To Faux or not to Faux

The notion that faux finishes are either in or out of style is a topic that tends to come up in conversations about decor from time to time. When I hear someone state simply that "faux finishes are out of style" I tend to look at that person as one who is merely uninformed as to the history of decorative painting. Term "faux finish" actually gets used a little too often and most of the time incorrectly.
A "faux" finish is one that is replicating, or "faking" something else. For example, if I were to paint your builder's white columns in your home to look like Carrera Marble, that would be a faux finish. Throughout history artists were employed to replicate different stones or wood grains in order to save the cost of installing the real thing. A simple wall glaze today can be used to replicate the aged walls of old Italian villas.

Many wall textures or paint treatments today are not trying to "fake" anything. They are actually custom, high-end designer finishes meant to add ambiance, depth and interest to a room that may other wise be very simple. Is that to say that every room needs a custom decorative finish? I suppose considering what I do for a living, I should say "YES! Absolutely I can come up with a finish for every room in your house!" Well, I can, but I certainly wouldn't think that to be the best idea in every situation. I certainly don't have different finishes in every room of my house. I think a little can go a long way in most cases, although, I have done homes in which we did almost the entire house in custom finishes......subtle, custom finishes that flow together seamlessly.
The point is that every person has different taste, every home has different architecture and every era has different trends in decor. The heavily textured terra cotta finish of a southwestern home would not work in the dining room of your colonial style Virginia home, but a fabulous silver metallic glaze over steel blue paint would be divine! If your taste is Tuscan (which has been and continues to be VERY "in style") then a fresco mural in the niche on your staircase is definitely in order.

The so-called trend right now happens to be metallics and they are popping up on ceilings, in niches, and in fabulous Venetian Plasters. The metallics of today go with many different decor styles, from traditional to Tuscan.
Simply put, a well chosen flat paint color can definitely be the right choice in many situations, but not only are Decorative Finishes in style now, they have been for centuries. Look at magazines, get inspiration from your vases, fabrics, rugs, etc and let a trained professional show you the many possibilities that custom "faux" finishes can give you.

30 days in August

As much as I set my mind to blog once a week, I've already blown that goal and am now posting a full two months since my last article. I've been a very busy girl and have four murals, three faux finishes and 9 cut out and painted characters two show for it! When I'm not busy I'm crying and when I'm busy I'm crying. I suppose that is an artist for you.
My month of August started out with a friend asking me to check out this new home and garden center opening up in mid month and would I want to do a booth in it. Well here I am now and I did two finishes in the reception area, a mural for a landscaper's booth and a faux finish for my own wall along with a trompe l'oeil window. In the midst of all of this I had a gig to start for a new Goddard School opening up in the south part of town that wanted two large murals and mascots for each of their 9 rooms. I have to say that I've not worked so hard in a very long time. My house has not been this thrashed in a very long time! I've finished all with flying colors, except for my own booth which may never be totally finished in my head anyway. (never good enough in my head, most artists can identify with this I think)
I have to say that I truly was blessed to land such a wonderful job as The Goddard School and to have it as sort of a respite in the midst of working a much more trying job (or two) at the Home and Garden Center was probably what saved me from going absolutely crazy. I had a great time designing the characters and the owners were so kind. Here is the main mural finished, and yes, I should do a better job piecing the photo together, but I've got little energy left and you can get the idea anyway. The wall measured 10 foot 10 inches square oddly enough and is facing you as you walk into the school.

The very creative couple who own the school had this great idea of "Come explore our world" I love it when a client can articulate what is in their head and I am just able to interpret. We had nine class rooms to represent in the mural and the animals were each put on a continent with the explorer in the ocean. It couldn't have worked out better.
Next we decided that a procession of the animals walking into the school along side the children as they enter would be in order and this is what I came up with for the entry hall.

I had an absolutely wonderful time painting this one and hope to do more like this.

I have great pics of the mural and finishes in the home and garden center that I will share on the next post.