Interior Painting in Naperville, IL
Decorative wall finishes in Naperville: limewash, plaster and painted patterns
Want a wall with more depth than flat paint can give? We apply limewash, mineral plaster and painted patterns, and every finish is sampled on your wall before we start.
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Updated September 2026
This job
Decorative Wall Finishes
Interior Painting · answering 24/7
Quick answer
Decorative wall finishes in Naperville, IL include limewash, Roman clay and Venetian plaster, which add soft movement and texture, plus painted stripes and color blocking. Each is sampled on your own wall first, because hand-applied finishes vary with the brush or trowel and with the light in the room.
The job
Chosen by the sample, not the name
Limewash gives a soft, cloudy wash of color; Roman clay a matte, stone-like surface; Venetian plaster a polished depth a little like marble. Painted stripes and color blocks are crisp and graphic instead.
Prep matters more than with flat paint, because thin mineral finishes show every dent. Walls are patched, sanded and primed with the primer each product needs, then the finish goes on by hand in layers, with drying time between them.
What moves the price
What moves the price of a decorative finish
Hand-applied finishes are priced by area, the number of layers and the prep the wall needs.
- 01Finish type
Limewash is quickest; Venetian plaster takes the most layers and burnishing.
- 02Wall area
An accent wall costs far less than a full room or a two-story wall.
- 03Wall condition
Dents and patches must be flat, since thin finishes show them.
- 04Number of layers
More layers give more depth and add time.
- 05Sealing
Some finishes need a sealer or wax in kitchens and baths.
- 06Samples
Large samples on your wall are made before the job starts.
What this job covers
A
Limewash and Roman clay walls
Limewash is a mineral paint brushed on in overlapping strokes, which dries to a soft, cloudy finish with visible movement. Roman clay is a thin, troweled mineral plaster with a matte, stone-like look. Both need a specific primer so they bond and dry evenly, and both go on in two or more thin layers. Brush direction and trowel pressure set the look, so we make a sample on your wall first, and the painter who makes the sample does the wall.
B
Venetian plaster
Venetian plaster is built up in several thin, troweled layers and then burnished with the trowel, which gives a polished surface with real depth. It suits feature walls, fireplaces and entryways more than whole houses. Because each layer has to dry before the next, it takes longer than paint, and in kitchens or bathrooms it is finished with a wax or sealer so it resists moisture and marks. Small chips and scratches can be touched in rather than redone, which is one of its practical strengths.
C
Stripes, stencils and color blocking
Painted patterns rely on straight lines and clean edges. Stripes and color blocks are laid out with a level and measured from the room's focal point, taped with low-tack tape and sealed at the tape edge with the base color so the new color cannot bleed under it. Two coats of each color go on before the tape comes off. Stenciled patterns and painted arches on a nursery or entry wall follow the same process, with the layout drawn on the wall and checked with you first.
Compare the options
Limewash, Roman clay or Venetian plaster?
All three are mineral finishes. They differ in look, effort and where they belong.
| Item | Limewash | Roman clay | Venetian plaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Soft, cloudy, brushy | Matte, stone-like | Polished, marble-like depth |
| Application | Brushed in layers | Troweled in thin layers | Troweled and burnished |
| Best for | Whole rooms and bedrooms | Feature walls, living areas | Entries, fireplaces, accent walls |
| Relative cost | Lowest | Middle | Highest |
Around Naperville
Mineral finishes such as limewash and plaster cure as they dry, and houses here swing from dry, furnace-heated air in winter to humid air in summer. Very dry air can make limewash dry streaky before the strokes blend, and damp air slows plaster between layers, so we check indoor conditions and plan the layers around them. Older houses with original plaster walls often take these finishes especially well, since the surface underneath is already mineral.
How the job runs
How a decorative finish job runs
- Step 1
Samples
We make samples on your wall and agree on color and finish.
- Step 2
Protect
Floors, trim and furniture are covered and edges taped.
- Step 3
Prep
Walls are patched, sanded flat and primed with the finish's primer.
- Step 4
Layers
The finish goes on in thin layers by brush or trowel, drying between each.
- Step 5
Burnish or seal
Plaster is burnished, and finishes in wet rooms are sealed.
- Step 6
Final walk
We check the wall in daylight and lamplight with you.
Mineral finishes and primers we apply are matched to Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams colors.
Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, JC Licht, Behr, PPG, Valspar, Cabot, Sikkens, Rust-Oleum, Zinsser, Purdy, Wooster
A mineral paint brushed on in layers that dries to a soft, cloudy finish with visible movement.
Yes, over a primer made for it, so the limewash bonds and dries evenly.
Yes. It is hard once cured, and it is sealed or waxed in kitchens and baths.
An accent wall is usually one to three days, since each layer needs to dry.
We can get close and show you a sample first; hand-applied finishes always vary a little.
Often booked together
Other jobs that usually come up alongside this one
Answering now
Book a decorative finish sample in Naperville
Call any hour. We look at the wall, make samples and send a written estimate.
