How to whitewash brick walls – striking white brick wall ideas

How to whitewash brick walls and create an awesome accent wall? We all try to create an interior that reflects out personality and individuality, to add a special accent, a highlight that adds character to our home. That is why all professional designers are trying to bring something extraordinary in any room that will emphasize the design concept and give the room a phenomenal appearance. White brick walls are a strong design element and moreover a brick wall is almost versatile – it works with many design styles – rustic, Shabby chic, Boho chic, Urban chic, loft style, Industrial, classic and traditional.

A white brick wall looks pretty stylish. You can use it as an accent wall, as a background for bright décor items or dark colored furniture when you want a visual contrast. Brick walls have a texture that can be hardly imitated and it always stands out. If you wonder whether to whitewash a brick wall or not, remember that using white in the interior visually enlarges the living space, adds atmosphere of lightness and airiness.

Brick walls appear as an element of interior design with the start of transformation of old factory premises into residential buildings. Nowadays this trend is developing fast and brick walls are a huge success in interior design not only in city apartments but in family houses as well. Brick walls are traditionally associated with the loft style, but in contemporary designs we see them even in minimalist interiors.

How to whitewash brick walls – create a powerful element in the home interior

People who wonder how to whitewash brick walls should consider whether they would like to have such a distinctive accent as white brick walls are a strong focal point that attracts the attention. If you are not sure, but still want to whitewash your brick wall, use the wall behind the TV, behind the sofa in the living room or behind the headboard of your bed. In this way you will still have a stylish accent but with a more subtle presence. White brick walls work very well with different surfaces and textures – for example, with plaster and glass, as well as chrome and metal. This allows numerous design opportunities to incorporate a white brick wall in different interior styles. Many people whitewash brick fireplaces to make them a focal point and an attractive place for gathering with family and friends.

A white brick wall in the interior can emphasize and enhance the selected interior design style, create a special mood, adding to the atmosphere of comfort and add a touch of tradition to the contemporary designs. A very special property of white brick walls is that they harmoniously work with super-modern interior elements and traditional as well as vintage items so unless your home is designed in a high tech or futuristic style, there is no problem to whitewash your brick wall and make it even more special.

There is no limit or rule for white brick walls. They can be a part of the interior in any room of the home. In open plan living rooms white brick walls can be used as an element in defining the different functional areas – the recreation area, or the cooking zone and distinguish them. A brick fireplace will look softer if you whitewashed the bricks.

White brick walls in the design of the kitchen add tons of character and texture. Such walls are a great addition to rustic and loft designs and are a great idea for a backsplash as well. In bathroom designs, whitewashed brick walls give a special charm. In such cases the bricks should be treated with a protective coat for moisture resistance. A special place in the home is the mudroom and the corridor. Usually the corridor is pretty dark and white brick in the entrance area will make it much lighter and slightly visually larger.

How to whitewash brick walls – techniques, instructions, tips and ideas

When we discuss how to whitewash brick walls, you need to know that there are different types of paint which can be applied to bricks. Before applying the whitewash paint, however, it is recommended that you test the paint on a part of the wall. It is often that the white wash paint changes the way it looks when completely dry, and in addition, it is possible that you may need to apply two or three layers of paint until you reach the desired final result.

You can try different whitewash recipes as well as different techniques for applying the paint. Remember that the true color of the painted brick wall will be visible after the paint is completely dry and it may take from 48 to 72 hours until the paint is dry.

The two most popular techniques for applying whitewash paint on a wall are using a paint brush (paint roller) and using a sponge. The different techniques will give a different result in the appearance, so it is best to experiment and test the methods to see which one is more appealing to you. When using a sponge, the result is not that smooth like the one that you will get when using a paint brush or a paint roller. Most people opt for applying the paint with a paint brush for the textured appearance of the brick wall.

Before you apply the whitewash paint on your brick wall, make sure that you cleaned the wall from dirt and grease. If you skip that step, you may end up with splotchy areas. Whitewash paint is applied better on wet surfaces, so moist the wall. Apply the paint and let it dry. If necessary, apply a second and third coat, but remember that each coat of whitewash needs to be completely dry before you apply the next one. Wear gloves to protect your hands, eye protective glasses will prevent accidents. Cover the floor under the brick wall to prevent splashing and spilling which may damage your floor.