You can add texture to walls with tools like sponges and brushes.
Texturing walls can be done with a wide variety of tools including brushes and sponges. The type of texturing you have should be decided by personal preference, but also by necessity in some cases. If a wall has blemishes on it that cannot be fixed, you can texture it various ways to cover up or disguise them.
Antique Wallpaper
To create the effect of having wallpaper without actually having to put it up, all you need is latex paint and a wallpaper brush. Try to pick an antique-color paint, such as gold. This texture will look best with golds and browns because the walls are supposed to look antique. Paint the background color and allow it to dry. Then water down a latex paint, but make sure it is not too thin. Dip the brush in the latex paint and create short strokes side to side, dipping the brush in the latex paint as you go. After the first coat has dried, repeat this moving the brush up and down. You will be left with what looks like antique wallpaper.
Leather Look
Use large sheets of plastic to create the look of leather on you walls. To do this, paint the wall whatever color you want after applying a base coat and allowing it to dry. Use colors that leather would typically be, since that is the look you are aiming for, like browns, dark shades of warm colors (red, yellow, orange), or light shades of cool colors (blue and purple). Then put a large piece of plastic drop cloth over it. Make wrinkles in the plastic to suit the look you want. If you want some parts of the wall to be more defined, use a roller so the plastic goes more deeply into the paint.
Sponges
To texture walls with sponges, first paint the wall with a thick paint. Use a paint that typically masks over wall blemishes. You can use either a regular sponge or a sponge paintbrush. To use the regular sponge, just blot it along the wall. The holes in the sponge will create a texture along the wall. If you are using a brush, flip the brush over so the flat side is on the paint. The holes in a brush are typically smaller and will make a subtle texture as a result.
Towels
Using towels or rags is another way to texture walls. After you paint a base coat on the wall, roll up a towel so it is thin, like a rat's tail. Then dip the towel in paint and roll the towel down the wall. This will give the wall lots of texture. When using this technique, be sure to change the towel often because the paint will build up on them and this will lessen the texture they provide after a while. Stay alert to how much paint is building up on the towel; when it appears to have a lot, it is time to change it. Make sure to use the same kind of towels because different towels will vary in texture.
Knockdown
You can use knockdown texture when a wall has a few uneven areas; this will present an asymmetrical, but appealing look. To create this texture, spray plaster joint compound onto the wall. This will create little bumps. Next, take a trowel and lightly brush it over the wall so the tips of the bumps are taken off and evened out. Allow this to dry for about a day. Once it is dry, you can paint it any color. First use a roller to cover most of the wall in a small section, then go back over it with a paintbrush to fill in the unpainted areas. Smooth it over again with the roller before moving onto the next section.
