Before: standard painted bedroom wall. After: authentic limewash in Portola Paints Roman Clay — textured, warm, and impossible to replicate with regular paint. Bethlehem, PA.
The Challenge
This master bedroom in Bethlehem had just been repainted in a warm greige when the homeowners saw limewash walls on Instagram and wanted the same look. They were worried it would look fake or overdone. We proposed one feature wall behind the bed rather than all four walls — the subtlety is part of what makes it work.
Our Process
We used Portola Paints Roman Clay applied in their standard technique: first coat applied in broad random strokes and allowed to dry. Second coat applied in a perpendicular direction, creating overlapping layers. Before full cure, we burnished sections lightly with a dry trowel — this pulls some of the material back and creates the characteristic variegated texture. Two shades of the same color family were blended for depth.
The Result
The effect is a wall that looks ancient — in the best possible way. Organic texture, depth of color, and a surface that photographic art looks incredible against. The rest of the room stayed in the existing greige. Total for one feature wall (approximately 80 sq ft): $650 including materials.
Services Used on This Project
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