Our Specialisms
Polished Plaster
London
Hand-applied Venetian plaster, Marmorino, and Tadelakt finishes that bring depth, light, and texture to walls and ceilings — delivered by our specialist plasterers across London.
Venetian Plaster — Lucido
Colour, Texture and Metal
Polished plaster is not limited to pale marble effects — it can be tinted, textured and metallic, and specified to suit the wider interior scheme.
Mirror Finish
At its highest sheen, polished plaster reflects the room and the architecture outside while retaining the subtle movement of a hand-applied surface.
Following Architectural Form
Applied by hand, polished plaster can follow vaulted arches and curved ceilings as one continuous decorative surface.
The Burnishing Stage
Mechanical polishing develops the final sheen evenly across broad ceiling areas, bringing out the depth and movement built up in the finishing coats.
What is Polished Plaster?
Polished plaster is a broad family of lime- or marble-dust-based decorative finishes applied in multiple thin coats and burnished between layers to build up depth, sheen, and a subtly variegated surface.
Venetian plaster produces the classic, marble-like finish long associated with Italian palazzos, and our polished plaster projects across London regularly specify it for feature walls and reception rooms. Marmorino is more textured and matte, while Tadelakt — a waterproof Moroccan lime plaster traditionally used in hammams — is suited to wet rooms and bathrooms.
Every polished plaster wall is hand-finished, so no two are identical. The layered application catches and reflects light in a way that flat paint simply cannot replicate.
Why It Matters for High-End Interiors
- Unique light-reflective depth and movement impossible to achieve with paint
- Breathable, durable, lime-based finish with genuine longevity
- Hand-crafted application means every wall is one-of-a-kind
- Tadelakt variants are fully waterproof, suited to wetrooms and bathrooms
- Regularly specified by interior designers for feature walls and full-room treatments
- Can be tinted to any bespoke colour to match a design scheme precisely
Our Polished Plaster Process
We sample colours and finishes on-site before committing to a full room, and every project begins with careful surface preparation to ensure a flawless final polish.
Preparation & Priming
Surface preparation and application of a bonding primer suited to the chosen plaster system.
Base Coats
Build-up of base coats to establish an even, workable surface for the decorative layers.
Polished Finishing Coats
Hand-applied finishing coats, trowelled and burnished to build depth, sheen, and texture.
Wax & Sealing
Protective wax or sealant application for durability, and Tadelakt soap-curing where required for waterproofing.
Venetian Plaster Specialists in London
Venetian plaster is the term most clients search for when they mean classic polished plaster — the marble-like, light-reflective finish long associated with Italian palazzos. We apply genuine multi-coat Venetian systems by hand, burnishing between layers to build the depth and subtle colour variation that gives each wall its one-of-a-kind character.
Within the Venetian plaster family we work across several distinct finishes. Lucido is the highest-polish variant, trowelled and burnished to a near-mirror sheen that reflects light dramatically — popular for feature walls and reception areas. Spatulata takes a more textured, hand-worked approach, with visible trowel marks left in the surface for a looser, more organic look. Marmorino sits between the two: a matte-to-satin, marble-dust based finish with a softer, more textured surface than Lucido, well suited to larger wall areas and ceilings.
Choosing between Venetian, Marmorino, Lucido, and Spatulata comes down to the light in the room, the desired sheen level, and the overall design scheme — we sample all four on-site before committing to a full room, so architects and designers can see exactly how each will read against their lighting and material palette.
Consistent Sheen
Careful polishing around beams and changes of plane brings the same controlled sheen across detailed ceiling geometry.
Recent Projects in London
Mayfair, London
Maison Estelle
Bespoke polished plaster finishes throughout the principal rooms of this private members' club, tailored tone by tone to each room's use and lighting.
View projectCovent Garden, London
The Ivy Market Grill
Marmorino polished plaster base with a bespoke smokey distemper wash, delivering a 'faded elegance' finish for this celebrated London restaurant.
View projectCovent Garden, London
Balthazar
A richly patinated artisan plaster finish introducing warmth and aged character befitting a grand European brasserie.
View projectHolborn, London
The Hoxton
Bespoke aged off-white architectural plaster finish balanced precisely against copper leaf detailing throughout this boutique hotel interior.
View projectFrequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions we hear from clients, architects, and designers.
Polished plaster is priced per wall or per room once we've assessed the surface condition, the finish chosen (Marmorino, Lucido, Spatulata, or Tadelakt), and the number of coats required. A single feature wall costs considerably less than a full-room treatment with multiple internal corners and returns. We provide a fixed quote after an on-site sampling visit rather than a rough per-metre estimate.
Related Specialisms
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Working on a feature wall, full room, or wetroom in Tadelakt? Let's discuss the right finish.
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