Fab fireplace redo

I have talked many times about how color can make a dramatic change in decor. My most recent client has done well with adding color to her home and likes to describe herself as a cave dweller. Her explanation is that she needs her home to have color and to be monochromatic. She did indeed have many different shades of caramels and chocolates in every part of her decor from the walls to the couch and the accessories. Having been in the home for several years now, the builder's white fireplace was wearing on my client's last nerve. It's no doubt that amongst all the warm colors she had in there, the fireplace was surely the sore thumb.
Here's what I did to change it up:
A fabulous torn paper treatment was already on the wall behind the fireplace and gave me the color palette for what I was going to do. I was requested to make the fireplace surround look like an old European antique. I took inspiration from the many hand-painted frames, and pieces of furniture in my client's decor and came up with a scrolled design and added fleur-de-lis at the homeowner's request. This finish is done in a couple layers of textural products, with custom designed and hand-painted elements. For the scroll work, I used a metallic gold that worked with the copper glaze on the tiles that surround the fireplace and the various gold and coppers around the home. I chose to keep the glaze very light to give an interesting contrast to the beautiful wall treatment. I think I know what I'm doing to my own fireplace now!

Stenciled accents

I have mentioned before, that one doesn't have to have faux finishes and decorative art all over their home to make a statement. I do think that a whole room faux finish can create a certain ambiance, however, strategically placed and well done accents can sometimes say so much more.
I was recently commissioned to create a stenciled design on a dining room ceiling and some niches that were adjacent to the dining room. The challenge was to find designs that were different, yet worked together well. In this case, I turned to a great resource for decorative artists, Modello Designs. A Modello is a one time use custom stencil that is basically a big sticker.
Of course I have hand-painted designs before and have created my own stencils, but with this particular product, I have convenience and time efficiency.
Modello Designs have a great library of artwork to choose from and for a small graphic fee, they will customize an existing design, or if you are an artist, they'll even make your design into a stencil for you.
For this project, the homeowner and I thumbed through the Modello Design book and chose three designs. I was able to have them adjust one of the designs to work better in the space I needed to place it.
There were two unifying factors in these three designs. First, we chose designs that had similar elements: leaves and bold, thick borders happened to be in all of these designs. Secondly, the fact that I used the same products and colors inside each stencil brought them all together.
I started with a three layered texture, then placed my stencils, colored them and removed the stencil. I finished up with a glaze and this is the final product.

It was a delight to collaborate with my homeowner on this project and find that exact look that she was in search of that would speak to her and show off her personality.

Motorcycle mania

As a resident of Sparks Nevada, specifically the suburb of Spanish Springs, I am surrounded on a daily basis with all things motocross. In the summer, there is hardly a day when I don't hear the sound of a dirt bike in the hills behind my house or see the dust flying overhead. While I am not a motorcycle rider, I do appreciate those who do ride. Over the years I've been asked to do a few murals depicting a motorcyclist or two(or seven).
I was recently commissioned to create two separate murals for a couple of motocross brothers. For the seven year old, I designed a very graphic mural with him flying through the air, doing the "trick"of his choice, a no-hander. I added the wavy checkerboard border and paint splotches to make this more fun.
For big brother, we needed something more sophisticated. He chose to be depicted crossing a finish line in an arena. We made this a full wall mural, purposefully creating the bottom third of the wall less detailed so that the bed will be able to be in front of the mural without losing anything.
Both of these murals were very challenging, as all motorcycle murals seem to be, and satisfying. Thanks to these two great kids for letting me create their new rooms.

Sophisticated teen room

It's been a long and busy summer and I'm finally getting some down time to sit and post a few blog entries. I had a fabulous family employ my services to redo almost the entire house these past few months and I had a wonderful time doing it. I don't think I can pick a favorite room, so I'm sure I'll be chronicling all of them.

The first I'd like to brag about was for a dear 16 year old girl who is, of course, growing up and wanted something modern and more sophisticated for her room.

"Mom" and I started with the shower curtain that was purchased for her daughter's bathroom. As many accessories are today, the colors were aqua and chocolate. Our teen was very adamant that we needed to include fleur de lis in the design. As I do with many of my murals, I first mocked up an idea or two on the computer of a design for the main wall. A few revisions and this is what we came up with. There is nothing quite as satisfying as a sweet

sixteen year old telling you "you are my hero for making my room so cool". :)

diva bath

I have been working with textural finishes for five years now and have a great time making sample boards to entice clients with. I happened to create a board with Lusterstone in a peachy-pink color that I ordered to just play with in my studio. I had a scrap piece of a stencil that I created a border design with and just had fun. What could be more fun than adding crystals to the design? The board ended up to be just scrumptious and I had planned on displaying it in a showroom, but didn't quite get it there before I was introduced to a fabulous lady through my hair dresser.
I love, love, love to meet people with a vision. Funny how most people for whom I work have an idea of what they want, but don't know how to get it out. The inspiration for the Diva Bathroom came from this wonderful lady who has always been a diva herself. She happened to want her bathroom to be peachy-pink colored, and I knew right away that she was the one I created that board for without even knowing it.
With her idea of placing an image of a glamorous woman on the wall, we put our minds together and finally decided on using the most famous diva of all. I was able to create a silhouette and have it made into a stencil. Crystals were added to every point on the border design as well as on the shoes and bathing suit of our sexy lady. Four layers of texture, some creative stenciling and many, many Swarovski crystals later, the Diva Bath was born. It has to be one of my favorite creations and collaborations yet. I look forward to more projects with this innovative client.

A wall of a different color

Every once in a while a project comes along that is so out of the ordinary and fantastic that as an artist I can hardly contain my excitement. The past two weeks I had the extraordinary opportunity to work on such. I have to say that I always love my job. (the creative painting part anyway) I have enjoyed each and every creative endeavor to beautify my client's homes, but this one job has actually been one of my very favorite.
I've done many homes in the last five years, each finish has been unique in it's own way. Most clients, however, are very mindful to stay fairly neutral. The most popular finishes I've had seem to be all the "tuscan" style finishes done in browns and soft glazes.
I happened to mention in an article in January's Home Improvement and Remodeling Magazine that the new trend is leaning toward metallics. Well, here is one wonderful case in point.
A fabulous lady who has the most unique taste of mirrored furniture and modern crystal chandeliers contacted me about a month ago and asked me to come look at her home. She had a file filled with photos from all sorts of magazines on decor and design. She showed me one picture in particular that had an item that was done in silver gilding. She said "I want that on my walls." Well, I have to say I was thrilled and horrified all at once. I love to use leafing and think it is one of the most amazing of decorative art forms, but it absolutely stinks a place to high heaven, not too mention the time and money that it costs tends to turn a client off.
What I came up with instead is this. It's a combination of silver leafing and silver plaster. (like venetian plaster) The results were absolutely incredible. I haven't enjoyed a creation yet as much as I did this one. The project didn't end with the silver walls either. In addition to her affinity for mirrors and light, this client has also had an affection for a famous designer who painted or rather printed a very recognizable face on many items from plates to chairs. She has several of these pieces and wanted that same face on her walls. We did that and then some. Here are the results.

Easy painting tips
Personalizing a child's room on a budget
My son was four years old when we moved into our new house. He was used to his old room and he had only just adapted to sleeping by himself. This new room in a strange house was very intimidating. He had a hard time sleeping in it until I painted a room full of dinosaurs for him.

You don't have to be an artist to create a comfortable and familiar place for your child to feel at home. Here's a few tips that can create that space that they'll want to be in.

1. Have them help choose the paint color. I realize that your daughter may go for Pepto Bismol pink, but with a little coercion, you can direct her toward the lightest pink on the swatch stick and she'd still be happy.
A great way to choose colors is to find them in her favorite comforter.
2. Don't be afraid to paint a stripe or two in bright colors to add some interest. It's easier than you think and if you check this blog there are some great tips on how to paint a straight line. Even some polka dots in different sizes are totally easy and way fun. An even better idea is to take simple elements from that comforter and mimic them on the wall on a large scale like these flowers.
3. Go to a thrift store and find a side table, dresser, or even headboard and give it a good paint job. You'd be surprised how an old, seemingly ugly piece can be transformed.
4. Get frames half of at the craft store (ours seems to always have a sale) and put your child's artwork in it.
5. Again, go to the craft store and buy your child's name in wood letters. Spray paint them, put some stickers on them, or leave them plain. Have them help you paint and hang them and they'll love it.

The great thing about paint is that it's cheap. Don't be afraid to put those colors on the wall. Who cares if it doesn't go with the rest of the house.

The color GREEN

It's no secret that we are living in an era where society has become aware of the effects of our actions on our planet. We are recycling more than ever, our government is looking into alternative energy, and the hybrid car is becoming more and more attractive! (arguable, I'm sure)

With all of this GREEN consciousness, it is now possible to be GREEN and attractive on your walls as well. Paint companies are recognizing that people would like to breath better air and save the ozone. Many companies today are developing and selling new lines of low VOC paints and finish products. What is a VOC? -you ask. Volatile Organic Compounds are chemicals in paints that emit harmful gases into the air. Back in the day, oil-based paints were used for everything. They were durable and easy to work with, but the odor was horrendous! You don't even want to know what those chemicals can do to your body.
Water based paints and latex paints have been around for a long time and it's almost impossible to find an oil-based paint anymore. Even some water based paints are fairly high in VOC's. The glossier the finish, the higher the VOC content. This is because the glossy finishes have more bonding agents in them and therefore more of the chemicals that release those gases.

I've just returned from taking a fabulous class that was all about low VOC decorative textures and paints. I am now a Preferred Provider for the new Shizen line of finishes by Modern Masters paints. These are products that not only are low VOC, but use recycled or renewable materials to boot!
The Koruku finish for example is made from bark from the cork oak tree. The bark is harvested and the tree grows it back. This is not your '70's cork tiles, it's a fabulous organic looking finish that can be done in any configuration imaginable. It has the ability to control humidity and is an excellent thermal insulator. This example is two colors of Koruku done in a fabulous cherry blossom stencil.

Another texture that is part of this line is called Kai, which means "seashell". This amazing texture is made from soil, sand, stone and ground sea shells reclaimed from the food industry. It has a fabulous sheen to it with little sparkles all over, it's subtle and beautiful all at once. The most amazing thing about this product is that not only is it low in VOC's, but it has the ability to absorb or dissolve other VOC's that may be lurking in the air in your home!

These are only a few of the products in this line. There are other finishes as well that are already low in VOC's. A Venetian Plaster is very low as is my favorite metallic plaster. Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore both make base paints that are not only low VOC, but highly durable and fabulous to work with.

If you are interested in seeing some exciting innovations in GREEN wall finishes please come and visit my booth at hgcDIRECT the weekend of March 6-8 for the GREEN Expo.

Easy painting tips

Professional straight lines at the ceiling
Those white walls have driven you mad and you have decided to put your favorite shade of chartreuse on that big wall in the living room. You got all the tools from your favorite hardware store, paint tray, can opener, brushes plastic drop cloth, roller and tape. The paint is poured into the tray the roller hits the wall and its smooth sailing. "Who can't do this" you think to yourself as your boring white wall transforms magically to the vibrant pop of color you have imagined for so long. You get your handy dandy brush out to cut in the edges and start slapping on the paint only to find that some of it is leaking onto the ceiling and perhaps the adjacent wall. The perfect paint job just got ruined by the not so perfect line at the ceiling.
Well don't despair, there is a great trick to achieving that perfect ceiling line. No, it's not that edge tool that you've seen on tv. It's much more simple than that.

When cutting in the edges of your wall the only tool you need is a good angled brush. I usually like to use a 2 inch brush, it's not too big, but big enough to hold some paint. Don't try and use a big paint can full of paint or a messy tray while trimming, get a smaller container that is easy to hold in your hand and has a good edge to scrape some of your paint off your brush with. Most likely you will be using a latex paint which is water base and means you can thin it with water. That is exactly what I do. How much water is the key. Some paint will be the perfect consistency for trimming right out of the can, but most of the time I add a little water. What you are looking for is the consistency of chocolate syrup (you know what that's like don't you?) or maybe a little thicker. The important thing to remember is not to add so much water that when you put the brush up to the corner it runs down your arm. The point is that if the paint is too thick, you will get clumps instead of a nice bead of paint.

Once you've mixed your paint to the right thickness, take your brush and dip it only halfway up the bristles. Never dip all the way to the ferrell(metal band) because that will ruin a good brush fast. Touch your brush to the side of your container. This should take some paint off the brush. Next take the brush and put the flat side on the wall about an inch away from the ceiling. Give it a little push into the wall. You may notice some bubbles come out at the tip of the bristles, that's good, those air bubbles will ruin a good straight line every time. Now you can move your brush to where you want your edge to be, however, the trick is that you keep your edge about 1/8 of an inch below corner. Yep, it’s that simple! By keeping your brush loaded with paint that’s the right consistency (typically slightly thinner), removing the air bubbles, and aiming for an edge that’s about 1/8 of an inch from the corner, you can achieve a perfect edge with no unsightly leaking into the ceiling where it doesn’t belong! Give it a try and see what a difference it makes!