15 Faux Finishes with Paint

My favorite and the most affordable way to update ANYTHING in your home is with paint! It truly is magic in a can. Over the years, (nearly 13) I’ve created some very realistic faux finishes with paint.

I realize I’ve been focusing more on watercolors recently but I still have many projects in the basement patiently waiting for me. I thought it would be fun to highlight a bunch of faux finishing posts in one blog post! For me it’s fun to build up layers of paint – to create the look of stone, like malachite or marble, or make items looked aged and weathered, like with my verdigris technique.

These techniques can be done on small items like trays or boxes or larger pieces of furniture or even walls!

What is Faux Finish?

A faux finish is a re-creation of the look of something existing in the natural world here we are synthesizing the look with paint.

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What You’ll Need for Faux Finishes

What you’ll need:

• Paint – in these tutorials I use Fusion Mineral Paint, Chalk Paint®, General Finishes and others
• Paint Brushes
• Paper Towels
• Sponges
• Cardboard Ripped Up
• A Spray Bottle for Spritzing Water
• Saltwash Powder®

You probably have many of the items you need! I do recommend trying out your faux finish on smaller sample boards first.

15 Faux Finishes with Paint

Simply click on the button under the faux finish you’re interested in to get more details on creating this look! I’d love to hear which one you enjoy the most and please share your projects with me! I love seeing what you’re creating at home.

Faux Soapstone

This is a great technique that is pretty simple and only requires two colors of paint, paper towels, and a spray bottle. I did this technique for our bedroom on a bedside cabinet Luke built. We still have this pretty cabinet in our home. The look is classic and timeless.

Skill Level: Beginner

Other Application Ideas – The top of a console or bedside table. Fun on a dining table or island. would also look great on boxes or an accent wall.

Faux Marble

This technique is a little more advanced so you may want to work your way up to this one. Everyone loves marble, but it’s not always in the budget, right? This is another classic look and we still have this on a console in our dining room. You will need some gray paints for this one, water and feathers. Yes, I created the veins with feathers.

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Other application ideas: Counters, accent wall, coasters, or if you’re into photography making faux backdrops.

Faux Concrete

This one is fun and you’ll need some Saltwash Powder® for this one to add some fun texture and a paint scraper to apply the paint saltwash mixture. This one is fun on things! I used it on a versatile container from Target but you could get something at a thrift store or see if there’s something in the basement.

Skill Level: Beginner – Intermediate

Other ideas – this could be really fun on a canvas as abstract art.

Faux Aged Hammered Copper

This one is so fun and you just need some metallic paint, a brush, and something to glaze with. I used this on plastic chargers and pull them out for special entertaining.

Skill Level: Beginner

Don’t those look like the real thing? Other applications are a fun island or in your pantry, frames, coasters…

6 Weathered Finishes

In this post I shared a bunch of fun ways to mimic weathered wood and other weathered finishes. Dry brushing is key for this and I recommend some cheap chip brushes. This looks great on furniture, frames, panneling.

Skill Level: Beginner

I think this might become your new favorite. Versatile to do color on color too for beachy distressed look.

Faux Galvanized Metal Finish

This look is to mimic zinc that’s weathered. I created this effect because I wanted a table we couldn’t afford at Ballard Design. Luke built me a custom console table and it looked so real! You’ll need some metallic paint for this.

Skill Level: Beginner

Other applications – similar to the soapstone. I think it could be a fun kitchen surface or accent wall. Also really fun on a magnetic board or on frames or coasters.

Faux Earthenware

Do you have a simple glass vase? I took one of those boring glass vases and made it look like earthenware or terra cotta. You’ll need Saltwash Powder® for this one to add texture.

Skill Level: Beginner

Other applications – Cheap plant pots or outdoor vessels would be fun with this effect.

Faux Rust

Okay, this sounds weird, right? Why would you want to do faux rust? BUT if you want a piece to feel really old – think hinges or a metal stool. That’s what I did with this stool that was bright green. I gave it a more painterly effect, added some rust, and did a weathered wood finish on top.

Skill Level: Beginner

Other application ideas – planters, frames, signs, wooden letters

Faux Malachite

This one was so much fun! I made a faux malachite tray by using MDF, gold paint, gold hardware, some paint and cardboard. This really was so much fun and we still use this tray!

Skill Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Other applications – coasters, an accent wall (maybe in a bathroom), on a little cup for the bathroom.

Faux Verdigris Finish

This is the finish copper gets when it’s exposed to the elements. I did it on a compass rose we have hanging on the back of our home, but it would be so much on any metal item inside or outside your yard. I feel like it’s very coastal.

Skill Level – Intermediate

Other applications – anything metal, could be fun on coasters, wooden letters, frames. Maybe an accent wall or a canvas panel.

If You Enjoyed this Post…

If you enjoyed this post you might really enjoy the eBook I wrote several years ago all about painting furniture. Matthew Mead called it “The New Paint Bible” when it came out. It’s over 150 pages and has 5 star ratings. Learn more about my eBook here.

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I hope you enjoyed these 15 faux finishes with paint! Be sure to pin this for future reference:

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