Any drywall guys here?

[Fusion]

My store is in the damp basement of a 100yo building. The walls are made of thick brick walls with plaster over roughcast over bricks. The problem is the final plaster layer often pops off after some time because of the humidity.
I know there are various special plasters made for these conditions, but a better way of getting around this is to make offset drywall "covers". Top/bottom air vents allow air to flow behind the drywall.

But what I want to know is if anyone has ever seen the halo lighting effect done on the side walls. I found pictures of the ceiling halo drywalls, but not sides. Basically, the offset would be about 5in and the drywall would go from the floor up to about 2.5m, leaving a 50cm gap to the ceiling. Then the offset gap would be backlit.

This is a store, not a room so I want something interesting to make the place pop out a little.
What do you guys think?

[jrobie79]

I dont see how it would be any different, just put some proper bracing to attach the "Faux" wall to the brick behind it and run some wires....that would be pretty sweet looking too

[Farbin Kaiber]

Why not use http://goo.gl/wsWa7 and be done with it?

[Fusion]

Farb: I have some heat piping along the walls so this idea would hide all that and I could make an enclosure for the heater, which is unfortunately in the "showroom".

One more thing - the ceiling consists of two arches, it's not flat. Follow the arches on the drywall edge or keep it straight all the way round?

[Fusion]

I think I'll follow the original shape (red line). This might turn out awesome.
I'd be grateful for some input from someone who does interior design or architechtural stuff.

[Farbin Kaiber]

I would treat the surface first, nobody wants deadly mold spores growing behind their nice drywall.

[skateimitation]

^^^Exactly what I was thinking. Is there any way you can remove some of the moisture? It's going to cause some form of a problem no matter what you do.

[swingard]

Im no drywall guy, but have used green board or durock in some of the bathrooms I have remodeled with my plumber bro in law.

[LJ851]

I grew up in drywall, my dad used to mix up mud in the laundry room in our apartment laundry room when i was growing up. "Don't breathe in the dust, it has asbestos" . This could explain a few things....