Finding Your Niche
Finishes & Surfaces No Comments »Our business is divided about half and half between commercial and residential work. I love commercial work - dealing with different firms, finding the right solutions for the interior designers and the rat-a-tat pace it seems to go in. Plus, the added benefit that many people can see the work.
Residential commissions are enjoyable as well, trust. Creating the right finishes for someone’s house is a labor of love but it’s satisfying when a homeowner can’t wait to come home…nice! I’ve definitely found the two right niches for my business — but today, dear readers, we’re going to talk about another kind of niche: the dreaded ones. Most people have them in their homes and drive themselves crazy trying to find something cool to do with them. A niche could stand out on its own (a Wow! finish) or be a showcase for a work of art (a finish that provides a great background and doesn’t compete with the art). I thought I’d post a few niches we have done…maybe one will be an inspiration…
This one has a custom-tinted plaster with a gold wax overlay.
This Venetian Plaster niche and accent area have been seen before, but I do think the technique and color showcase the area nicely. Both the finish and color were specifically chosen by an architect and his wife — their home is one of my favorites ever!
The striking papers from Vahallan. It takes a while to install them (laser levels, balance of color, etc.) but the effect is worth it. (One regret: I do wish I had painted the trim border a nice deep walnut or coffee bean color…)
This niche and surround has gold leaf embedded within several tinted plasters. The Modello designs are coming from under the light fixtures (which we fauxed as well — they were white originally.)
Sometimes all it takes is a little design work or a bit of color…
This niche was done for the Faux Showcase 2005 here in Orlando. We went back and forth on what to do with the niche and decided on a a decorative design that could be seen behind crumbling plaster. This is actually about 6 layers worth of work.
This one has also been seen before, but I thought it would be nice to include it again in our niche post. The background is Faux Effect’s Lusterstone and an embossed Modello with aged schaibin highlights.
Last but not least, is the niche within this cabinetry. We woodgrained the cabinetry (including painting the trim on it black) and also did the ceiling in its entirety (Venetian Plaster, glazing, aged metallic panels, painted medallion, etc.) The niche has a plaster background and is also embossed with plaster. It’s nice to run your hand over it and feel the relief of the design. A cool “oh!” is that the designer chose the border of the design panel to match the panels on the ceiling — square but with curved edges. I thought that was a nice subtle touch by her.
I hope you’ve found something you liked…have a great weekend!
