Go for the drama
High-gloss walls make a statement in dark, bold colours
Q: My family and I moved into a new four-bedroom house last year. Because of the initial costs, we haven’t done anything since moving in. We’ve been saving, and I’m ready to get started. I’d like to start with my dining room.
We love to entertain, and I want a transformation. I’ve noticed a lot of high-gloss walls in décor magazines lately and think this is a look I’d like. What do you think of them, and is this something you would recommend? A: I love, love, love the shiny wall treatments you are drawn to. These walls — shiny enough for you to apply your makeup by — are referred to as lacquered. They bring drama and glamour to any room but work especially well in dining rooms where candlelight and glistening chandeliers reflect on the liquid-like surfaces.
True lacquered walls are composed of resin and solvents and must be spray applied. As a fresh coat is applied over a dry one, the resin in the dry coat dissolves, creating a flawless surface with a smooth gleam. However, the setup for spraying, the multiple coats required and the extremely high solvent odour make actual lacquering difficult to commit to.
The dining room wall in the photo is not a true lacquer finish. New York designer Gideon Mendelson (mendelsongroupinc.com) achieved this reflective finish with the application of three coats of Benjamin Moore’s Advance product in a high-gloss finish.
Mendelson says Advance has the application and performance of traditional oil paint but in a water-borne formula, and that an authentic lacquer finish is much more difficult to achieve and requires a lot more betweencoats sanding to reach a perfect finish. So, I would stick with a lacquered appearance rather than the real thing.
Doing all the prep work required for a glimmering surface is the key.
With a flashlight held parallel to the wall, comb every inch to find dents or nail holes that need to be filled. If the walls are in really rough shape, clean them up with a skim coat of drywall mud (then sand well!) to create a smooth painting surface.
From your email, I assume your house is a new-build; if so, it’s wise to wait for it to settle before attempting lacquerlike walls. In the first year after a new build, hairline cracks appear in the drywall as the house settles through seasonal fluctuations in humidity and temperature. As you bought your house last year, I’m hoping any imperfections have already appeared and can be repaired.
To obtain the smoothest finish possible, you will ideally spray the paint on because even the finest sponge rollers will leave a slightly dimpled appearance. Lightly sand between each coat of paint.
Lacquered walls look the most dramatic in dark or bold colours. I’ve seen great success with navy, red and green.