Thread: How do "age" (decay) my house interior?

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I want to make my house interior, furniture, etc look like it is old and has not been kept up, any ideas on how to do this without actually permanently ruining things?

I am doing a theme of Rapture which is a city at the bottom of the ocean, it's basically decaying-- it was once a classy place (art deco style-- think Chrysler Building) created as an utopia but it's been semi-abandoned and everything is falling apart, leaking, grimy etc... SO it should not be a dusty old house sort of atmosphere but rather an underwater/swampy sort of decay, but as if it was a stylish art deco city look before it went to rot. It's the city that is the setting of the game Bioshock.

I was thinking it would be cool to give the appearance of water damage or decay but I am not sure how to do that, or if there are any decorations or anything available that would do it...

I do have one room that I can paint the walls, but the rest of the house has to be things that I can remove later.

I wasn't sure where to put this so I hope it's in the right section.

hmmm, maybe make things look crooked and use that fake spanish mossy stuff like it's growing on things?

hmmm, maybe make things look crooked and use that fake spanish mossy stuff like it's growing on things?

That sounds like it's going to be really cool Haunted, Unfortunately, I can't come up with many ideas to help you out other than add seaweed looking vines up chair and table legs, maybe dye some creepy cloth green to put over the furniture and cover coffee/side tables with fishing net. If you could figure out a way to have water dripping from the ceiling, maybe in a corner, or have water dripping down the walls it would look good.

I can't find the tutorial now but somewhere I had seen where someone used poster board to make the walls look like the plaster had peeled. They just drew slats, cracks, and curling wallpaper/plaster on the poster board after cutting it in odd shapes. Then they affixed it to the wall and it looked really neat!

I think Rikki is referring to this:
http://hauntforum.com/showthread.php...hlight=plaster

Yes, that's it! Thanks Jadewik!

Originally Posted by Rikki

I can't find the tutorial now but somewhere I had seen where someone used poster board to make the walls look like the plaster had peeled. They just drew slats, cracks, and curling wallpaper/plaster on the poster board after cutting it in odd shapes. Then they affixed it to the wall and it looked really neat!

Ooh that would be perfect, was it the one jadewik posted or a different one? That one just has contact paper made to look like wood showing through, not really peeling plaster or cracks so is there another tutorial?

I'd love to make it look like the plaster was cracking, dripping peeling but I am not sure how, if I just used white contact paper like the tutorial uses wood-colored contact paper, I think it would be too obvious that it didn't match the walls because my walls are not the same color or shiny-ness as contact paper. Hmm... For a haunt it'd probably work because of the low lighting but it's for a party so people may be looking more closely under brighter lights you know?

Originally Posted by Tannasgach

If you could figure out a way to have water dripping from the ceiling, maybe in a corner, or have water dripping down the walls it would look good.

Oh that's a good idea, if I could find out how to make water or make it look like water was dripping that would be perfect! I am going to have some dripping sound effects along with underwater machinery and other noises.

Originally Posted by kallie

hmmm, maybe make things look crooked and use that fake spanish mossy stuff like it's growing on things?

Spanish moss type stuff is a good idea, I think they sell that at Michaels, I can stuff it in the corners and things.

This is what we did to the sheetrock walls in our garage. We have a propriety rust paint that will rust in one hour. The square is paper and the rivets are upholstery tacks. If your not wanting to permanently change your walls you can use foam board to create the look you want and just cut it to size, paint it and remove when finished. We liked the look so much we have decided to do our kitchen in it lol. Of course, using good industrial lighting mixed with copper and stainless accessories to bright the room. I think it will look awesome. Definitely will make a statement.

Originally Posted by HauntedHorror

Spanish moss type stuff is a good idea, I think they sell that at Michaels, I can stuff it in the corners and things.

They also have moss at Dollar Tree!