Venetian Plaster

Lime-Based Venetian Plaster on Bathroom Walls

Venetian Plaster is an excellent choice for bathroom environments for two main reasons. First, Venetian Plaster finishes are breathable. This means that they allow moisture to escape. They do not trap moisture. Second, because of their lime-based nature, they inhibit the growth of mildew.

Venetian Plaster, also known as Polished Plaster or lime-based plaster, is cool to the touch, like stone or marble, because it is made out of stone elements. It has been valued for centuries for its good looks and particular properties. It gives an air of opulence to any surface it decorates. Today, it holds a place of choice among decorative finishes for both residential and commercial uses.

Painting in Partnership, from the Northwest suburban area of Chicago, uses a variety of limed-based plasters and creates a wide array of finishes from traditional to more contemporary effects.

Venetian plasters are known and admired for their unique marble-like luster and feel. For centuries, they have adorned some of the finest residences, palaces and public spaces, especially in Europe, where it was first popularized. A high level of skill and experience are required on the part of the decorative painters who create this very special decorative finish.

Recently, Painting in Partnership had the opportunity to execute a venetian plaster finish on the living room ceiling of an Art Deco lake-front residence, on the North Shore of Chicago. Notice the soft sheen on the ceiling, reflecting the dim light emanating from the window shades.

Venetian Plaster Ceiling in Vintage Art Deco Room

Because of its large size (600 square feet) and its 10-foot height, creating a polished plaster finish on this ceiling was especially challenging. It required the use of two rolling scaffolds and the coordinated efforts of two decorative painters from Painting in Partnership, in order to avoid lap marks and inconsistencies in the finished venetian plaster. From preparation to the polishing of the plaster, about 80 hours of labor were used to create this decorative finish.

The ingredients in venetian plaster have evolved over the years. The “natural” versions of plaster, like the one we used on this project, include no more that five percent of synthetic ingredients. The other traditional ingredients include: hydrated slaked lime, pigments and marble flour.

In addition to its great looks, venetian plaster is breathable (lets moisture through), mildew resistant and qualifies as a “green” product as well. It is one of the many decorative finishes Painting in Partnership expertly executes.