The technique: StriéAdvertisement
What it is: From the French word for "stripe", strié is a faux finish effect that gives walls a subtly streaked appearance. "It creates the look of textured fabric, such as silk or denim," says Sharon.
Where it works: This versatile technique can be used in any room. While finer lines and neutral colours create an elegant, contemporary feel, there’s recently been a return to a more rustic, burlap-like look, reflecting trends on fashion runways.
How to do it:
• Apply a glaze mixture over your base coat, then run a dry brush over top before it has a chance to dry, cleaning the brush with a rag between strokes. "I use a white-washing brush with heavy bristles," says Sharon.
• Using a pearl or gloss finish for the base helps the glaze move better. "When mixing colour with the glazing liquid, make sure it's about three shades darker than the base," says Sharon. "Also, use two to four parts glaze to one part paint to make it more translucent, adding more paint as needed."
