Plaster is one of the oldest building materials in history, with the first evidence of it dating back nearly 9,500 years. Venetian plaster became popular around the 15th century, when it was made from slaked (crumbled) limestone and marble. Painters and artists found that applying several layers of plaster to a wall would provide depth and smooth texture that couldn’t be replicated with other paint.
In ancient times, as in modern times, Venetian plaster is thinly applied to a wall to create a visual and textual richness that resembles polished stone. Over time, the slaked stone also ages into a finish that is stronger than any painted wall, which is why Venetian plaster has retained its popularity even today. Venetian plaster also has a unique, crystalline finish that isn’t found in other plasters. This is what gives Venetian plaster that shine you can’t find elsewhere.
At Amy Howard at Home, we’ve created a high-quality Venetian plaster that provides truly endless possibilities for a variety of projects. Easy to work with and highly textured, our Venetian plaster has three ingredients: lime, calcium carbonate, and marble dust. This simple recipe is perfect for creating an organic, natural, historic look in your home.
But many people wonder how to get colored plaster since our Venetian plaster comes in a beautiful creamy white. The answer is simple: milk paint! Milk Paint and Venetian Plaster Create Superb Finishes
Our Toscana Milk Paint can’t be rivaled in terms of quality or rich color, and it’s a perfect complement to our Venetian plaster. That’s because many of our milk paint pigments are sourced from Italy, using all-natural colors from quarries in the region. It also comes in a powder, instead of a liquid, which means that it can be added to the plaster without compromising the texture or quality.
You can mix our milk paint with our Venetian plaster to get the color and the texture you want for your creations. Amy demonstrates the right portions of plaster, milk paint, and water in the video, but it’s important to always mix powder first before adding water. You’ll also need to prime a surface with One Step Paint to ensure the plaster adheres properly.
You can also finish your Venetian plaster surfaces with beautiful Light Wax to create an aged, yet polished, surface, which Amy models in the video. She also shows you how to use our stencils to create wall or furniture accents that last a lifetime.
With this mixture of Toscana Milk Paint and Venetian Plaster, you can really explore your creativity and test new, unique applications all over your home. Our variety of Toscana Milk Paint colors will make it easy to customize your next project and make it a perfect fit for your home – simply mix and add water!
Make sure to see how Amy applies the milk paint and Venetian plaster in this week’s Finish Friday, as well as her tips for priming and finishing your surfaces. You can also tune in next Friday to see the newest episode of Finish Fridays, which airs live at noon CST on Instagram and on our Facebook page.
Can the Venetian Plaster be used as white milk paint? I have a faux styrofoam column separating my kitchen from my dining room. I have the old fashioned milk paint extra bond.
