Deborah Cuyle of WallDiva.com has been hired to add faux finishes and raised plaster stenciling to some of the finest homes in the Pacific Northwest and there's a reason for that. She's got talent, she has vision and she is one of the best muralists in the area.

Here, Deborah was commissioned to give a plain white fireplace a marble finish.

Choosing colors of cream, gray and warm brown, Deborah gives the appearance of real marble to the facade of the fireplace.

An easy way to perform this finish would be to paint the background with cream colored paint. With a paint brush, blot on medium gray and brown paints next to one another here and there over the surface.

Blend the edges of the two colors with a fine sea sponge or dry, lintless terry towel.

Once dry, thin the brown paint color with enough water to make it the consistency of milk. Using a fine artists liner brush, create marble veins over the surface. I like to do this by gently twisting the brush back and forth in my fingers as I glide it over the surface. This action creates randomly squiggled lines that look like real veining.

Let the new paint finish dry for a minimum of 48 hours then varnish with clear, non-yellowing polyurethane to seal and protect it.

Choosing your varnish in a "high gloss" version will create a realistic shine to your faux marble that will mimic the shine of real marble.

As I always recommend, practice your techniques and colors on a piece of cardboard or other sample material before applying to the intended piece. This gives you a chance to see beforehand just how it's going to look and the opportunity to adjust technique or color.

Visit Deborah's website at  WallDiva.com to see the fabulous work she does.