Fauxology: Studying the Visual Magic of Faux Finishing and Interior Design (brought to you by Garay Artisans)

In the midst of the classes I teach, I usually run into those students that would like to possibly consider this as a career. They ask me about how I started my business, the classes available, books to recommend and the like. I then really began thinking about what books I would recommend. Although a few popped into my head immediately (ouch, I just had a vision of having a rectangular head), I had to look through my library to find other gems. Just so you know, I collect interior design, pattern and faux finishing books like they are going out of style. Each and every book means a lot to me so the list below is not the be all that end all, but they are some of my favorites.

    Making Money with your Creative Paint Finishes (Lynnette Harris) - This is the book I read when I had just begun my business. It was published in 1998 and still contains great information from marketing to supplies to planning to figuring out how much to charge. Fantastic.

  The Complete Book of Paint (David Carter) This is one of the very first finish books that I bought and when I read through it, I wanted to pack my bags and move to London to beg this man for a job with his company. I was like “I could learn to speak the Queen’s English!  I could learn to survive in another country!” Really, the only thing that kept me here was my love for my husband and family, LOL!

     Decorative Style (Kevin McCloud) Great book with wonderful room vignettes that showcase color, finish, fabrics, furnishings. He breaks down his book by design styles (hence the title) and the photographs are wonderful.

     Painted Illusions: Create Stunning Trompe L’oeil Effects with Stencils (Melanie Royals)  In our industry, Melanie Royals is a Rock Star (yup, with capitals) and she deserves to be. She has written many books and has truly helpful DVDs and programs she’s not skimpy on the info. This book I like because it goes into creating perspective and creating illusions on different surfaces.  But truly, pick up any of her books. You won’t be sorry.

    Outdoor Painting Techniques & Faux Finishes (Marina Niven & Louise Hennigs)  Finding this book was a great pleasure! It has cool techniques and inventive ideas. It touches on a subject not many decorative paint books do: exteriors. The instructions are easy to follow (washes, patinas, woods) and I absolutely love their location shots.

    Italian Plaster Techniques (Maureen Soens)  Although I follow my own plaster techniques, I suggest this book because it’s great for beginners. It includes many different texture recipes and good color suggestions (my favorite combination found on page 53.  Yummy!).

    The Perfect Palette: Fifty Inspired Color Plans for Painting Every Room in Your Home (Bonnie Rosser Krims) - I really like this book. It breaks down each three color scheme by decorative style (i.e., Colors of the Canyon, Autum Day, Provence) and it succeeds in helping to break out of that one-color beige scheme. It only provides paint colors by two manufacturers, but they can be matched if need be by any paint store.

Two books simply for eye candy are:

     The Paris Apartment (Claudia Strasser) I love this style. So feminine and pretty and chic. It’s exactly what my apartment is going to look like when I move to Paris. (Right after I move to London and beg David Carter for a job!)

    Where Women Create (Jo Packham) I picked up this book and realized it was a unique find! It profiles different women with creative businesses and shows you what their studios look like and how their space design came about. I think when I get around to decorating my new personal studio room, I will want elegant bubbles of color on the walls as if the floor was a giant square Alka Seltzer and the walls were made of water. I like that effervescent, ever-changing, bubbling with possibilities and vibrant colorations. Not for everyone, I know! Don’t let that dissuade you from looking into my book recommendations!!!

I hope we all have great reading in store for the next few weeks!

Here is an online article I wrote with respect to using environmentally-friendly products. I hope it provides?good information for all of you!

A Guide to Eco-Friendly Paint & Faux Materials

Paint is everywhere.  It covers and protects most everything on our planet. [Think cars, bridges, homes, tech toys, office equipment, planes, etc.  Paint is truly one of the most unappreciated materials in our world today.]  Due to its overwhelming use, scientists and chemists in the coatings world are constantly looking to lower the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paint to reduce the environmental damage they create. What exactly do VOCs do? First, a little paint history. In the early days of paint, products were alkyds, which are a blend of alkyls and acids. The formula was usually 20% solid paint and 80% solvents (i.e., mineral spirits). Paint products were also lead-based. Lead is a heavy metal that was found to be toxic in the 1950’s and was finally banned in 1978. In fact, our federal government estimates that 25% of the homes in America still contain hazards from lead paint and related products. Latex paint was created (using the relatively safe titanium dioxide) and a whole new era for paint was ushered in. Some of our modern paint formulas contain less than 1% solvent and the most common solvent today is water. These innovations led to the diminishing effects of VOCs.

But what are VOCs exactly? They are carbon-containing chemical compounds that evaporate into the air. For instance, when materials such as gasoline, nail polish or paint dry, the VOCs evaporate and form with the nitrous oxides in the air to create pollutants such as smog. Inevitably, this forms increased health risks and overall air quality concerns. Since the enactment of more stringent VOC regulations in 2005 and consumers being more aware of the green movement, using low/zero VOC products has become a main goal for many paint and faux material manufacturers.

Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams have looked into using new raw materials (such as soy or sunflower oil) that lower the VOC rating of their water-based paints but still maintain ease of application and high performance. Sherwin-Williams has also implemented a washwater management technique in their plants that produces less waste. Ace Hardware is currently at work on the next generation of low toxicity products targeted for the DIY market: high performance, low cost. Faux product manufacturers have also taken the initiative to produce safer materials. Companies such as American Clay use recycled and reclaimed aggregates and vibrant natural pigments to produce their plasters. Totem, a faux product line out of Canada, also touts their wide range of green materials to create beautiful decorative effects. However, please note that many manufacturers also offer low/zero VOC products without specifically tagging them as environmentally-friendly.

A good way to make sure that the least intrusive paints are used in your home or business is to ask your preferred paint store about their more eco-friendly options. Water-based will always be safer than oil-based and there are some wonderful high performance water-based products available. If you are hiring a paint company and/or a faux finishing company, it is also a good idea to ask what type of products they use and their clean-up techniques. Good companies should be able to answer your questions solidly and be amenable to finding alternative materials to satisfy your eco-friendly preferences.

Please be sure to visit government and/or manufacturer websites to learn more about clean air and sustainable design. Some sites to visit: Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, Coatings World, American Clay, Totem Designs, Ozone Transport Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, Green Seal and the U.S. Green Building Council.

Article written courtesy of Regina Garay, Creative Director of Garay Artisans, Inc., a faux finishing firm. http://www.garayartisans.com/ This material may be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed but please be sure to request permission from the Author first.

I thought I would upload the Garay Artisans promo spot created by WFTV (ABC-Channel 9 here in Central Florida). This promo sometimes runs under their Local Experts segment in their weekend morning newscasts. You can also find us on YouTube! Actually, I’m sitting here amazed that I just wrote that. I, who really know nothing about computers, am now uploading (or is it downloading?) stuff on YouTube.  I feel oddly accomplished, LOL! (BIG thanks go out to my sister Suzy and my hubby Chris for helping me navigate these shark-infested waters.)