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How Much Does Specialty Painting Cost? Prices From Contractors

Last Updated: October 20, 2023

Ryan Maguire
Fact Checked By: Ryan Maguire
15 Year Expert in construction, landscape design, home improvement and maintenance.

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Specialty painting is a way to update your plain walls and add a unique touch to your home. Popular options include faux finishes or textured walls, and mural painting, including Trompe L'oeil, and stenciling or stamping work. All of these cost more than traditional interior painting because they are done, not by house painters, but by specialists who often have degrees in design or interior decorating or other advanced training.

Specialty Painting Costs #

The cost of specialty painting services can vary greatly depending on the type of technique, size of the area, and level of detail required. Here are some typical price ranges:

  • Faux finishes (stone, wood, marble) - $4-$8 per sq ft

  • Murals - $10-$30 per sq ft

  • Gold/silver leafing - $15-$30 per sq ft

  • Trompe l’oeil (realistic 3D Effects) - $10-$25 per sq ft

  • Strié (glaze combed markings) - $3-$6 per sq ft

  • Color washing - $2-$5 per sq ft

  • Distressing/antiquing - $2-$5 per sq ft

  • Stenciling - $5-$15 per sq ft

  • Metallic finishes - $5-$15 per sq ft

Factors affecting cost:

  • Amount of detail/intricacy
  • Surface preparation needed
  • Size of area being painted
  • Geographic location/cost of living

For a fullroom mural or Venetian plaster finish, expect to pay $4,000-$10,000 or more.

Specialty Painting Cost Examples from Contractors #

Here are some real-world pricing quotes from specialty painters:

  • "I recently did a 300 sq ft feature wall with a custom forest mural for a client. My total fee was $2,800."

  • "We applied an antiqued strie finish to the bedrooms in a house last month. With materials and labor for the 900 sq ft project, it was $4,200."

  • "A customer hired us to do a marble-look faux finish on their fireplace surround. For the 75 sq ft area, the total cost was $950."

  • "We used silver leaf to accent a commercial bar's mirror backdrop. The labor and materials for the 400 sq ft project was $9,500."

  • "I painted a realistic custom vineyard mural for a restaurant last year. The wall space was 200 sq ft and my fee was $5,500."

  • "A residential client wanted a distressed Tuscan look in their dining room. We applied a specialty Venetian plaster finish for $3,800."

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