Painting your walls doesn't have to mean settling on a single color applied uniformly over the space. There are endless ways to use paint to add depth or warmth to your space. And of course, it's much easier, faster, and generally cheaper to use. The wall in the photo above got its textured look from a technique called Venetian plaster. An expert applies thin layers of plaster to a wall or ceiling, and then burnishes it to smooth the surface, while giving the illusion of texture.