The first time I saw "The King's Speech" I didn't even notice the plot or the actors.
I was too busy looking at the walls.
What glorious walls they are! I wanted to come home to those walls.
This week when Mr. Wonderful decided to paint the living room and accidentally left the pumpkin peeking through the ochre color I couldn't resist trying my own version.
Want to try it at your house? Here's how I did it:
At first it looked like someone had just grabbed the leftover paint and dashed it all over the walls.
Guilty as charged.
That's how you start. Just splodge on whatever you've got.
Use an old brush or two, or ripped up towels... just make sure the edges are all soft.
Rub it hard with a rag.
Keep on rubbing with the same ratty old rag.
The colors will run together and look a tad muddy.
Hooray! Don't give up... you're getting there.
And as Mr. Wonderful told me, "Don't worry, it's just paint!"
The key to this look is layer over layer over layer.
Once you get two or three layers everywhere, switch to the colors you're really going to want to show.
Next, add patches of dramatic color- I used barn red and forest green. On the same rag!
A little hint if you do this project... it's counterintuitive, but using the same rag for multiple colors lends a really nice blending. Rub until almost all the color is used up before dipping into the paint pot again.
Build up layer upon layer.
It all blends together in the end, layer after layer taking on a rich patina.
I used only leftover paints from the garage, then I added pigments brought home from the ochre mines in France.
When I pulled out decorative elements, the background colors shone through.
When you're finished painting, mix up some flour and water paste and glue on random bits of paper. I distressed mine with walnut ink and added vintage papers from the 1920s.
You might want to add a piece of molding on top- ours is carved & detailed.
Don't you love the muted, weathered look?
My wall isn't exactly like the one in the movie, but I love the result.
If you decide to go for it and make your own version of the King's Speech walls I'd love to see what you did.
