Modern wall finishing trends

Marble walling is durable and can be realigned to achieve a different look if the home owner gets bored with a design. Photo by Racheal Mabala 

In Summary

• Leaving your house with just bricks or plaster for a long time can affect it due to the extremity of temperatures.
  While it may be easy for some people to save enough money to build and complete houses, others get stuck at the finishing stage.

By Beatrice Nakibuuka

The type of finish you choose for your home project can make or break certain design elements. Your wall and floor finish can greatly influence the style of a room or entire home. There are multiple ways to finish your walls when building a house.

Stone ties
The wall covering stones are often made of sandstone and are available in various colours and designs. These wall coverings are useful for your indoor as well as outdoor wall designs.
According to Francis Echoku, a home designer at the Paint factory, after plastering the wall, the stones are arranged by bonding linear pieces of sand stones to create a highly textural, undulating form on your walls.

“The stones are durable, versatile and add nature to your walls. Fixing is easy because the stone ties are self-sticking and their arrangement can be changed if you want them to be fixed in another style to suit your newest taste and trend, he says adding that: “ You also have a choice for colours and designs for your stone ties,” he says.
If you intend to change style, the plastering should be good enough not to peel off when the stones are removed.

Echoku says: “The problem is that some people are too economical not knowing that this compromises the strength and durability of the building. Economising means you will use smaller quantities of cement in the sand so the plaster will fall off.”
You will need about Euros 75 (about Shs350,000) to stone tie a square metre of a wall.

Marble walling
Marble walling may be expensive but pays off with durability. According to Liliane Kisoro, an interior designer at Kisoro Tile Works, marble finishing is trending and a great option to add beauty and durability to your walls.

“The marble wall tiles give you a choice for colour, texture and design. They can actually be changed and aligned in a different way when the homeowner is tired of the same look. Some can be stick on the wall tiles while others have drill and fix nails that are fixed in the wall,” she says.
It is hard to clean off stains but if you choose a type that has a coating, it becomes easier.
You will need to do a professional clean up and polish at least once a year to keep its sheen and repair any cracks.

The cost of marble tiles range between Shs70,000 to Shs130,000 depending on their size, shape and finishing and how busy the place is going to be.
Mosaic collections
Mosaic is versatile as a wall finish. You can create patterns on your walls, or have a three-dimensional effect on your walls because the material has different colours and textures. Mosaic finish gives walls a cozy and unique look.

“Due to its durability and vibrant colours, mosaic wall collections are the premier choice for walls,” says interior designer Kisoro, adding: “The cost for mosaic wall collections depends on factors like choice of material, and level of customisation. They are available in natural stone; ranging from smooth to textured and sparkly mosaic tiles that add a luxury.”

Once installed, mosaic walls are almost maintenance free. There is no need for daily maintenance but simply need to be cleaned like any other area of the house. Most tile types of collections are non-porous thereby making them waterproof and unaffected by humidity and hygienic. The greatest impact of mosaic walling can be felt in small spaces for both indoor and outdoor, kitchen backsplashes, bathrooms, pools and bar wall.

Timber walling
Timber walling has been used on home and building interiors for several years but still trending. It brings natural warmth, texture and character wherever it is installed. According to Echoku, it can be installed in different styles with different spacing designs and placement and installation.
Wood cladding is not just for the exterior of your home or building; there are many ways you can use cladding to add beauty, dimension, nature, interest and texture to your interior walls as well.
He says: “Timber walling can be installed indoors in several ways, allowing you to get a variety of different looks depending on the architecture and style of the building. These five variations of interior wood cladding will help give you an idea of what may be possible for your interiors.”

To give a background to the bold colours used on the windows and doors, a natural wood wall cover-up can be used to add contrast and character to both the interior and exterior walls. Lining the interior corridors of your building with a vertical installation of natural wood cladding is a new trend that adds nature to your house style.

He adds that: “The colour of the timber walling helps to brighten the corridors where natural light cannot reach. If you chose that your timber walls run from floor to ceiling, the design formed is simple and stand out and take center of attention.”

After installation, the timber wall requires a protective sealant to prevent it from prematurely wearing. The wood is usually resistant to scratches but susceptible to moisture. It can last a lifetime if properly maintained. Choosing hardwood can be more costly than many other options, but offers longevity and adds value to a home.

Caution
Leaving your house with just bricks or plaster for a long time can affect it due to the extremity of temperatures.
While it may be easy for some people to save enough money to build and complete houses, others get stuck at the finishing stage. This is likely to compromise the durability of your house.
You therefore need to value, beauty and longevity by incorporating the different finishing styles for your walls.

bnakibuuka@ug.nationemdia.com