painting interior brick

[JennieWI]

Does anyone know how to paint brick so that it is not just one solid color? Previous owners of our house painted a brick wall a creme color. The brick was originally grey. I'd like to see something more traditional with reds and browns or blue/grey combo. But this is a large wall, so I'd like the technique to be as easy as possible.

 

[ljnash]

I've never done this, but I saw a program on tv where they did a dry brush technique over painted brick. They used some darker colors, like browns and green, I think. The lighter base coat still showed through. It looked like the shabby chic technique that is used on furniture.

 

[Casey's mom]

I tried to do a two color wash on brick in our family room. It was a lot of work and when I got done it looked like my walls were dirty. I didn't like it at all. The brick take the paint in the groves where you don't want it. So I went back to a solid color. Try it in a small area, behind a table or chair first and look at it in night light and day light. It was at night that it looked dirty. Good luck.
Nancy

 

[ladyluck_t]

I found a couple of website links for DIY's that talk about a faux or decorative finish.

This first one, you send in what you want to do and a professional designer custom fits a Faux painting technique, then emails you back the instructions, i think it was only $15.00 which isnt too bad
http://www.decorativepaint.net/index.html

these links are to a Q&A about painting, here were a few that discussed painting bricks:
http://www.paintstore.com/drpaint/26078.html

http://www.paintstore.com/drpaint/27534.html

this last one is an expensive "Kit" that you can buy.
http://www.brick-anew.com/

Good luck and i hope i helped

 

[BoxerS.C.]

I can answer this question since I am a paint contractor.

A very easy way to do a faux finish on this wall would be to pick out which color you want to be your base color from your reds/browns-blue/gray and paint the whole wall this color.
Then go to Wal-Mart and pick up a sponge roller and roll the other color over the base color in different directions.

I have done our living room like this using a light green base and sponged over it with a hunter green.
It looks great.
Hope this helps.

 

[BoxerS.C.]

You could also take a look at www.brick-anew.com/.