JuliaChilds

I'm thinking of re-doing my kitchen. Somewhere in a designer showhouse, I saw a painting technique to resemble Tuscan walls. Does anyone know about this? Also, I'm planning a trip to Italy either this summer or next. What kitchen type items could I get to help with this look? Any fabric, etc? Where are your favorite places to get kitchen things? Any cheap Williams-Sonoma type places in Italy?

Gretchen

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and look at their home decorating book rack for paint techniques. Or the library--check it out, as they say.

NYGirl

Me too!!<BR>So far I know the colors and the prints but techniques are vague right now.<BR>Best advice so far-library. Get all those big coffee table books on Tuscany. Just look at pictures. Get all the house mags and tear out the pics that you like. This is what I did when we rebuilt our bathroom, it works..look at the pics ever day-until you get sick of some and others you think you can live with. Research is best before the trip-although there are many stores in the US that sell the exact things..Williams Sonoma is good, they have books too. I am lucky-there are stores for everything here, don't know where you are for the stores though.

x

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27245-2003Jan8.html<BR><BR>Good timing, Washington Post article from Jan 8, 2002 on the same subject, lists suppliers.

x

You can also go to the discussion groups for House and Home on www.bhg.com - I believe there are boards for Decorating or Decorating How To - and folks there can probably give you some good suggestions as well. Good luck!

Pats

&quot;Anything with a buggery Terrence Conran book: a sheet of muslin and a terracotta tile and suddenly it's Tuscan.&quot; &quot;It takes more than a strategically placed bottle of Balsamic Vinegar for me, darling!&quot;<BR><BR>

lisa

I beleive the painting technique you are referring to is Venetian Plaster. In it's truer form, when done by true faux painters, it's very elegant and expensive... The Home Depot has come out with their own Venetian Plaster - a thick paint, if you will, similar to joint compound.<BR><BR>Anyway, Venetian plaster is a lot of work. At least 2 layers, then &quot;burnishing&quot; - polishing the walls, then a coat of polyurethane.<BR><BR>There are other easier finishes that would work as well - Colorwashing being the easiest. The HD has classes on this. Do a google search. Practice on a wall (you can always paint over it!)<BR><BR>If you are considering hiring someone, check out muralsplus.com and they have a place to find local faux painters in your area.

Cristina

Venetian plaster in a bathroom yes but not in a Tuscan (farmhouse) kitchen. It is normally just a good base with a little darker coat (beige and a light rust) rubbed on and off.<BR><BR>

JuliaChilds

Thanks for the replies. The walls I saw and wanted to copy weren't a plaster, but just one color, a yellowish gold, with a darker color rubbed on somehow. A painter had done it, but I'm looking for something I can do myself. What else do I need to get the look? Anything I can get when I'm in Italy?

Laurie

JC- Many of these kitchens have exposed wood beams on the ceiling and/or hanging pot racks. I've read the latest trend is for a &quot;pot filler&quot; tap at the stove/cook top for big pasta pots so you don't have to carry them from the sink (just reporting). Beautiful tile on counters and/or backsplashes would be the best way to get the look. IMO anything you'd get in Italy would be too heavy, cumbersome or breakable to get home.

xxx

There are many ways to achieve that Tuscan look. The way I have found to be most effective and the easiest is to use oil based paint and glaze. This mixture of 1 part paint to 1/2 part glaze is wiped on a wall with a cotton cloth or thick sponge. Mineral Spirits can be used to thin mixture. Jocasta Innes books are a great source for Tuscan painting techniques. Oil paints are smelly but I love the results they give.

ann

I'm trying to do a french country look with maybe some provence fabrics. Any suggestions?

Eye Spy

Ann, seems like Pierre Deux would be your best bet and just what you are looking for. http://www.pierredeux.com/

Lisa

JC - It's quite easy to do. It's called Colorwashing. I take it you are in the US? Go to a Home Depot (or any paint store) and get a gallon of Glaze. (I use HD). Mix one part paint to 4 parts glaze. (I know, doesn't sound right, but it is..., if you use the HD product).<BR><BR>Get a big sponge with rounded edges, the type you use to wash a car... Wet it, ring it out. Dip it in the paint and 'Wash&quot; the walls with it. You have to work quickly, and leave a &quot;wet edge&quot; - you don't want the edges of the area you just did to dry before you start the next area, because it will create lines. <BR><BR>Try it out on a sample board, or in your garage, etc. Don't be afraid. You can always paint over a mistake.<BR><BR>The trick is getting the right color. Actually, if your walls are already a white or a cream, all you need is a yellow ochre - or a yellow/rusty color. When you wash the walls, several shades will actually appear. When I did walls in my house, people would ask me &quot;what colors did you use?&quot; I used the base (white) and one color in the glaze. Looks like several colors.

Sheila

Lisa: Did you use a flat paint and was it the same color as your glaze? I have been wanting to do my kitchen but afraid to take on the project.

lisa

Base coat should be eggshell or satin, mainly because flat will easily soak up the glaze. But you can use it (if that's what's already there) I've used white base coat (easy, already there!) then ragged on a burnt orange. Also used white base and colorwashed with a hmmm... yellow ochre. Email me at [email protected] Will try to help you find the 'right&quot; colors.<BR><BR>Don't be afraid! It's only paint. Make a mistake - let it dry and paint over it. That's why I started with &quot;sample Boards.&quot; Will discuss if you email me. Please put &quot;RE FODORS POST in the title, as I have a heavy hand for deleting.

architect

If you want a Tuscan kitchen move to Tuscany or possibly Las Vegas or Celebration, Orlando (suburb by Disney) <BR><BR>Can't you just hear an Italian living in Tuscany saying: &quot;eyyy, I want a 50's Ranch style kitchen&quot; (oyyy)

Nan

For the Provence look, xxx, I bought some tableclothes while there, but you can buy them all over I am sure. I just made curtains out of them. Check out the Rue de France catalog to get ideas, or buy from them.