What is lime wall paint?
Limewash paint has been around for ages, and even though it is something that was used in the old world, it has gained popularity in the last few years in modern homes as well.
As limewash paint is made from natural ingredients only, it’s non-toxic paint with no volatile organic compounds and no chemicals. It’s an environmentally friendly solution that even absorbs carbon dioxide improving interior air quality in your space.
The production process is simple: a lime putty is made out of crushed limestone mixed with water and natural pigments, which is then applied in thin coats on the wall, giving your space these beautiful textured walls.
Beautiful limewashed walls in different homes
If you are in need of inspiration and ideas on how to integrate limewashed walls into your home, you are in the right place. Below you can find my favorite picks. The list includes a variety of different color palettes and styles.
A subtle lime wash treatment on the walls of this multi-level home
The subtle matt finish on this fine limewash paint throughout this beautiful Swedish home gives the interior a rustic touch, which is contrasted so nicely with the modern furniture pieces in the space.
The living room and kitchen have beige limewash paint on the walls, which makes the white sofa and the white soft furnishings stand out. The kitchen has a similar color on the cabinets, which have been paired up with a beautiful warm limestone countertop. The entire wall above the sink has been covered with subtle floating shelves in the same color as the lime paint on the walls for a tone-on-tone effect.
The bedroom and the office have been painted with nude pink limewash paint, which gives the spaces a very warm look and feel which is contrasted nicely by the white elements in the bedding, lamp, and doors. I like the vintage wooden furniture paired up with the warm textured walls for a lot of character.
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Light grey limewash paint and black accents in a spacious bedroom
Limewash paints can be great to give a little bit of extra dimension to an otherwise minimal space just like in this bedroom. You can see the subtle brush strokes on the wall (if you don’t like this many brush strokes, you add another coat) and the wall with limewash paint is paired up with the opposing wall in traditional paint and a white wardrobe.
The black lamps and the textiles on the bed contrast beautifully with the natural pigments in the paint and I love the warm tones in the duvet cover and the artwork on the wall against the cool undertones of the grey limewash paint.
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Warm grey lime wash paint in adjacent interior spaces
While limewash paint can be great on an accent wall, the effect is even more impressive when multiple rooms are painted with these visual brush strokes. In this beautiful Swedish apartment, both the living and bedroom have been painted with limewash paint, giving the space a lovely texture and the perfect backdrop for the carefully selected furniture pieces and soft furnishings selected for the interior.
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A dark grey lime paint for a dramatic effect
This beautiful living space has dark grey limewash paint on the walls in between the ceiling trimming and the tall floorboards. This adds a lot of contrast, yet the white surfaces lighten up the space a bit as well. The furniture pieces are selected in a dark color palette, which has an impressive effect against the light hardwood flooring.
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A rustic effect with lime wash paint and a vintage sideboard
The vintage white-painted sideboard in this bedroom with an exposed brick wall takes up a lot of attention and adds a beautiful rustic touch to the space. The grey limewash paint on the wall above the bed makes the vintage piece stand out in a nice way and I love the combination of the brick wall and the negative space painted in a darker color.
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A full space with different limewash paints
While you can apply an accent wall of limewash paint for a nice textural effect, painting your entire interior with this traditional method has an impressive effect which can be seen in this beautiful home. For each room a different color variation of limewash paint has been selected: a neutral grey to make the colors in the living space pop out, a natural beige in the kitchen to contrast with the black kitchen cabinets, and a muted green in the bedroom for a fresh yet natural look.
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Grey limewash paint and white accents
In this beautiful bedroom, the brush strokes are really apparent on the wall, which adds a lot of contrast to the otherwise minimal decor. The dark grey color of the limewash paint makes the white linen bedding, white wall lamps, and white doors stand out in such a beautiful way.
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A rustic effect with half lime wash walls in an attic apartment
When you are working with sloped ceilings, there are two ways to paint your walls: stop the limewash paint where the ceiling starts, or use limewash paint on both the sloped ceiling and the walls (I have an example of that down below).
In this beautiful attic home, the owners chose limewash paint in a light grey that isn’t too contrasting with the white paint on the ceiling for a subtle textured effect that still looks light and spacious.
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Blue limewash paint for a contrasting bedroom effect
While grey and beige are the most common color choices when picking out limewash paint, this blue color variant looks so beautiful as well. Blue is a perfect color for a bedroom anyways, and this dark blue variant has a dramatic touch to it from which the lighter colors pop out. The wardrobe in this bedroom has been hidden behind blue velvet curtains, which is a nice touch.
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Visible texture in the limewash paint brush strokes and a boho touch
The rattan headboard gives this bedroom a boho touch, which pairs up so nicely with the warm beige tone of the limewash paint walls. The mixture of pink and peach textiles on the bed brings out the warm undertones of the limewash paint in a lovely way and I love the way the ceiling moldings stand out against the wall.
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Grey limewash paint in a small and cozy apartment
Both the living space and the bedroom have a limewash paint accent wall, which really stands out amongst the other walls in the apartment that have been kept white. The art prints, beige sofa, and white dining table stand out so nicely against the texture of the wall, which has a very cozy effect in the space.
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A subtle grey lime paint with a matte finish and a light wood bed
Grey limewash paint can have a subtle industrial touch to it, as it looks a bit like a concrete finish in some cases depending on the direction and use of the brush stripes to create texture. The neutral grey limewash paint has been combined with a light wood bed for a Scandinavian look with an industrial touch.
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A moody bedroom with dark grey limewash paint
This probably is the darkest tint of limewash paint on the list and it also has the most dramatic effect on this attic bedroom space. Note that the sloped walls also have paint on them, yet the ceiling has been kept white so the look doesn’t become too heavy.
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A lime paint accent in between brick walls
The small niche in between a brick arch in this beautiful bedroom has been treated with limewash paint, making it stand out even more. The white shelving stands out so much against this beautiful textured backdrop, offering a perfect spot for precious deco items.
Styling by team
Beige limewash paint for a warm look with soft tonal variations
The beige limewash paint, the light oak flooring and the warm tones in the vintage bedside table, the art prints, and the warm textiles on the bed warm up the palette of this bedroom in a beautiful way. Because of the texture of the wall, not a lot of details are needed in this space.
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Lime paint on the walls and ceiling
This spacious living kitchen has tall sloped ceilings, which are treated entirely with beige limewash paint for a monotone textured look that makes black furniture pieces and the white kitchen stand out in such a lovely way. Rather than stopping at the sloped wall, like in the example I mentioned earlier, the effect is much more impressive when you paint the entire space.
Styled by Copparstad, photographed by Boukari for
How to apply limewash paints
Do I need a primer?
Limewash paint can be used in the interior and exterior of a home and can be applied on wood, masonry surfaces, previously painted surfaces, and plastered walls. Whether or not you would need a primer depends on whether you are painting on porous surfaces or non-porous surfaces.
If you are painting limewash paint on drywall or previously painted surfaces you will need a base coat of mineral-based or acrylic-based primer that creates a microporous surface. Note that the amount of limewash paint you need will also depend on the surface porosity.
How to apply limewash paint
Limewash paint should be applied using several coats creating the desired finish with a big brush. You can use the ‘up and down’ method for a more plain result, or the ‘x-strokes’ method for a cloudy effect and a mottled appearance.
There really is no right or wrong way to apply limewash paint and you can work with several thin coats (with a minimum of two coats, as one coat really shows all the streaks) to get the desired effect. Apply the first coat and then see if you want to make changes to the texture in the next coat.
Where to get Limewash paint
For those of you based in US, Portola paints might be a great local option, you can have a look
Can you DIY limewash paint?
While I haven’t tried this myself, it is possible to make your own limewash paint. You would need to make a lime putty from water mixed with hydrated lime which can be purchased in the hardware store. You then use natural pigments to get the desired color.
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