Jennifer W. Lacombe: Venetian Vibes: Luxurious Wall Finishes With Echoes of the Italian Renaissance

Vasari Malaysia presents a natural alternative to paint – with the near-limitless possibilities of expression and exquisite effects in Venetian plaster.

Composed of finely crushed marble, aged lime, and natural pigments, Venetian wall plaster has been used to sculpt the exterior and interiors of buildings throughout Europe for centuries. The fine details on walls plastered in antiquity can often still be seen today, their timeless quality being the likely reason people still associate architectural features of the Italian Renaissance with the epitome of luxury. “Though Venetian plasters have been used for years and proven for their beauty and longevity in Europe, it is still uncommon here in Malaysia,” said Jack Lee, the general manager of Vasari Malaysia – the sole distributor of the world’s premier Venetian plaster.

Unlike other forms of architectural finishes such as textured paint, Vasari’s Venetian plaster is composed of completely natural, odourless, and non-toxic ingredients, resulting in an ecologically friendly surface that is easy to maintain and resistant to deterioration by biological agents such as mildew or fungus. Thanks in part to their naturally occurring and water-resistant ingredients; Vasari plasters can be applied to a wide variety of surfaces, from ceilings to the walls of wet areas.

The availability of three different grades of Venetian plaster from Vasari Malaysia enables a range of effects that can be achieved by craftsmen with minimal training. The three plaster options: Sheen, Matte, and Sandy, are formulated with different proportions of sand to produce a variety of finishes. The Sheen formulation is typically applied in thin coats on interior walls for delicate details or polished smooth for a marble finish. On the other end of the scale is the Sandy variation, made durable with a higher proportion of sand for exterior applications. The Matte variant of Vasari plaster contains an intermediate measure of sand for creating matte finishes on both interior and semi-exterior walls.

All three different grades of Vasari plaster can be easily applied using a spatula or trowel to smooth out or create textures in multiple layers as needed. The first coat typically serves as surface preparation to bond with the second layer which will bear the textures. The resulting textures are dependant on whether repeated or randomised movements of the trowel were used during the application of the top-most layers.

When moistened, a wall covered in Vasari plaster can be modified by the addition of more plaster, making maintenance and repair, even changes in colour or texture, simple and quick. When fully cured, Vasari’s plaster is breathable, water-resistant, and easy to clean – thanks to the porous and hydrophobic qualities of the ingredients, which allow for dirt to be removed effortlessly with the aid of a damp cloth.