Decorate your life with exciting new paint finishes on anything from cabinets to floors.

Benjamin Moore is going off the wall--and onto floors, countertops, fireplaces and more! Introducing Faux Finesse, we are taking painting one step further. You can create a faux granite kitchen countertop, old world charm with color washing, even a faux terra cotta tile floor. Plus turn furniture and other surfaces into works of art with the rag rolling and bagging technique. All you need is some time, some Benjamin Moore paint, and your imagination!

Sponging This works best on any type of surface. Try it on chairs, walls, fireplace, floors and countertops. But watch out: the more nooks and crannies a surface has, the harder it will be to sponge.

For Better and Faster Results....

When using latex, you can apply colors wet on wet.

If too much color or pattern is applied, remember you can soften the effect by sponging background color over the "mistake".

Work with a partner. You can each apply a different color simultaneously to make the work go faster.

Use glaze for a softer look.

Painting Paneling Good preparation is the key to success when paint paneling. The paneling must e thoroughly cleaned, sanded and primed so the paint will adhere to the surface. Once paneling is properly prepped, choose any painting method from regular painting to sponging, smooshing, shadow stripes and more. Use your imagination! These panel stripes are just one of the many designs that work.

For Better and Faster Results....

When painting stripes, use two different finishes. For example, flat, shiny, flat, shiny etc. This produces an elegant look.

You can line up stencil patterns to create a wainscoting at your waist height, towards the top of the wall, or place them randomly for a whimsical effect.

Bagging This is a quick and easy way to give any small surface in your home an elegant textured effect. It's a smaller scale version of smooshing, which is the same technique applied to walls and other larger surfaces. Bagging is a negative technique because you're applying a coat of glaze to a surface and then removing it with plastic to create a textured effect.

This is just one of the many surfaces you can bag. Try it on furniture, doors, walls, etc.

For Better and Faster Results....

Make sure your base coat is the color you want to see the least and your glaze color, the color you want to see the most.

The thicker the plastic (i.e. plastic drop cloth), the thicker the veins. The thinner the plastic (i.e. dry cleaning bags), the thinner the veins.

Work while glaze is wet. For small surfaces, use latex glaze. for large surfaces when you need a longer drying time, use Alkyd Glaze.

Use 2 or 3 bags at a time, so you'll always have a fresh, unsaturated bag to work with.

Make enough glaze to do the entire job the first time. If you run out, it will be difficult to match the colors with the second batch.

Dragging Dragging is a negative technique. This means applying paint to a wall or other surface and then removing the paint with a dry tool. In this case, our tool will be corrugated cardboard which you will drag down the wall to create the vertical lines you want. Make sure to make a few corrugated cardboard tools. As you progress, they may become saturated and unusable. This technique is a great way to disguise the grooves in wood paneling.

For Better and Faster Results....

Tape a stir stick to the back of your cardboard tool to keep it from bending as it gets wet.

When you get to the end of a wall and your tool is too large, simply cut it to fit the remaining area.

You're not limited to cardboard for your tool. Brooms, squeegees, adhesive spreaders, notched trowels, sponges and brushes also work well. Use your imagination and experiment. Test first on a small board.

Tri-Color Rolling Tri-Color rolling gives you an effect you'd never achieve by painting colors one at a time. for the best results, think about how the colors you choose will mix together. For example, blue and yellow mixed become green. Also, one color should be the same as the base coat, the other two any colors you'd like. This technique is very versatile. You can create a "hand-painted look" with the stripes, or smoosh over your tri-color rolling for a different effect. Like all our other techniques, consider other applications for tri-color rolling.

For Better and Faster Results....

Be careful not to overfill the tray.

For stripes, roll straight down (not up and down).

For corners and top edges, just use the flat edge of your roller, rolling down and out.

Try this method with glazes for a softer, more translucent look.

Color Washing Color washing is an easy way to dress up less than perfect walls and enhance the texture and character of plaster or stuccoed walls. There are two steps to this technique. A base coat and a translucent coat that you "wash" on top. Keep in mind that while circular motions are used for this demonstration, you can apply the wash any way you see fit. An entire room, after the base coat, can be color washed in about 45 to 90 minutes. As a variation, this technique can be applied directly over wallpaper that has colors and patterns you want to tone down.

For Better and Faster Results....

When choosing colors, decide how they will react together, and whether you want light over dark or dark over light.

The base coat is the color you want to see the least of, the "wash" the color you want to see most.

Fewer rubs will give you a more "distressed" look, more rubs a "warmer" look.

If was color is the same color as the woodwork, no masking off will be required.

Shadow Striping Shadow Striping is simply alternating matte and glossy stripes of the same color. Not only does this effect look great straight on, it also looks great on the "long angle"--when you're looking down the wall. This makes it an ideal technique for hallways, dining rooms an living rooms. Before you attempt Shadow Striping, decide what kind of striping pattern you want. Experiment with different types of stripes. Painters tape comes in 1" and 2" sizes, which will help you determine the size of your stripes. The key to success in this technique is getting the tape straight on the wall. Follow directions carefully.

For Better and Faster Results....

Although you can work with lighter colors, this effect works better with darker colors.

Use low tack painters tape. It's easier to take off than regular masking tape and reduces the risk of peeling off the paint.

When you've finished a 5' to 8' section, re-use your tape. It's already pre-cut and will save you time and money.

Try not to paint over the tape. This will make it harder to remove.

Smooshing If you like the look of marble, this is the technique for you. Smooshing is a "negative" technique. This means you will be applying a glaze onto the wall and then creating a marble-like texture by placing plastic over the wet glaze, smoothing it with your hand and then removing it.

For Better and Faster Results....

Use the alternating wall approach, i.e. smoosh opposite walls. This will give you better corners.

This technique can be adapted to create a great Faux Slate Floor.

Terra Cotta Floor Painting your floor is a great substitute for re-tiling or re-carpeting. For an authentic terra cotta look, bring a sample of terra cotta tile into our store and we can match its colors. The lifespan of your painted floor will depend a lot on your lifestyle. But remember, when your floor wears down, you can always repaint! Also, if you paint over linoleum you must be willing to replace it. If you are not, then don't paint it!

For Better and Faster Results....

It is not necessary for the entire floor to dry as long as the tiles you are stepping on are dry.

The bigger the tool, the faster the job.

When the floor starts to dull down, remove all wax, then lightly sand it and give it another clear coat.