Knockdown is easy to duplicate ... try the technique on some scraps of cardboard first. Dilute some drywall mud until it is the texture of sour cream - holds a nice peak. NEED: drywall mud, big coarse sponge, WIDE (10in or larger) drywall blade, clean cloth. Spread a bit of the compound onto a damp coarse sponge. Dab it on the wall where you need texture in an irregular pattern - repeat until the area is covered with peaks of mud alternating with some open areas. When the peaks are stiffening, but not dry (stiff pie dough texture), draw the drywall blade across the patch in one quick scrape. Hold the knife at about a 45-degree angle. Knock the peaks down! Wipe the blade clean between scrapes. The harder you push the blade against the wall the thinner and flatter the knockdown will be. Let it dry, prime it with drywall primer, and paint it. IMPORTANT: Overlap into the already textured area by a foot or more, fading out erratically, and even create some random clouds of new texture. You need to break up the outline of the bald spot.

I made repair to the wall and sanded it smooth. BUT my wall has a slight texture to it. When I painted the wall, you can totally tell it was patched over. I'm using an eggshell sheen and it looks silly o_0 How do I achieve the texture below? At home depot they recommend have this orange peel spray product, but I think that is too much texture.

I live in Portland,Oregon where texture is the norm on newer housing stock. A friend of mine, who is also from the Mid-West and a professional painter, hates texture. He has methodically gone through his whole house skim coating the walls with drywall compound compound. His wife thinks he is nuts! I personally don't mind the appearance of textured walls, but they are a pain in the rear to patch and touch up well, much harder than flat wall. Also, if you are a fan of wall coverings or faux finishes, they are also a hindrance.

For a small repair like that, get a small container of patching plaster and apply it with a 4” joint compound knife. As it’s setting up, dab the surface with the face of a slightly damp sponge, which will make the surface bumpy and simulate the existing texture. You might have to do this procedure more than once to get it right. It may not be a perfect texture match, but it should be close enough that you won’t notice it after painting. P.S.: You don’t need to do anything special to prepare the sub-surface.