Glossary

accent colors - contrast colors used to spice up room color schemes
antique finish - a paint of stain finish applied to an object and the wiped away to give an aged appearance
colorwashing - very thin, almost transparent layers of emulsion glaze giving an effect of translucent color
distressing - deliberate aging and weathering techniques to give character to woodwork, paintwork and metal
dragging - a paint effect producing fine stripes in the surface, created by dragging a dry brush or stiff comb through the glaze
faux - French word for fake
glaze - thin coats of transparent or semi-transparent paint which can be layered or used to provide a top surface for a paint effect
marbleizing - decorating painting of a surface to resemble marble
molding - decorative strips of wood used to conceal joints and give a more decorative finished look
patina - the mellow, timeworn look of a surface
pickling - a furniture finish created by painting a piece, then wiping away most of the paint before it has dried, leaving some paint in the cracks and corners
ragging off / ragging on - paint effects using a scrunched-up cotton or leather rag to create a textural pattern on a paint surface
receding colors - colors that make a wall or surface appear to be further away than it actually is - usually pale colors, especially from the "cooler" end of the spectrum, such as blues, greys, and blue-greens
spattering - spraying droplets of diluted emulsion on to a painted surface by flicking the bristles of the brush, which creates a speckled granite-style finish, more modern-looking that most paint effects
stenciling - patterns created by masking area of a surface and applying color to the exposed parts
trompe l'oeil - painting done on a flat surface to resemble a realistic, three-dimensional scene
verdigris - a greenish blue patina that forms on copper, brass, or bronze surfaces