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

Wow — we have been triply blessed this weekend!  Here’s the deets:

1)  Orlando Sentinel - There, on the front page of this Sunday’s Homes section, is their main story of the week: an article entitled “Stunning Transformation”.  It is the home of Jim and Jennifer Ross and we were the faux finishing firm they called in.  They mention us in the article (yay!) and here is some of what they said: “The creamy Venetian plaster on the fireplaces has hints of green and blue, for example.  And the light purple plaster in the breakfast nook is delicately streaked with silver and gold for a waterfall effect.”  It is definitely one of the favorite homes we’ve worked in and we would bend over backwards for the Ross family.  Here’s some pics:

Metallo Venetian Plaster (both are actually the same color but just seem different)

Waterfall:

Traditional Venetian Plaster in a striking color used in just the right accent areas:

2)  Orlando International Airport - We were just chosen to be the firm to do Venetian Plaster in a new area of the airport.  It is to be a quick turnaround and so we should have pics for you soon of the completed areas.  Here’s a Before shot to tease you:

3) Last but definitely NOT least - We have a new addition to the family!!!  My very loved in-laws just gave birth to their second child (and first girl): Victoria Hope.  Our side of the family drove down to Miami (caravan-style) to go meet her.  Victoria is so tiny and beautiful (5 lbs. 8 oz.).  Once Cristy and Damien (my husband’s brother) got home, we took them out for the first family portrait.  Here it is:

What an amazing weekend…I hope yours proved as wonderful as well!

I recently received my ASID newsletter and it contained a mention of interior designer Lorrie Browne and the two wonderful websites that she manages: one for her business, Lorrie Browne Interiors, and the second, a website & blog called My Design Secrets (an online design resource).  After perusing both sites, I thought it would be fantastic information to share with the Fauxology blog readers.  I contacted her immediately and she graciously agreed to our Faux-cus on the Pros interview. 

Tell us a little about yourself, your company and its philosophy and style.  Oh, where to start?  I am high-end residential interior designer in Wellington, FL. This area is known as home to the Winter Equestrian Festival, so we have a lot of seasonal clients who are only here for 3-4 months.  I have been working on homes in this area and out of state since 1996 and I love it.  The philosophy of my company has always had two equally important facets: 

1) To provide my client with beautiful, comfortable environment that reflects their lifestyle and personality; and

2) To make it a comfortable and enjoyable experience that is well organized and on schedule.

How did you begin this career path?  It’s definitely been “the road less traveled”.  After getting my MBA in finance I worked as a financial analyst, which did not provide me the creative outlet I needed.  I went back to design school but I am grateful for my business background because it’s been VERY helpful.  But honestly, I don’t think I am so unusual.  As time passes I have met so many people who have totally changed their life’s course to arrive at the right spot.  I like to say, “You have to break the mold to feed your soul”.

Where do you see interior design heading in the future?  Our field has changed a lot over the past 5-10 years.  With so many people taking advantage of the information provided on the internet, our clients have more information than ever.  People have access to so many sources but they still need professional advice, so I think we will be doing more hourly consulting work.  Because so many people like to shop on line, I started another website called My Design Secrets that helps people decorating their own homes with a database of over 500 vendors categorized by style and wonderful professional tips.

What are some of your favorite design styles?  My home is combination of styles. It’s very comfortable and a place that my friends and family find inviting.  My upholstery pieces are fairly classic and simple.  I have a teak Indonesian opium table as a coffee table and a great antique end table my Grandmother bought at the Salvation Army.  Modern art on the walls.  How’s that for a mix?

What’s the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?  Always factor your “gut” feeling into business decisions.  If everything looks good financially on a potential project but you get a bad feeling about the project or client, walk away.  You will save yourself a lot of wasted time and hearth ache.

What is the best space you’ve designed?  The best space I have ever designed is a large home up in the Chicago area.  This was the 2nd project I had worked on with the client so I knew them very well.  I collaborated from the very beginning with the architect and builder and chose everything down to the last doorknob.  It was professionally fulfilling and everyone on the project was easy to work with and such a nice group of people.  I furnished the entire home remotely and only visited the project 3 times.

What advice would you offer our blog readers with regard to the importance of good interior design?  Do not feel pressure to include all the latest trends into big purchases because by definition, trends are fleeting.  Good design starts with understanding your wants and your needs so really consider your lifestyle and how the home is used.  Purchase the best quality furniture and window treatments that you can afford.  Also, high quality faux painting, such as that done by Garay Artisans, provides a beautiful backdrop for your interiors.  If you spot a trend you really like, you can always incorporate it with accessories or artwork, which are easily changed.   Good interior design provides an environment that supports you lifestyle for years to come.

Here are some pics of her beautiful work:                    

Please check out both sites if you have a moment (or an hour).  My Design Secrets is chock-full of great information delivered in witty style — from articles to online resources to vendors & products she recommends.  Just recently, she’s posted articles on selecting paint colors, dog-friendly design resources and gorgeous tiles.  She also has a database broken down by style and an area where you can ask a design question if you’re in a quandary.  Her business site has a nice portfolio gallery – although I must say that one of the pics gave me a start.  Coincidentally, she used one of my very favorite quotes in a client’s house.  It’s something the White Queen told Alice: “Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”  Memorable words to live by courtesy of a generous and forward-thinking designer. 

As I alluded to in the New Challenges Post, I’m trading expertises with a past client of mine.  She previously hired us to do a baby nursery (for her cutie-pie son) and this time around, I am helping to pull her living room, dining room and kitchen together.  She is a nutritionist and personal trainer so, in turn, she is helping me become a healthier person and whipping me into shape (and boy, do my muscles hurt).  We are both soooooo happy with our “deal”. 

We just finished doing a Venetian Plaster niche today. This is a Before shot — we had already picked out a new color for the walls (SW Ramie) and a color (SW 6009 Coffee Bean) to accent the soffit area and the niches  — it was all one solid neutral color before.  We framed out the soffit to make it more of a focal point as well as have the niches compliment it all.  The niches will be receiving a nice Coffee Bean Venetian Plaster with a subtle gold wax as well — but that is for another day. 

Here’s the start of the first layer of Venetian Plaster (”VP”).  We painted it in Coffee Bean just to have a nice dark base and I custom tinted the plaster to the perfect shade of red.  We troweled three layers of the VP and then burnished the third layer.  (There’s a lot of work in that last sentence, LOL!)

After we finished burnishing those last three layers, we waxed it with Liberon Medium Oak and burnished it again.  Here are some pics after taking the tape off. 

There are some touch-ups to do and we have to clean and paint in the edges above but you can start to see the effect.  We are tackling the VP niches next and then on to the dining room.  We have a whole world of finishes available for the dining room so we each want to come up with something spectacular.  I’ll keep you all posted, of course!

P.S.  All in all, it was about 9 layers counting from the skim coat (making the walls smooth).  I kept saying “no, just a few more layers — it’ll be over soon!” until she finally said to me “just wait till it’s my turn — they’ll be a few more reps and sets, too!”.  We both had a big laugh at that one (mine was more of a nervous laugh…).  You know, she came up with a great idea: they should turn this concept into a reality show — having people trade services that the other one wants and filming it.  It’d be totally cool to see so many different careers profiled and how much work each entails.  At least, she and I would watch it!

BTW, just wanted to quickly post an article I found on how color is being used to help spur sales.  An interesting thought in the piece was that “people will gladly pay less for everyday necessities but are still willing to spend more on something different that makes them feel better.”  I would say that is generally true.  Color affects mood — that’s a given — but it’s nice to see that even in our current economic climate, many are still willing to consider goods that can cheer them or offer that little extra something special at the end of the day.   

So, I’ve been all about challenging myself lately.  (Truly — as if I don’t have enough to do!  I even find it hard to go on vacation – which I finally just scheduled.  The first few days I just feel guilty about being away and not looking over my business, then I start to wind down and really get the hang of this Relaxing and Having Lots of Fun thing and then BAM!  It’s time to come home.)  OK, back to our regularly scheduled blog. 

First challenge: I’ve come up with a Trading Spaces kind of situation with a past client of mine.  She is a nutritionist/personal trainer and so, we are trading our respective expertises.  I’m helping whip her home into a design haven and she’s helping whip me back into shape.  I’m changing my eating habits and meeting her early in the morning to go for walks/runs, squats, lunges…you know, fun stuff.  She lives on the valley of Sugar Loaf Mountain (the highest point in all of Florida) so you can imagine the hikes we can take.  After I begin to balance the personal areas of my life by eating better, releasing stress (that’s kind of a nice way to explain working out) and oh, get more sleep, I will have even more energy to spare.  Imagine what you can do when you’re at your best.

My brother and I are also planning on doing a future YouTube faux series (still editing the second one…) and doing some podcasting, maybe like a short online radio show on faux finishes/design.  So many plans for the Fauxology blog.  I’m also excited for you to get to know my brother – one of my favorite people in the world.   (Well, except for when we’re fighting, LOL!  At that point, he’s persona non grata.) 

I think I will also pick some recipes out of some popular faux books and actually try them out in real-time for everyone.  I’ll follow them step by step and not alter a thing.  We’ll see if we’ve been bamboozled by pretty pictures or been given a true design gift by the publishing gods.  I’ll work on this a bit.  Let me know if you like the idea. 

Our firm is also working on a Giant Concept with a company we do a lot of work with.  It’s a philanthropic project — and one we’ve been mulling over for a few years.  We’re still hashing out the idea and how we are going to execute it, but I will keep you posted.  It should all come to a nice conclusion around Christmas time. 

Allright, gotta stop doing the fun writing and go tackle the blueprints for two separate out-of-town projects.   (True story: Years ago, a teacher of mine bid out and landed the commission for a famous Las Vegas hotel.  One of his company’s estimators made a slight error reading the blueprints…a $275,000 oops.  I’m not one of those people who constantly needs to learn from my own mistakes — just tell me what pitfalls you’ve seen/encounterd and I’m taking the other path, dude.  After hearing that, I took a crash course on reading blueprints correctly, yes sir.  Measure twice, cut once and all that.) 

P.S.  We’ve received some nice cc’s on our Win a Free Workshop! Contest.  Please click on that past link for details. There is a frontrunner but it’s still anyone’s game.  Time runs out at the end of April!  Good Luck!

So, I went to another fabulous event last night!  It was Robb & Stucky’s presentation (along with Neiman Marcus) of Unexpected Style — an unveiling of their newest Showcase Rooms.  The wonderful Bill Griffin, Merchandise Director for Robb & Stucky, called them “design windows” and what a beautiful view they each had.  There were four showcased, each with a gorgeous color splash against the striking pair of black & white.  The event was held for the design industry and doubled as a benefit for the Junior League of Greater Orlando, SPCA of Central Florida and Femmes de Coeur.  (There was a raffle with fantastic prizes.  I didn’t win.  Let’s move on.)  The media sponsor was Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine (and wow, does their April issue looks gorgeous).  Neiman Marcus had beautiful models in chic clothes enhancing each room and providing information.  I think I should let some photographs speak on their own.

Red Design Window - love the relief on the fireplace and the mix of patterns

Yellow Design Window - featuring a showstopping DECO table by Jason Champion Outdoor

Lime Design Window - incorporating a unique panel idea

Aqua Design Window - love the whimsy of the accessories

The guests were privy to the paint colors used in each vignette

Towards the end of the night, my camera batteries gave in and I had to run out to buy more.  Upon my return, I ran into both Jason Champion himself and textile designer Laurie Jenkins — two of the most interesting people I met at the event.  Bless those dead batteries!  They truly love what they do and it was so nice to meet fellow artists who also get excitable about their work.  I look forward to introducing them to you further in future segments of Faux-cus on the Pros.  

If you do have the chance, please visit the Robb & Stucky in Altamonte Springs – see these rooms in person! They also have an amazing showroom filled with design ideas ranging from simply elegant to over-the-top amazing. While walking through the different areas, I saw furniture that made me smile, made me do a double-take or were just quietly elegant. It’s the pairing of these pieces, with just the right treatments, wallcoverings and accessories that give that effortless je ne sais quoi of Unexpected Style.

A big Thank You! goes out to Deborah Kreiger and Bill Griffin for their great information and hospitality. 

Last night, we celebrated the birthday of designer Kim Patiry.  Her bash was at the awesome BB King’s Club in Orlando and it was a fun night — what a great group!  There was a live band (loooooooove blues music) and the food and drinks were spot on.  I took pics of the bash and, of course, I had to take pictures of the faux as well.  (True story: The owner of BB King’s called us directly, prior to construction, to see if we could meet about doing the faux work.  They had a regular team that had done both Tennessee locations but they wanted a local team to do this one.  In the end, we didn’t even get to the blueprint stage — the Tennessee team really wanted to come to Orlando and he brought them in.  He called us directly to apologize — nice man.  The artists did a great job!) 

On the left in green is the Birthday Girl, Kim, and on the right hand side is the house band

Some of the faux on the walls — love the coloration of the one on the right

There were metallicized tin ceilings (pretty) and on the right pic is my sis next to the tortoiseshell-like concrete floor Kim had us check out (gorgeous!)

Each table was individually painted with a music theme and I thought to leave you with one that has a great message…

Hope you had a great birthday, Kim!

We frequently get e-mails asking for advice from other artists looking to start their own business or continue their education.  I will post some here as well as sharing a few of the mistakes we’ve learned from bigtime recommendations we make.  ;)  Here are a few e-mails received: 

JR from Florida writes:  I am a painter and I’ve been getting into faux finishes. I’ve been doing suede for years and it’s safe to say I’ve mastered it. I’m starting to get into venetian plaster and what I’m finding is that there is a ton of things that can be done to it. Metallics as well. I am 100% self taught, never worked with anyone. Lately I’m starting to ask questions that other painters and the paint store can’t answer. I saw your website and now I know that these things are possible, I just don’t know how to get there. Do you have any advice on how I can learn different techniques?

Mo from Florida writes:  We also do Faux Art.  We just want to tell you what great talent you have been given! God bless your hands!! W-O-W!!!  Would love to learn some things from you!

Michael from Wisconsin writes:  Hi, I’m an artist and starting my own business as a decorative interior painter.  I have so many questions for you. I thought it was very gracious of you to invite up-and-comers such as myself to pick your brains about the logistics of this type of business. I’ve been working for an internationally known decorating studio for many years and decided to go on my own. After finding your website I am tempted to ask for employment with you!   After all, you are located in a state that I have wanted to relocate to. If we could have dialect, it would be most appreciated. Thank you! 

Mike from Florida writes:  I am a master drywall finisher (17 years of playing in the mud) and have been introduced to faux.  I love it and am trying to expand into this direction but don’t really know where to start.  I’ve been researching on the net and must say that you guys are absolutely amazing.  I just wanted to give you guys a thumbs up and if you could give me any good advice I would be extremely appreciative.  Keep up the inspiration.  Thanks! 

Who wouldn’t feel good after a hard day’s night to come home to those words and know that others have a genuine interest in the career you adore?  I’m truly a lucky, lucky person.  Well, here are some recommendations:

1)  Soul-searching - There are so many avenues in this business, so, before you make another move, please sit down and decide what you truly like to do.  There are things that our company does that some don’t do — are you willing to glaze 25′ walls?  Would you like to work on exteriors at high altitudes?  Are you willing to travel for weeks at a time?  (It’s like being on tour – sounds glamorous, but it’s a lot of work and you don’t get much time to see the location fully.)  How labor-intensive do you want to get?  I know some artists that do not want to extend themselves — they just want to paint beautiful murals on 9′ walls or less…and it works for them!  Our company doesn’t get into concrete or much floor work but other faux finishers thrive on it.  It helps to be clear on your boundaries, what surfaces you are willing to work on and what kind of commissions you’d like to have.  Once you have established this, then you can move on into what kind of classes fit your business model.

2)  Professional Classes - Books and self-exploration can only take you so far and I can’t stress this enough: it’s extremely helpful to get expert advice and training.  Every year, we travel to take at least two classes and go to several conventions…otherwise, your work portfolio becomes stale and you are not tuned in to new products, finishes and innovations.  Pro classes run about $650 (two days) - $1,950 (a full week) each.  Might sound like a lot but it is an investment: in many cases, if you sell just one finish you learned, it could quickly repay itself.  It also frees you up to take creative leaps from what you learned and discover new uncharted finishes for yourself.  Some great schools to consider are Dundean Studios, Sarasota School of Faux & Architectural Finishing, The Finishing School, School of Italian Plasters, Faux by Kathy, Modello Workshops and Faux Works Studio.  There are many other quality schools out there.  Googling will help you find some in your area. 

3)  Apprenticeships - If desired, try to find employment with an established firm.  A good project manager will be helpful and patient with your experience, if limited.  Under their guidance and supervision, a company can help you perfect a finish, explain pitfalls to look out for and introduce you to new products.  When we bring someone new in, we make sure to know what their goals are, what their knowledge is and what they like to do.  This helps us tailor a jobsite better and ensures that all of us are happy — and happy artists produce beautiful work.

4)  Networking - There are so many good groups and online forums to meet other artists, get great advice, share recipes and gain inspirational ideas from a picture gallery.  A great group to join is SALI and they have many state chapters.  (They also have a fantastic rate on residential liability insurance.  If you’re like me and plan to do commercial work, then you’re stuck paying the big bucks for insurance.)  A great online forum that I’ve talked about before is Talk Faux.  Also, take the time to get to know your fellow area artisans.  Although a few will be secretive and not social, most will enjoy having another ally and work/referral resource.  Some of the local artists are among my best friends and we help each other a lot.

There are some great media recommendations as well: business-wise I recommend Making Money with Your Creative Paint Finishes by Lynette Harris and recipe-wise any books or videos by Gary Lord, Melanie Royals or the first book by my new friend, Curtis Heuser, can jumpstart creativity. 

Hope this has helped a bit — talk to you soon!

We all know I love faux finishing. If you are a regular reader of the Fauxology blog, you know how much I also love wallpaper and beautiful base paint colors. Now imagine a material that could combine all three? We are talking about products that have permanent residence in the Garay Artisans Hall of Fame: Anaglypta and Lincrusta. 

Lincrusta, a paintable tough petroleum-based wallpaper, was invented in 1870. Ten years later, Thomas Palmer patented his creation, Anaglypta, a lighter alternative to the heavy and hard-to-install Lincrusta. Anaglypta is an embossed and flexible wallpaper that is made out of pressed cotton pulp and meant to be painted as well. The papers are imprinted with their design while the cotton pulp is still in its wet state – ergo maintaining its design permanently. They were developed to provide the ornate plasterwork prized by wealthy Victorians to those with less lavish means. It is still extremely popular in Europe, particularly Britain. Anaglypta comes from the Greek words “ana” (raised up) and “glyptos” (engraving) and Lincrusta was formed by two Latin words: “linum” (a tribute to one of its main ingredients, linseed oil) and “crusta”, meaning hard shell. Both sturdy papers come “primed” in a white or cream color and can be rebased multiple times without losing a bit of the texture. Water-based materials are used for Anaglypta and oil-based for Lincrusta. You can also use layers of colors – starting with a background color and then using other colors or glazes to enhance the raised design. When finished in the right way, you can have it take on the look of a tin ceiling, a hammered metal backsplash or simply base it out in a glossy paint for a striking finish. Traditional uses for this historic wallpaper include the papering of entire rooms, panel interiors or underneath a chair rail or dado line. The textures have many pattern options to fit many style schemes and are a perfect solution to hiding walls that have cracks, pits or that are uneven.

These papers are making a beautiful comeback. I’ve heard it from no less than two designers these past three weeks and today in the Homes section of the Orlando Sentinel, Canada-based Debbie Travis writes about wallpaper and singles these papers out. They are products that in the past have been notoriously hard to get a hold of (you can order it but as to when it’s actually going to come in…) but now there are a few product manufacturers that are making easily accessible, price-wise and time-wise. Here’s to its re-emergence!

Original design pattern and then painted:

Examples of painted Anaglypta at MorganHouse:

Underneath Chairrails:

Other patterns:

Used in borders and full walls: