The sky’s the limit or the wall in this case when it comes to wall covering choices. As long as you can figure out how to apply and keep a material on a wall, you can use it.

Wall coverings or decorations have been used for thousands of years. Polished plaster was used over 2000 years ago in ancient Rome and faux finishing originated when exotic materials such as marble or gold leaf became harder to obtain.

With the trend towards retreating at home, the demand for beautiful walls has increased. The choices are just endless. For example, the Maya Romanoff company has a line of wall coverings called Bedazzled that are just fabulous. These flexible wall coverings are made of beautiful colored glass that interacts with light, creating a beautiful shimmer. Maya Romanoff also carries the Precious Metals line made of real metal leaf, plus a fabulous wall covering called Mother of Pearl, which is made of genuine inlaid shell.

Modular Arts has some incredible wall coverings too. They have gorgeous sculptural panels that resemble different parts of nature that have names like Wavy Stream or Sand Dune and these panels are made of mineral composites.

Other materials such as bricks, stone or tile can be applied to your walls too to create a wonderful textural look. Ground gypsum, fake fur, sand and sponge material are just some of the choices being used by wall covering companies to create looks on your wall that are new and exciting.

Faux finishing is a great way to achieve the look of exotic materials through the use of paint, glaze, plaster, concrete type products or paper. For example, you can now paint a faux wood stain look, create a faux animal skin with a textural surface or design a faux stone appearance with a rough surface just by using the right materials.

Plasters have come a long way too. Now besides the rough or polished plaster, you can add a glaze and color to add depth and interest or a shimmering material to reflect the light. You can also create a wonderful directional texture that looks like polished stone or weathered rock. For example, one surface finish company, Armourcoat has an impressive line of plaster finishes now from a realistic Travertine finish to a gorgeous Banding finish that combines two different finishes on one wall, creating a work of art.

A great place to place a beautiful plastered wall is the entrance of your home or as part of a focal point in another room, such as behind a beautiful sculpture or fountain with accent lighting to create a wonderful inviting ambience. Columns and ceilings are also fabulous places to use plaster.

Designer’s Eye column was written by Karen Mills of Interiors by Design, Inc. and host, Living Large.