Venetian Plaster - An Affordable Luxury for Every Decor
Venetian Plaster New York is your exclusive source for the finest in decorative wall finishes. Whether you are creating an elegant, unique environment for your home or an inviting atmosphere within a commercial office or business-related space, Venetian Plaster New York will craft the ideal color and design scheme to suit your creative vision of choice.
At Venetian Plaster New York, we know there are a myriad of options when it comes to decorative painting and faux finishes - it can even become overwhelming. Our solution? To work with you one-on-one during a free at-home consultation so that we can determine what palette and textures will suit your décor choose from literally thousands of colors and finishes with the assistance of our skilled artisans, and we guarantee you'll be thrilled with our extraordinary results!
Venetian Plaster Tips
Venetian Plaster, or Stucco Veneziano, is a decorative paste plaster utilized for interior applications. Also known as "Faux Painting" or "Faux Finishing", this technique uses thin layers of plaster applied with a trowel or spatula, then polished to create the desired illusion of depth and texture. Although the term "Venetian Plaster" is a relatively modern phrase to the world of interior decorating, it is actually an ancient stucco technique with materials originally derived from lime and marble. Modern adaptations of Venetian Plaster are composed of organic ingredients, acrylic binders and calcium, inspired by the ornate plaster-work of Renaissance Italy. Natural lime plasters have been around since the time of the ancient Romans, Egyptians and Greeks, rendering the craft of Venetian Plaster an age-old art form that has been passed on for thousands of years through generations of skilled craftsmen.
Depending upon the applications used by the artisan, the finish of Venetian Plaster can vary from granular in appearance and texture to glossy and smooth to the touch. Like many traditional plastering techniques, this one achieves its effect with a combination of distinctive materials and expert application; the addition of acrylic polymers to the recipe results in a much more durable and long-lasting surface than traditional plaster formulas. Furthermore, VenetianPlasterNewYork.com's diverse range of premium, water-based products are stain-resistant, 100% washable, odorless and solvent-free, enabling breathability for mold prevention and ensuring your enjoyment for years to come.
History of Venetian Plaster
Decorative Plaster New York (NYC) has a rich history, with origins dating as far back as 5,000 years ago to areas of the Mesopotamia (referring to the region now known as modern Iraq, parts of eastern Syria, Kuwait, southeastern Turkey, and southwest Iran). Eventually, this time-honored craft spread in popularity among southern Europe, notably ancient Rome and Greece. There has been historical and archaeological evidence that common baked clay was eventually replaced with plaster and grouted with lime, versus the traditional adhesive bitumen (a petroleum-based mixture found in such substances as tar and asphalt). Subsequently, plaster became a standard ingredient in formal and residential architecture. As you can see, plaster was initially used for utilitarian purposes, but eventually developed into the more decorative art form that it is known for today.
Venetian Plaster, (a.k.a. Stucco Veneziano), was originally composed of natural aged limestone derivates and ground marble dust to create stucco wall finishes, which were often washed over with various pigments or painted on directly in the form of a fresco. During its early inception, Roman craftsmen executed a painstaking, labor-intensive process to achieve the desired effect.
Venetian Plaster Today: Old-World Charm and Modern Elegance
However, it was the famous Italian architect Andrea Palladio who re-discovered Venetian Plaster techniques during his studies in the 16th century, incorporating the art form into the splendid Venetian villas that are still to this day the distinguishing mark of his career. Traditional Stucco Veneziano was an aesthetic practice that spread throughout Italy, and eventually swept across the entire region of Europe in the 17th century. Although this finish was originally intended to protect structures, the Venetians elevated the application to an artful level, introducing natural pigments to add a decorative touch to both interior and exterior surfaces. Venetian Plaster is utilized today as an ornamental faux finish, imparting a look of elegance, old-world charm and distinct sophistication.