Has anyone else noticed the growing trend of lacquered/glossy walls? I must be a bit slow, because I thought gloss paint was only good for trims until recently. So many designers are using lacquer/gloss as a finish on walls, and I'm starting to think it can look amazing, especially when it's a dark colour. Not only does it give a wall some interest, the way it reflects light seems to brighten up a room, as opposed to matte finished walls that just seem to suck it all up!
Lacquer has been around in China and Japan since 7000BC. Traditionally, lacquer was made from natural resins, and was used on different artifacts because of it's durable, waterproof and beautiful finish. But these days there are many aritficial resins that are used to create lacquer, as well as wallcoverings and paints that acheive a similar, if not the same, effect at a much lower cost.
A few sources that I've managed to find of roll-form wallcoverings that have a lacquered look are: Valtekz - 'patent', Stark - 'delfo', Phillip Jeffries - 'lacquered walls', Donghia - 'lacquered walls', and Robert Crowder - 'lacquers'.
High-gloss paint can also acheive a similar look, most paint companies offer a high-gloss finish. Fine Paints of Europe has a product called Hollandlac that also gives the high gloss look of lacquer, and comes in two varying degrees of gloss.
Chocolate brown in an interior by Jeffrey Bilhuber.
Forest green walls in an interior by Darren Henault.
High gloss teal in a Miles Redd room.
Feature wall panel in a bedroom at Kip's Bay 2007 showhouse by Jamie Drake.
More chocolate brown, this time in a room by Markham Roberts.
High gloss ceiling in a Philip Gorrivan interior.
Lipstick red in a Steven Gambrel living room.
More glossy red walls, this is a living room by Todd Alexander Romano.
12 comments:
Wow - I love this post! My grandmother used to have a lot of black lacquer furniture, so I have a fond feeling about lacquer. I love the design element that a lacquer/high gloss wall gives to a room, and think it is particularly effective on the ceiling in the Phillip Gorrivan room.
Hi Sarah, thanks. I have a few pieces of black lacquered furniture at home that I've bought since living in Hong Kong, and it really is beautiful. I think the ceiling in Phillip Gorrivan's room is lovely too, and am starting to think how I can use it somewhere else.
These are all beautiful rooms. Lacquer has such a wondeful light reflecting quality. I especially like the top room by Bilhuber.
Good Post
Patricia, I agree. I'm loving the chocolate brown in high gloss and considering it for my bedroom.
You have asembled quite a few of my favorite designers here!: Bilhuber, Redd, Gambrel. But I love all of these rooms!
Thanks datiedid - they're beautiful aren't they!
We just painted my parents' dining a room a lacquered aubergine. It's just gorgeous, esp. at night. We had a specialist who hand rubbed the lacquer and paint. Up close it's really beautiful to see the mottled like effect.
POC, that sounds beautiful - you have lucky parents!
Trends like that sort of sneak up on you, don't they? I love the high gloss look. It seems incongruous to me that high gloss is 'in' with so many people buying older homes.
Gloss shows every single imperfection. So you'd better have either perfect walls, or a high tolerance for flaws.
On the other hand, I do love how venetian plaster looks when glazed. It really highlights the overall texture of the space.
Either way, gloss is fabulous and you did an amazing job of gathering fine examples of it done well. I liked the post so much I just linked to you in a post I made today. :)
there are some amazing designs and created the perfect atmosphere! charm and relax!
I would love to lacquer tulip poplar leaves on my bathroom wall, but not sure of the process. Do you have any ideas on using real leaves with lacquer
Not sure Brad, I have seen tobacco leaves lacquered on a wall, so I guess it can be done. I suggest you check out someone who does specialty finishes?
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