Price per m² — two to three times the difference
Ordinary filler and paint: ₾25–40/m² for labour plus materials. Decorative plaster (Venetian, travertine, "bark beetle" texture): ₾60–120/m² for labour plus ₾15–30/m² for materials. On a 20 m² room that is a gap of ₾700–1,500.
How long it lasts
Paint lasts five to seven years before it needs redoing, less in a hallway or kitchen. Decorative plaster lasts fifteen to twenty, does not fade and survives being washed. Counted over fifteen years, the cost of ownership comes out about the same.
Where the extra money pays off
- Entrance hall and corridor — the most scuffed surfaces in any home; plaster outlives several dogs and a couple of decades.
- Kitchen work area — it shrugs off grease and repeated washing.
- A feature wall in the living room — visually far more interesting than a single flat colour.
Where it is not worth it
Bedrooms and children rooms take almost no punishment — paint will last ten years or more. Ceilings are rarely plastered decoratively: it is laborious and nobody looks up. Small bathrooms are tiled anyway, so plaster has nothing to do there.
What to ask the decorator
Not every painter can apply decorative plaster. Ask for a portfolio showing the exact texture you want, and for contacts of their recent clients. On xFix, pros in the "Painting and decorating" category carry skill tags — filter by those.