to be broken. Reflecting on the furnishings used in this bedroom – including the antique bed, the pleated lampshade, the panelled door and the bed linen – there is no doubt the architects had a distinctive mood and style of architecture they wanted to convey. This, of course, could have been achieved using plaster, but to create texture and trim highlights, timber was used. This was more than likely true to the period of architecture to which this house belongs.
Brick walls
Peeling back the layers of a wall that has stood the test of time can often reveal the past while, at the same time, complementing the present. This living room is more than likely a residential conversion of an old factory or store where the mix of old bricks laid in a not-so- level manner tell the story of its history as a utilitarian building. The colour of the bricks is picked up in the hue of the floor and is further highlighted against the stark white plastered walls.
Peeling back the layers of a wall that has stood the test of time can often reveal the past while, at the same time, complementing the present. This living room is more than likely a residential conversion of an old factory or store where the mix of old bricks laid in a not-so- level manner tell the story of its history as a utilitarian building. The colour of the bricks is picked up in the hue of the floor and is further highlighted against the stark white plastered walls.
What about concrete?
Plasterboard, or drywall as it is also commonly referred to overseas, is a universal means of cladding the inside of your home, which is then used as a backdrop to highlight your furnishings, personal belongings or even your artwork. However, if you want the space to shine, then limiting your furnishings and letting the textural qualities of the space set the mood will allow you to create a particular style of architecture.
In this minimalist bedroom in Pyrmont, NSW, the stark plaster wall merely highlights the bedhead, while the use of concrete on the ceiling and floor gives it the industrial feel the apartment owners were after.
Plasterboard, or drywall as it is also commonly referred to overseas, is a universal means of cladding the inside of your home, which is then used as a backdrop to highlight your furnishings, personal belongings or even your artwork. However, if you want the space to shine, then limiting your furnishings and letting the textural qualities of the space set the mood will allow you to create a particular style of architecture.
In this minimalist bedroom in Pyrmont, NSW, the stark plaster wall merely highlights the bedhead, while the use of concrete on the ceiling and floor gives it the industrial feel the apartment owners were after.
What about stone?
Plaster will often define the inside of a house from the outside, where alternative materials are used, so that you have a clear delineation. But what if you want the outside to come inside? If the outside wall is made of red bricks, yes, maybe you could paint the inside plaster wall red, too, to give you that illusion of the outside space coming in.
Or you could do what the architects at Nico Van Der Meulen have done and actually bring the material inside as a substitute to the plasterboard. A highlight of this kitchen is the use of stacked stone that seamlessly starts as a feature wall on the outside to become a feature wall on the inside. You will notice that a window and a plaster wall become a junction between the interior and the exterior to further enhance the illusion.
Plaster will often define the inside of a house from the outside, where alternative materials are used, so that you have a clear delineation. But what if you want the outside to come inside? If the outside wall is made of red bricks, yes, maybe you could paint the inside plaster wall red, too, to give you that illusion of the outside space coming in.
Or you could do what the architects at Nico Van Der Meulen have done and actually bring the material inside as a substitute to the plasterboard. A highlight of this kitchen is the use of stacked stone that seamlessly starts as a feature wall on the outside to become a feature wall on the inside. You will notice that a window and a plaster wall become a junction between the interior and the exterior to further enhance the illusion.
Considering tile?
Even though you can purchase patterned plasterboard sheets, by nature domestic plasterboard lacks texture and is flat, making it a cost-effective way to clad the inside of a home ready for a base to paint.
However, one of the great qualities of plasterboard sheets is that it can be curved and bent into shape to create an interesting form in a wall. Osborne Architects has created this dramatic space as a prelude to the luxurious bathroom by cladding the wall in a stone tile, small enough to bend with the curve. At first appearance the curve looks gradual until it is highlighted against the shear white of the plaster ceiling.
Even though you can purchase patterned plasterboard sheets, by nature domestic plasterboard lacks texture and is flat, making it a cost-effective way to clad the inside of a home ready for a base to paint.
However, one of the great qualities of plasterboard sheets is that it can be curved and bent into shape to create an interesting form in a wall. Osborne Architects has created this dramatic space as a prelude to the luxurious bathroom by cladding the wall in a stone tile, small enough to bend with the curve. At first appearance the curve looks gradual until it is highlighted against the shear white of the plaster ceiling.
Would glass work?
Rooms are defined by the walls, ceiling and floor; they create a beginning and an end. To create the illusion of a space that continues into another room and never ends, the architects at David De La Garza/Zurdodgs have used glass to the tops of the walls, where the plaster ceiling meets, so you can physically see beyond into the next room. This, once again, has the illusion of making the space feel larger with only a room divider separating the two spaces.
Rooms are defined by the walls, ceiling and floor; they create a beginning and an end. To create the illusion of a space that continues into another room and never ends, the architects at David De La Garza/Zurdodgs have used glass to the tops of the walls, where the plaster ceiling meets, so you can physically see beyond into the next room. This, once again, has the illusion of making the space feel larger with only a room divider separating the two spaces.
Considering rammed earth?
Sometimes a space can feel like it has movement. The experts at Mihaly Slocombe have captured this with the use of several floor, wall and ceiling treatments. There seems to be a mad rush towards the end of this space, creating an anticipation of what lies ahead. This is enhanced with the use of a rammed-earth wall that seems to follow the movement of the white plaster ceiling. The contrast of the two materials is further enhanced with the introduction of a fast-moving floor that also seems to bend in the direction the eye is led.
Sometimes a space can feel like it has movement. The experts at Mihaly Slocombe have captured this with the use of several floor, wall and ceiling treatments. There seems to be a mad rush towards the end of this space, creating an anticipation of what lies ahead. This is enhanced with the use of a rammed-earth wall that seems to follow the movement of the white plaster ceiling. The contrast of the two materials is further enhanced with the introduction of a fast-moving floor that also seems to bend in the direction the eye is led.
How about upholstered walls?
As mentioned in my introduction, there are times when a particular mood is required, or a sense of luxury or decadence. There is probably no better way to achieve this than by upholstering an entire wall in a fabric of choice; it will lift the space to a new dimension that mere plaster cannot do. Interior designers at Tobi Fairley have created a dramatic backdrop here – a padded wall and a built-in seat in a colour scheme that complements the soft furnishings and colours in the dining room. Only the contemporary light fitting dares make an attempt to be the centre of attention.
As mentioned in my introduction, there are times when a particular mood is required, or a sense of luxury or decadence. There is probably no better way to achieve this than by upholstering an entire wall in a fabric of choice; it will lift the space to a new dimension that mere plaster cannot do. Interior designers at Tobi Fairley have created a dramatic backdrop here – a padded wall and a built-in seat in a colour scheme that complements the soft furnishings and colours in the dining room. Only the contemporary light fitting dares make an attempt to be the centre of attention.
Is chalkboard a good idea?
How do you stop kids from drawing on your plaster wall? Well, you don’t, really. What if you could substitute that plaster wall with a material that will allow your kids to be creative and can be rubbed out or painted over whenever that time may come? The answer is chalkboard paint finish. Is it a substitute for plaster as a home decorative idea? No, but it is a solution to a problem while simultaneously creating a space for all the family to enjoy. Caitlin Wilson determined that a a cosy corner where the family could gather was the ideal space for such a wall in this home.
How do you stop kids from drawing on your plaster wall? Well, you don’t, really. What if you could substitute that plaster wall with a material that will allow your kids to be creative and can be rubbed out or painted over whenever that time may come? The answer is chalkboard paint finish. Is it a substitute for plaster as a home decorative idea? No, but it is a solution to a problem while simultaneously creating a space for all the family to enjoy. Caitlin Wilson determined that a a cosy corner where the family could gather was the ideal space for such a wall in this home.
What about wallpaper?
A great solution to complement your plaster walls is to wallpaper them to create just the right feeling for a room. If used as a feature wall or highlight, it can be a cost-effective way to create a signature style, as can be seen in this playful kids’ bedroom.
Your Turn
If you’ve used your own alternative wall finishes that complement plaster, attach a photo or share your thoughts in the comments section.
More
Want more from your walls? Read 20 Feature Wall Ideas
A great solution to complement your plaster walls is to wallpaper them to create just the right feeling for a room. If used as a feature wall or highlight, it can be a cost-effective way to create a signature style, as can be seen in this playful kids’ bedroom.
Your Turn
If you’ve used your own alternative wall finishes that complement plaster, attach a photo or share your thoughts in the comments section.
More
Want more from your walls? Read 20 Feature Wall Ideas
I have a saying when designing for a client: “If I can’t give them width, then I will definitely give them height.” Restrictions in the planning stage sometimes forbid you from being able to provide width in a space. It could be because the house is existing or the block that the house sits on is small. So to give the illusion of space in a room, height can be used.
Plastering the walls and ceiling can work, but to further accentuate the height of this home Lynn Gaffney Architect has clad one of the walls in a timber ply and has carried this through to the ceiling, drawing your eye upwards and making the space feel larger than it is.