Specialty & Decorative Finishes

Specialty and decorative finishes go beyond standard flat or eggshell wall paint to create visual depth, texture, and character that make rooms feel custom-designed. In New Brunswick, where long winters mean extended indoor living, investing in distinctive interior finishes pays dividends in daily enjoyment and home personality. Popular specialty techniques include limewash and mineral paint finishes that create a soft, mottled European plaster look — these are especially striking in the heritage homes common in Saint John Uptown and Fredericton's historic districts. Venetian plaster and polished plaster finishes deliver a smooth, stone-like surface with depth and movement, costing $8 to $15 per square foot installed but lasting decades without repainting. Faux finishes such as colour washing, rag rolling, and sponging create subtle texture and colour variation that adds warmth to living rooms and bedrooms. Accent walls using bold colours, metallic paints, or textured coatings have become a staple of NB interior design, offering visual impact for $300 to $800 per wall. Textured ceiling finishes — including skip trowel, knockdown, and smooth skim-coat over dated popcorn ceilings — are heavily requested in NB homes from the 1970s-1990s era when textured ceilings were standard. Popcorn ceiling removal and re-finishing typically costs $2 to $5 per square foot, and in pre-1990 NB homes, the texture should be tested for asbestos before disturbance, as asbestos-containing ceiling texture was common in Canadian construction through the 1980s. Chalkboard and whiteboard paint, magnetic paint, and even antimicrobial paint coatings for medical or childcare facilities round out the specialty category. These finishes require skilled application — the techniques cannot be faked with standard rollers and brushes. NB decorative painters typically charge $40 to $80 per hour for specialty work, or quote per wall or room depending on the technique and complexity.

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