Skip to main content

Step by Step - Pictures of a Dramatic American Clay Wall

American Clay is a wonderful way to add value and character to your home.  This post is a simple DIY American Clay Tutorial.



I am an interior designer by degree and an American Clay applicator.  I absolutely can't say enough wonderful things about this product.  


This project I'm showing you wasn't my typical clay wall.   This wall's purposes was to be used as a photography backdrop instead of having to put up canvases in this professional photographers family room.  I had to view this project as more of an art piece than "just doing a wall"  



Believe it or not the hardest part for me is the "getting ready" part.  Mixing up all the clay (80 lb bag of clay!) and getting all the pigments right with the binder is always time consuming.  This project consisted of 3 colors - Bryce Canyon, Palomino Valley, and Acacia.  This was the first time I used American Clay's newer product Enjarre and Up and EZ binder.  Enjarre is their only one coat system and for those on a tighter budget it makes doing clay on the walls a doable option. 

Here are the before shots! 



Get ready to see the transformation from country STENCILS to Tuscan BEAUTY!!!

I troweled on a rotation of Bryce Canyon and Palomino Valley to give added depth and texture to the wall.



I'm sorry, isn't this clay is the most mouth watering, luxurious thing you have ever seen?  Makes me want to eat it! (which by the way you CAN, this stuff is so natural.)

Enjarre one coat mixed pigments of Bryce Canyon, Palomino Valley, and Acacia.




After I covered the walls in the 2 darker tones (which was tricky since the clay color wet isn't the clay color dry, so it is kind of like you are painting blind!) I skip troweled on the Acacia color in spontaneous areas.  Once the lighter color dried for a while I used a clean plastic trowel to blend it into the darker colors.


Here is the wall finished with the first coat and still wet.  (Remember the clay always dries a LOT lighter.)


Here are the AFTER shots! It is so textured and rich!  Can you also see this is a powder room, or a wall in your kitchen?  Give me a call and I'd be happy to do it!

Previously they had to hang canvas as a backdrop on their plain wall.  (isn't it loverly.) (-:


And now the AFTER shot. Isn't that wedding picture they took GORGEOUS!

Time for a fresh new look!

!
What are your thoughts? :-)

   Do you like the rich deep terra cotta color or do you prefer lighter more subtle colors? 

Feel free to Contact me for any information regarding the clay or other design questions. 



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

I love hearing your comments!

Popular posts from this blog

Plastering American Clay That Looks Like Concrete for Fireplace Surrounds

Hello Design Friends, Today I have a very exciting post.  Most of you know my absolute love for American Clay and lately, I've been specializing in plastering clay fireplace surrounds.  Most of my clients have asked for an industrial hand troweled concrete/cement look but I can produce any artistic style you've envisioned..  My favorite part about the clay is that it's REAL and NATURAL.  This is not a faux paint product or something synthetic trying to mimic a natural product. Concrete has clay in it.....so in part, I feel like you can't use a better product to produce a look similar to a cement or concrete fireplace surround.   What I have found from most of my clients who are looking for a concrete fireplace surround is they aren't excited about astronomical  bid they get! What they get from me is a work of art (hand troweled and artistic) for a fraction of the cost. Over the next few weeks I am going to showcase the MANY firepl...
5 comments
Read more

Concrete Trend for Fireplace Surrounds

  What makes my job exciting is turning the focal point of a room into a work of art! This last house asked for an artistic clay finish on their new fireplace surround.   I used Iroquois American Clay and washed the top with a dark pigment to achieve the aged concrete look.  Since clay IS an ingredient in actual cement it feels amazing and makes such a statement. There are so many artistic directions you can take the clay.  It can be modern OR old world style, it just depends on my technique and the color choices a client chooses.   The up close picture below is when the clay is wet - I love showing the DEPTH of the product and all the artistic divots and character each fireplace has. The fireplace is starting to lighten up as it's drying . I don't always receive a final, fully decorated AFTER picture but I did with these clients.   Blueplank Builders in Coeur d'Alene was the builder of this beautiful  home.     Give me a call...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review for The Clay Trowel - Rustic Kitchen in Enjarre American Clay

Hello Friends! I just finished a LOVELY home project way out in the Coeur d'Alene forest :-) My team applied a very rustic, one coat Enjarre finish to their kitchen.  I always feel honored to turn a client's home into a work of art.  I appreciated her "glowing" review. BEFORE AFTER Their little girls room was done up in clay also.   My client even made that fairy art piece out of the clay! She was inspired by this piece I did. Best of Houzz 2017 - Client Satisfaction ~ Selina
Post a Comment
Read more