What is the difference between Venetian plaster and limewash?

Venetian plaster is a polished, marble-like finish built up in thin coats and burnished smooth, so it reads as solid and reflective. Limewash is a softer, chalky, cloudy finish with movement and a matte look. We can show you samples of both before you commit.

Can you do a feature or accent wall rather than a whole room?

Yes, and that's how most people use these finishes. A single feature wall in metallic, polished plaster or limewash lifts a room without the cost of doing every surface. We prep the wall properly so the finish sits flawless.

Will the finish last, or does it mark easily?

Done right and sealed where needed, Venetian and polished plaster are hard-wearing and wipeable. Limewash is more delicate by design. We talk through where each finish suits and seal high-traffic areas so they hold up.

Do you do free quotes?

Yes. We come to you, look at the wall, talk through finishes and colours, and send a fixed written quote at no charge.

Decorative finishes, Christchurch

Decorative finishes with real depth and texture.

Venetian plaster, polished plaster, limewash and metallic feature walls across Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri. Hand-applied by an accredited crew. Free quotes, fully insured.

Get a Free Quote Call 021 000 0000

Fully insured
Free no-obligation quotes
Interior & exterior specialists
Workmanship guarantee

By the numbers

The decorative finishes story in four numbers.

Decorative finish options

Free

On-site quotes, no obligation

Sample board before you commit

100%

Percent signed off first

Hand-applied finishes

Venetian plaster, limewash and metallic coats laid on by hand for depth a flat paint can't match.

Fully insured, guaranteed

Public liability cover and a written workmanship guarantee on every job.

Christchurch-owned

Local crew, local suppliers, on site when we say we will be.

What are decorative finishes?

Decorative finishes are hand-applied wall treatments that go beyond a standard roller coat, things like Venetian plaster, polished plaster, limewash, and metallic or special-effect coatings. Intext Plaster & Paint is a painting-led decorating team applying decorative finishes for homeowners, designers and builders across Christchurch City, Selwyn district, and Waimakariri district.

Decorative finishes services we provide in Christchurch

We apply a full range of specialist decorative coatings on feature walls and full rooms across the wider Canterbury region.

Venetian plaster and polished plaster, layered and burnished
Limewash and mineral finishes with soft movement
Metallic and pearlescent feature coatings
Accent walls and statement entrances
Special-effect and textured coatings to a brief
Surface prep and skim work so the finish sits perfectly flat

Why choose Intext Plaster & Paint for decorative finishes

We are a Christchurch-based painting and decorating team, and decorative finishes are a craft we take seriously. Every wall is prepped and applied by our in-house crew.

Fully insured with public liability cover
Workmanship guarantee on every job
Resene and Dulux accredited applicator
Free written quotes within one working day
Locally owned, Christchurch-based

Areas we cover for decorative finishes

We apply decorative finishes across Christchurch City, Selwyn district, and Waimakariri district. This includes suburbs such as Fendalton, Merivale, Ilam, Sumner, Rolleston, Lincoln, Rangiora, and Kaiapoi, plus the surrounding residential and lifestyle areas.

Get a quote for decorative finishes in Christchurch

Call 021 000 0000 or request a quote online for decorative finishes Christchurch homeowners and designers trust. We respond within one working day and book quote visits the same week.

Wanted a polished Venetian plaster wall in the lounge. They did sample boards first, then the real thing. It looks like stone and everyone asks about it.

Liz Carmichael

Sumner · Venetian plaster feature wall

How we work

Our decorative finishes process.

Four steps, every job. Each one with a hold point. No surprises, no scope creep, no painting over problems we should have caught earlier.

Brief and samples

We talk through the look you are after, Venetian plaster, limewash, metallic or a custom effect, and make up sample boards to sign off.

Fresh bold-green feature wall against a crisp white room

Prepare the surface

Decorative finishes show every flaw, so the wall is skimmed and sanded to a smooth, even base before the finish goes on.

Lounge repaint in progress with a warm terracotta feature wall

Build the finish

The finish is built up in layers by hand, burnished or textured to the agreed sample. This is slow, careful work, not a roller job.

Seal and protect

Where the finish needs it, we seal or wax it so it wears well and cleans easily, then walk you through the result.

Recent project

Venetian plaster feature wall, Sumner.

A polished Venetian plaster wall in a coastal lounge. Built up by hand over a skimmed base, burnished to a soft stone-like sheen, then sealed so it wears well and cleans easily.

Suburb: Sumner
Finish: Venetian plaster
Look: Polished, warm stone
Scope: Single feature wall
Timeline: 3 days on site
Completed: Late 2025

Our work

Recent decorative finishes jobs

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Reviews

What Christchurch homeowners say

"Intext Plaster & Paint did the painting on our new build in Faringdon. Builder recommended them and I can see why. Clean lines on the ceilings, no overspray on the cedar accents, no callbacks. They were on site exactly when our builder said they would be, which apparently isn't normal."

"Got three quotes for repainting the weatherboard front and side of our place. Intext Plaster & Paint wasn't the cheapest but they walked through the flaking and prep issues no-one else had picked up. Crew turned up when they said, finished a day early, and the finish is genuinely better than what was there originally."

"We had a leak at the back of the house that turned into major exterior repairs, so the interior needed repainting once the builders were done. Intext Plaster & Paint handled the painting and were the easiest part of a stressful process. They flagged a couple of damp patches the builder hadn't fully dried out before they started, and the finish blends in perfectly with the rooms we didn't touch."

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FAQs

Common questions about decorative finishes.

Most decorative finishes fall between $90 and $180 per square metre depending on the product, the number of coats, and how much surface prep the wall needs. Polished and Venetian plaster sit at the higher end because of the layering and burnishing involved. We quote each wall after seeing it.

Other services we offer

Areas

A few of the suburbs we cover

These are just examples. We cover all of Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri, 22 suburbs and counting. Don't see yours? Get in touch.

View all areas Get in touch

Get a quote

Ready for an honest quote on your painting?

Send a few details and we'll come out to site, walk through your options, and give you a fixed quote. No pressure, no upsell.

Get a free quote Call 021 000 0000

Fully insured
Free no-obligation quotes
Interior & exterior specialists
Workmanship guarantee

Request a quote