Painting - Why faux painting finishes?

I've always wondered why someone would choose a faux painting finish. I know it's a matter of taste and there are many different types, but doesn't it always end up looking, well, "faux"? Enlighten me—why did you choose, or why would you consider faux painting?

Just wondering. Thanks.

j

Some like the look. It was common to use faux effects to save money such as faux marble fireplace surrounds. Tin ceilings were originally painted white to mimic intricate plaster work. Now they are desired on their own merit. Faux looks bad next to the real thing, unless done well and discretely (such as "graining" an epoxy wood repair).

If you research the history of faux painting, it will reveal that it goes back to prehistoric times in attempts to replicate what occurred naturally in wood and stone. Later, the grandeur of marbles and woods found in palaces and churches were replicated in homes. Replicating what occurred naturally in homes that could not afford the real thing or whose architecture could not sustain the weight or bulk became popular. Thus, this style of painted imitation became the artform that is still practiced today. My first observations of faux painting were years ago in Williamsburg, VA, where natural stone columns were replicated on wood. To the old world looks of wood graining, marbling, and stenciling we have added colorwashing, ragging, dragging, and bridgeless stenciling, stucco and troweled finishes. It seems that the artform of faux finishes continues to evolve.

I think your question is a good one. Everyone does it because everyone ELSE is doing it. The only reason I would faux finish is to create a sense of age or material where they don't exist. I did a faux aged finish in my old house, but in my new house, I've decided not to do any faux finish. It doesn't make sense with the architecture I'm dealing with. And for it to make real sense, you'd really have to faux age the entire house. Why would one room be aged, but the rest be freshly painted? Would such a situation exist in reality? I abhor sponged finishes because, to me, they don't look natural, so they don't make sense. They literally look sponged, so what's the point? Crackled look? Eh, so so. I can tolerate it, but only minimally.... Give me a tea-staining glaze, or try to do marble, but please, make it look natural, don't do it on the ceiling or with bizarro colors that don't occur in REAL marble! Then there are the murals and patterns....not sure how I feel about those....