This image features a close-up of the gold custom kaolin earthen plaster we applied as the final coat in this living room renovation. This small adobe home in northern New Mexico was built many years ago and had some inferior plasters buried under cement stucco on the walls when we came to the project. The standard application to these walls in some cases (and this) was a floated cement stucco finish which is then painted. Often the desired end result is a rough bumpy raised finish on the walls, not nearly as elegant and high end as a nice earthen plaster, which often looks and feels like velvet. It created a warm and elegant look to any home.
We tackled the walls in this 200 square foot living room and proceeded to strip the adobe walls down to the bricks, given the earthen plaster applied those many years ago was a weak and silty mix. We didn’t want to take any chances. The demolition was a messy project, but once we reapplied the new earthen brown coat, a sturdy clay and soil mix, we felt confident that all would proceed smoothly, and it did.
Following the brown coat, we then applied this gold kaolin plaster. Per the wishes of the client, a friend, we added finely chopped straw and plenty of mica, for sparkle. The rich tones of the gold, texture of the fine straw and glittery mica when combined with the dark chocolate brown marble like cement floor, creates a stunning combination.
All in all we were very happy with the look of the room, and even used the gold kaolin mix used here in our own living room.