Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila is a 72-unit semi-detached development featuring a contemporary cement-inspired façade. Clean and understated, the design uses subtle textures to add depth and character.

To achieve this architectural direction, Nippon Paint Momento^® Sand Dune texture paint was applied using the Stucco Press finish. Its pressed, naturally irregular surface introduces greater depth to the exterior walls while complementing the development’s grey-and-white architectural palette.

Rather than treating paint as colour alone, the project shows how texture can become part of the architectural expression of a façade.

 

Project details

Development: Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila - Bandar Serenia, Selangor
Project type: 72-unit semi-detached residential
Design direction: Contemporary cement-look façade
Product: Nippon Paint Texture Paint Momento^® Sand Dune - Stucco Press

 

Key Takeaways

• Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila is a 72-unit semi-detached development featuring a contemporary cement-inspired façade created with Nippon Paint Texture Paint Momento^® Sand Dune - Stucco Press.
• The Stucco Press texture creates a pressed, naturally irregular surface that adds depth and a cement- or plaster-inspired appearance to exterior walls.
• The finish complements Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila’s grey-and-white colour palette, geometric forms and dark frames without overpowering the overall architectural design.
• The exterior wall system combines Nippon Paint 5100 Wall Sealer, Momento^® Sand Dune - Stucco Press and Nippon Paint Weatherbond^® to prepare, texture, colour and protect the exterior surface.
• Momento^® Sand Dune offers up to 17 texture designs, adding depth and character to exterior walls.

 

Table of Contents

• Creating a Cement-Look Exterior with Texture Paint
• Why Momento^® Sand Dune - Stucco Press Was Chosen
• How Texture Paint Adds Depth to an Exterior Façade
• Achieving a Consistent Textured Finish Across 72 Homes
• The Momento^® Sand Dune Wall Coating System
• How Texture Paint Supports Modern Façade Design
• FAQs

 

Creating a Cement-Look Exterior with Texture Paint

 

 

Texture paint can create a cement-inspired exterior by adding physical surface variation that interacts with colour, light and shadow.

Unlike a completely smooth painted wall, a textured finish introduces raised and recessed areas across the surface. This gives the façade greater depth and helps create a more material-like appearance.

At Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila, the architectural concept called for a clean, contemporary façade with the character of cement or hand-applied plaster.

Momento^® Sand Dune is a decorative textured coating that can create up to 17 distinctive texture designs through different application techniques.

 

 

For this project, the Momento^® Sand Dune - Stucco Press finish was selected to introduce subtle surface variation while maintaining the development’s restrained architectural character.

From a distance, the façades remain clean and coordinated. At closer range, the textured surface becomes more visible, creating a cement-inspired appearance with greater depth and tactility.

 

Why Momento^® Sand Dune - Stucco Press Was Chosen

 

 

Momento^® Sand Dune - Stucco Press creates a pressed, pitted surface inspired by hand-applied plasterwork, making it suitable for façades that require visible texture without an overly decorative appearance.

At Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila, the finish complements several key elements of the exterior design:

• clean geometric building forms;
• a restrained grey-and-white colour palette;
• dark window and door frames; and
• contemporary façade detailing.

 

 

 

Watch the project video on YouTube

 

The texture introduces enough movement to prevent larger wall surfaces from appearing flat, while remaining subtle enough to support the architecture rather than compete with it.

This balance was particularly relevant for a multi-unit residential development where the same visual language needed to remain consistent across multiple façades.

 

How Texture Paint Adds Depth to an Exterior Façade

 

 

 

Textured exterior finishes create visual depth because raised and recessed areas interact differently with light throughout the day.

1. Light and shadow: As daylight moves across the wall, the uneven surface creates subtle highlights and shadows, giving the façade a more dimensional appearance than a completely smooth painted surface.
2. Viewing distance: From farther away, the façade appears restrained and cohesive. Up close, variations in the textured surface become more noticeable.
3. Architectural character: The changing interplay of light and texture adds visual interest while maintaining a clean, contemporary architectural expression.

This allows the wall finish to contribute character while still maintaining a clean architectural expression.

 

Achieving a Consistent Textured Finish Across 72 Homes

 

 

For larger residential developments, textured finishes need to balance natural surface variation with visual consistency across multiple façades.

The overall finish was shaped by:

• Texture scale — keeping the texture proportionate to the façade and surrounding architectural elements.
• Surface character — allowing natural variations to remain visible without becoming visually distracting.
• Application consistency — maintaining a cohesive appearance across different façades.
• Architectural integration — ensuring the textured areas work naturally with the development’s smooth architectural elements.

At Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila, the textured finish was selected and applied with this balance in mind. While texture naturally creates variations that give the surface its character, the overall finish still needs to feel coordinated across repeated housing units.

 

The Momento^® Sand Dune Wall Coating System

 

 

For an exterior façade, the final appearance is supported by a complete coating system rather than the texture coat alone.

i. Sealer / Primer

Nippon Paint 5100 Wall Sealer — 1 coat
For preparing and sealing the treated substrate before applying subsequent coating layers.

ii. Mid Coat

Momento^® Sand Dune - Stucco Press — 1–2 coats
For achieving a cement-inspired texture and distinctive surface character.

iii. Top Coat

Nippon Paint Weatherbond^® — 2 coats
For the final colour and protection against outdoor exposure.

Momento^® Sand Dune creates the physical texture of the wall, while the exterior finishing coat completes the colour and protection required for outdoor exposure, particularly under Malaysia’s tropical conditions, including regular exposure to sunlight, rain and humidity.

 

How Texture Paint Supports Modern Façade Design

At Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila, the textured finish complements the building's architectural form, colour palette and surrounding smooth surfaces, creating subtle contrast and visual depth without overpowering the overall façade design

For architects and designers, this illustrates how texture can function as an architectural surface treatment rather than simply a decorative paint effect, particularly when the texture is considered together with colour, viewing distance and changing light.

Every façade has its own design character. With different textures available in Nippon Paint Momento^® Sand Dune, you can explore ways to create subtle contrast and visual depth that complement your building’s overall look.

 

---

 

FAQs

1. Can texture paint be used on exterior walls?

Yes. Texture paint can be applied to exterior walls, provided the product and coating system are suitable for outdoor conditions. Proper surface preparation, sealing and application are essential to achieving a durable and consistent finish.

For Momento^® Sand Dune, the texture coat is applied over the recommended sealer and completed with an appropriate exterior finishing coat. This allows the textured finish to contribute both visual character and a suitable level of exterior surface protection.

2. Can texture paint create a cement-look finish?

Yes. Texture paint can achieve a cement-inspired finish through a combination of suitable textures, colours and application techniques, replicating the natural appearance of cement while adding depth and character to the wall.

At Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila, the Stucco Press texture was used to create a subtle cement-inspired appearance, with natural variations in the textured surface adding depth and visual interest. Unlike a completely smooth wall, the texture allows light and shadow to change across the façade throughout the day.

3. Does exterior texture paint need a sealer and topcoat?

Yes. Exterior texture paint should be applied as part of a complete exterior wall coating system, rather than as a standalone texture layer.

A suitable sealer helps prepare and stabilise the substrate before the texture coat is applied. The appropriate finishing coat or topcoat then completes the desired colour and finish while forming part of the overall exterior protection system.

The exact coating sequence should follow the product's recommended application system and substrate requirements.

4. What is the difference between texture paint and normal wall paint?

The main difference is the surface effect they create. Normal wall paint primarily adds colour and helps protect the wall surface, while texture paint creates a physical texture or profile on the wall.

This added texture can create:

• More surface depth through raised and recessed areas
• Light and shadow variation as daylight moves across the wall
• A more tactile appearance compared with a smooth painted surface
• Material-inspired finishes, such as cement, plaster or stone

For exterior façades, textured finishes can therefore be used to introduce architectural character without relying on a strong decorative pattern.

5. How many texture designs are available with Momento^® Sand Dune?

Momento^® Sand Dune offers up to 17 distinctive texture designs, giving homeowners, architects and designers more options for creating different decorative wall finishes.

From cement-inspired and natural stone effects to plaster-like textures, each design creates a unique visual character through different patterns, colours and application techniques.

This versatility makes Momento^® Sand Dune an ideal choice for enhancing feature walls, interior spaces and selected exterior façades, when applied with the recommended coating system.

6. Is texture paint suitable for modern house exteriors?

Yes. Textured exterior wall finishes can complement modern house designs by adding subtle depth and material character while maintaining a clean architectural appearance.

At Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila, the cement-inspired textured finish works alongside smoother architectural elements to create contrast without introducing an overly decorative pattern. The result is a façade where texture contributes visual interest while remaining cohesive with the overall contemporary design.

7. Does textured paint require different application techniques from normal wall paint?

Yes. Textured paint generally requires different application techniques from normal wall paint because the application method helps determine the final texture, depth and surface pattern.

Unlike conventional wall paint, which is typically applied to achieve an even, uniform film, textured finishes may require specific tools, pressure, movement and application techniques to create the intended surface effect. For Momento^® Sand Dune, different techniques can produce different texture designs, including the Stucco Press finish used at Sime Darby Property, Serenia Aqila.

For exterior applications, proper surface preparation, sealer application and finishing coats are also important to achieve a consistent result across larger wall areas. The application should follow the product's recommended system and technique for the selected texture design.