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

OK, so was there ever a doubt I would pick this book as our Book of the Month?  Especially since we were chosen to be a part of it?  I do have to say, in all seriousness, that this book is a wonderful resource for decorative artists.  It is chock-full of photographs of gorgeous rooms using the Modello decorative masking patterns in innovative and creative ways.

Modello by Design - Inspiring Images from Artists’ Portfolios is authored by Melanie Royals.  She put out a nationwide call for artists to submit their best images featuring Modellos.  As I understand it, the plan is for it to be a series of books with this one being Volume 1.  Her goal was to provide a beautiful visual guide for decorative artists to show their clients a smorgasbord of design ideas.  This book will be valuable during consultations because it is hard for some clients to visualize the proposed finished room.  The old adage certainly rings true: a picture is worth a thousand words.  These photographs will help get your ideas across or will jumpstart a new level of creative brainstorming between you and your client. 

Here are some images — it doesn’t even touch the amount of good ideas the book contains.  I didn’t even have room to post up most of my faves!  I’ve also provided the links to the artist websites, when available.  Enjoy!

Walls by Heather Mueller, Todd Oberndorfer & April Long of Metamorphosis Designs in Ogden, Utah.  The idea of “pattern everywhere” in the wrong artist’s hands could go so badly but this is Absolutely Perfect.

The stunning curved ceiling is by Katherine Enguita of the Final Detail in Fort Myers, FL. The flooring is by Joan Kingsbury of Joan K Design in Canton, MA.  Check out the floor’s curves and corner designs – super cool work.
 

I actually saw the left pic on Talk Faux a few months ago and LOVED the room.  The work is by Kris Kuchavik of Casa Bella in Waxhaw, NC.  The gorgeous ceiling on the right is by Barry Harris of Painting Elegance in Homestead, FL.  I like the idea of an additional layer of design starting outside the fixed medallion.

The accent wall on the left is by Joanie Valenti of Joanie Valenti Decorative Wall Finishes in Pittsford, NY and the peacocks on the barrel ceiling is painted by Carolyn Hewitt of Lasting Impressions in McKinney, TX.  Both are samples of outstanding work. 

The windows at left are by yours truly and the cool sink design (with the great faux on the walls) on the right is by Michele Molek of Fashionable Finishes in Southern Pines, NC.

We had three projects chosen for the book.  The first one is this room with the full ceiling view here, the second is featured above and the third is pictured below.  As a bonus, I put in the “before” pic.

Please click on the links for the available websites of the artists above — there is more beautiful work to be seen.  Love these pics?  Maybe one of them is in your area!  Have a great day!

Murals are such an integral part of the decorative painting world.  Thankfully, they are not just limited to canvas pieces.  Many clients can be slightly worried at the thought of bringing a mural into their home — and in the end, it’s the area of the house they show first to their guests!  There are so many types of mural work out there: frescoes, trompe l’oeil and grisaille (to name a few) and even those have even further categories within them.  It’s a beautiful world to get lost in.  One of the best muralists in the decorative painting world is Graham Rust.  Although this particular book was released in 1988, it is as fresh and inspiring today as it was when released.  So, our July Book-of-the-Month is The Painted House by Graham Rust.

I believe this was his first book and since then he has published about five more.  The Painted House is a collection of drawings and installed murals.  He intended them to be a source of inspiration for other artists by providing ideas and pattern resources.  The book is broken down by rooms and architectural elements that could be found in many homes (i.e., The Bedroom, The Nursery, Alcoves and Doors).  His talent for perspective and shading are amazing and you will find yourself blown away by his artistry.  It is a fantastic book to have as a reference in addition to just being sumptuous eye candy.  Here’s a peek at some of the images:

I’ve always loved panels.

Gorgeous idea.

This is a drawing of a beach mural on three walls.  (See the wall partitions?)  Just imagine you’ve had a hard day, you come home and fall asleep.  The next morning, you wake up to this scene.  Feel better now? 

A small but very nice element of surprise.  The back of the bench is painted to look like an extension of the seat. 

There was empty space between the two windows and the opposite wall had two alcoves, so Mr. Rust painted this in (along with the books and monkey) to balance the room.   So cool.

In neutral sepia tones…

…and full color.

Here’s Mr. Rust himself on what is probably familiar equipment for all decorative painters: the scaffold.  Gotta love those high walls and ceilings, LOL!

Have a great day!

I would truly be bummed if I were to lose this book from my library.  I don’t remember where or when I bought it but I do know I thought it was a great idea to do a book on exterior finishes — there’s not many of those.  So, my June Book-of-the-Month is Outdoor Painting Techniques & Faux Finishes by Marina Niven and Louise Hennigs.  The authors both have decorative businesses based out of South Africa. 

Published in 2002, the book has beautiful photographs of true outdoor patinas and gives you clear and concise directions on how to achieve various looks.  The finishes are not just relegated to walls, either.  They also touch upon pottery, doors & windows, trellis work, flooring, statues and garden furniture, among others.  Some of the techniques include limewashing, cutting stencils, using pigmented plaster, distressing wood, verdigris and faux metal finishes.  I think they did a great job researching this subject and found fantastic examples of true patinas.  Here are a few pics — and this book is chock-full of them:

Those who truly enjoy having an outdoor garden or just a beautiful home exterior would benefit from the recipes and instructions found in this book.  The photographs are terrific and inspirational and you can tell the authors really took their time in perfecting and presenting their recipes.  I hope you enjoy it!

Pattern — we see it everywhere yet most of us don’t fully realize how beautiful and uplifting its design and color variations can be.  (Or, in some circles, how important: case in point, the Fibonacci sequence, still used by artists today.)  I’ve been thinking a lot about pattern lately — from coming up with new techniques for clients to creating updated portfolio samples…I can’t help but be hopelessly fascinated by this important design aspect.  The word itself is attributed to the French word ”patron” and it refers to a reoccurring sequence of designs or elements.  Ahh, but enough introduction: our May Book-of-the-Month is Tricia Guild Pattern - Using Pattern to Create Show-stopping Interiors. 

Tricia Guild is an icon in the interior design world.  She established her company, Designers Guild, in 1970 and has since turned it into a multi-million dollar empire encompassing books, fabric, wallpaper, furniture, a paint line, flooring and home accessories.  (She employs over 250 personnel — that definitely helps in getting it all done, LOL!)  This particular book caught my eye because of its cover — it has an embossed flocked pattern on it and everytime I pick it up, I can’t help but rub my hand on the soft design.  Inside, it’s like walking into Willy Wonka’s factory (minus the sinister undertones): delicious, colorful, vibrant and full of new creations and inspiration.  It’s a wild ride!  She explains how to incorporate color and pattern to create sophisticated yet fun interiors — nothing that’s ever too precious. 

The book is broken down by sections including current and historical patterns.  She also explores different fabric styles (velvet, silk, tweed) and design elements (i.e., botanical, Asian, Indian, toile, geometric) — really, there is no stone unturned here in the 208-page book.  Even its size — perfect for a coffee table but a shame to just leave it there — is fulfilling.  Here are some views:

Pattern Kaleidoscope (L) and a perfect place to have a fresh, breezy breakfast (R)

I’m digging the mix of the somewhat similarly-colored patterns…

I like the “angel wings” (L) and the haziness of the stripes (R)

Delicious colors…

An unexpected mix of patterns at the window (L) and a burst of color against white (R)

There are so many more pictures and ideas — I hope you check out and/or purchase the book!  It’s perfect for a luxurious way to spend a Sunday afternoon planning out new details for your home.  Until next time!

We went a bit differently this month with our book selection: a biography. Our recommendation for April is Florence Broadhurst - Her Secret & Extraordinary Lives by Helen O’Neill. The life history concerns the incomparable Australian Florence Broadhurst (1899-1977), a female pioneer in the wallcoverings arena. Even though you may not know her name necessarily, she helped further the artistry of the hand-crafted fabric and wallpaper business as we know it today.  Her design library has a collection of 530 hand-drawn patterns whose diversity gives credit to her creativity.  Some of her popular designs are still fresh today.

Here’s where it gets truly interesting: Ms. Broadhurst’s imagination wasn’t limited to her work — it seeped its way into her personal life.  As she was going through her life’s journeys, she invented a new name, new history and a whole new look for herself as she made her way through different career fields (and continents).  Yes, really!!!! It seems as if she approached each new personality like any Oscar-caliber actress would. Her life came to a tragic end, but still her spirit lives on…as well as many questions.  Did she truly create all those designs? If she didn’t, who did and why haven’t they said anything?  Was she a con-woman or a vastly prolific artist…or both?  Why was her life — as well as her death — surrounded with so much secrecy? Who was Florence Broadhurst really?

I’m not sure her same feats of duplicity could be accomplished in today’s information-ready tech world.  However, I was fascinated by the things she was able to accomplish and those she was able to motivate.  Her life — which has already inspired a movie – reads like any well-lived life: various careers, setbacks and triumphs, love lost and faith regained, hitting an important artistic stride and helping an entire industry reach a new level.  At the point in the book where she was murdered (and possibly by serial killer John Glover), it was truly a sad moment to behold in an an otherwise extraordinary life.  Or extraordinary made-up life, I leave that for you to decide yourself!  The book’s cover is beautiful and it is a great resource for designers and design fans.  I hope you find the time to read and enjoy it!  Here she is working and some of her designs:

There I am zipping along in my life and I realize I haven’t posted the Book-of-the-Month.  Horrors!  Curses!  It might be serendipity because due to our blue post, I started thinking of how beautiful the Newport Mansions were and then I remembered I had bought a book about them.  (I don’t think I can travel anywhere without buying a decorative painting book or two.)  So, I go to my adored studio library and there it was, jostling for space with the other books.  I was immediately transported right on back to those amazing…homes.  (I hesitate calling them homes.  They’re more like zip codes.) So jaw-dropping!  So over-the-top!  So…oh, I’ll just get on with it.   The March 2008 Book-of-the-Month is Newport Mansions: The Gilded Age and is written by Thomas Gannon and distributed by the Preservation Society of Newport County.

The hubster and I took a trip to the New England area back in 2003.  I had been in Newport, RI in 2000 with my best friend and couldn’t wait to get back.  You know when you see those pictures of castles in Europe or the grand homes in England or France with the 70+ rooms and the beautiful, lush gardens? The ones in the Merchant Ivory films or a Jane Austen production? That’s the scale we’re talking about here.  The Newport Mansions (there are 11 properties – 7 of them historic landmarks and about 80 acres of gardens and grounds) are Spectacular and you definitely need that capital S. The homes were owned by many of the titans of the 19th century, such as the Vanderbilts and the Astors, and were used as summer residences.  Today, they are preserved and protected as historic house museums by the aforementioned Preservation Society.   Despite their exclusive history, today these opulent homes are open to the public.  Here are a few pics:

On the left is the entrance to The Breakers, generally considered the grandest of the homes. Notice the size of the gate as compared to the woman. On the right is the Dining Room.

On the left is the Morning Room in The Breakers, used for informal daytime gatherings.  On the right is the lower loggia.  I’m not embarassed to say that when I walked into the 45-foot high Great Hall (not pictured) for the first time, tears ran down my cheeks.  I had never seen such extraordinary decorative painting, stenciling and gilding in my life.  Something to aspire to!

Here we have the grand staircase of The Elms on the left.  On the right is part of the, umh, backyard.

On the left is a carved mantel from Chateau-sur-Mer and on the right is the Rosecliff ballroom.  The Great Gatsby and True Lies are two movies which have scenes filmed in this location.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the “tour” and a peek into the book.  There are more stunning photographs to be found within its pages along with a great amount of history from the turn-of-the-century in addition to design and architecture.  It’s a wonderfully stimulating book for the eyes and the mind!

I bought this book a while ago because I loved the idea of peeking into the studios of other creative souls.  While perusing through it, I kept thinking “When I have my own studio, it’s going to have this idea, somewhat this look and feel…”  Lo and behold, we have moved into our own studio facilities and I have my own little corner of the world staked out.  While it’s not personalized completely just yet, I created my first client samples there this past Saturday and it was a large slice of heaven.  All the products were organized, I could see colors clearly, I could walk around and just Be.  So, in the spirit of having a small place to call your own creative haven - I chose Where Women Create by Jo Packham as our Book of the Month.

The book is broken down by the artists profiled — 26 in all, including April Cornell, Kitty Bartholomew and the author herself.  The artists are all successful in their own right and each talks about her work, background and their personal view of the world through their own space.  It amazes me the varied surroundings they chose:  Some are boutique-y, some are impeccably clean (wha….? how?!?), some use every nook and cranny, most are extremely colorful but all thoroughly enjoyable.

Here are some faves:

Cool ideas: binders organized by pattern (left) and a creative use for a diswasher (right)

This is the space of Sandra Evertson. I love the “Paris loft” look it has and her fanciful designs.

This room belongs to Dena Fishbein, a product designer.  Love the organization of all the pretty things.

Ahh, one of my all-time faves: MacKenzie-Childs.  Here is Victoria MacKenzie-Childs working on a chair — I enjoy how erratic the scene is since it reminds me of our work within mountains of paint.  Plus, I love, love, love her hair — hmmmm…

Jill Schwartz at work in one of the rooms in her 6,000 square foot artwear and home accessories studio.  I like how it sorta gives the appearance of messy but if you look closely you’ll see it’s quite nicely organized.  I’m totally digging her large desk on casters.

Where Women Create is a book that is soooo worth the purchase price since you can truly find great ideas on how to organize and personalize your own space.  It is chock-full ofbeautiful pictures (you can’t flip a page without seeing something visually pleasing) and you can tell the author truly enjoyed herself in creating this book.  Also (at least for me), reading about the lives of 26 very different women who chose art as a career proved to be very insightful and inspiring.  I hope you yourself are inspired to purchase it — you will not be disappointed!

A good friend of mine, Monica Zeuli, and I were talking faux books. (She’s also the artist who took the photo that inspired the previous post.) She and I get very excitable together about art — we show each other magazine articles, talk about finish recipes, go to art fairs…really, the only thing I dislike about her is that she roots for the Red Sox and the Patriots. (We can’t all be perfect. Go Giants!) Anyhoo. She mentioned that she had just bought this fantastic book from the North Light Book Club and I should look into it…so I did…and I greatly enjoyed it. So much so that (drum roll, please) the January 2008 book of the month is Your Home - A Living Canvas by Curtis L. Heuser.

Mr. Heuser has an interesting backstory. This book is actually a snapshot of the reconstruction/remodeling of a run-down home he bought in Newport, Kentucky. The house was sold to him with all the contents intact and when he had a yard sale, one of his neighbors, Clare Finney, came by to take a look. She noticed his business van and being the art director for North Light Books, she was intrigued and spoke to him about his business and plans for the house. This book is a result of that serendipitous meeting. I love stories like that…and I’m glad such a wonderful artist had the opportunity to showcase the truly amazing transformation of his own home.

The book is organized by each area of the home: Foyer, Kitchen, Master Suite, etc. For each area, he not only talks about the decorative painting but also about such key elements like flooring, lighting and accessories. The directions he gives are concise and the pictures help as well — I think anyone could tackle these projects and enjoy success. He has extensive before and after pictures and while I’ve included some here, I left some choice ones for you to discover in his book. Here we go:

Seriously. How delicious is this room? And it’s the Guest Room!! Could you imagine being someone’s guest and walking into this space? I would hug the person and say “THANK YOU!!”. Sigh. Well, obviously many other people agree with me since it is the cover shot. I really would just want to curl up with a nice cup of tea, catch up on some reading or a fantastic crossword puzzle and just idle the Saturday afternoon away nested within this Chinese garden landscape.

I stared at this picture for a while since I knew the beams were real but where did they end? The painted trompe l’oeil fabric looks like it’s draping over it seamlessly. You’ll just have to get the book to discover the magic!

I love this since the designs (both on the celing and the walls) started with plaster as the base. It gives a more three-dimensional feel than just a painted design. Supercool idea. He rebuilt that fireplace and found the tin cherub panel (one of two) in a consignment shop, both marred and rusted. He saw its potential and did a beautiful aged terracotta finish over it. BTW, you’re not going to believe the before shots!

I hope you do get a chance to peruse this book since it is filled with beautiful photographs and great how-tos. Mr. Heuser (and North Light Books) have, in my opinion, produced a winner of a book. Kudos!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  Me, too, Kelly…me, too.  Ms. Kelly Wearstler is one of my very favorite designers so I am choosing her book Modern Glamour - The Art of Unexpected Style as our first official Book-of-the-Month.  I actually started off with her second book, Domicilium Decoratus, a picturial on her self-designed home.  After speaking with a fellow design aficionado (thanks, Blythe!), I ordered Modern Glamour and have been reading (and drooling) ever since.  You can further check out her works and product line at her firm’s website.

Ms. Wearstler is an interior designer who mixes bold patterns and colors with an easy elegance.  She never leaves a wall just white (Thank You!) and uses architectural details and objects from different eras and styles and blends them beautifully. In the book, she shares inside info on colors, textures, details and the evolution of her process. The book’s photographs are sumptuous and a true feast for the eyes. Below are some of my favorites:

Pic Below: Love the color scheme and the insets (looks like painted tree branches and birds over aged gold leaf, yummy!).  Oh, is that a glass of wine? Why, thank you…I believe I shall sit down and chat for a bit.

Pic Below: Though monochromatic, there is still opportunity to throw in a bold pattern in an unexpected place.

Pic Below: The panels are created by paint (unique, wonderful idea) and I love the details such as the dual-colored door on the back right (when closed, it completes both rooms) and the tassel on the door handle in the foreground.

Pic Below: Good-looking exterior pics are a big thrill for me (maybe since I’m none-too-pleased with my own and need more ideas).  How cool is the seating? I thought it was a great idea for those who entertain at home knowing that their guests sometimes spill outside. (Plus, I love pretty dresses and I appreciate sitting/leaning areas in a party that won’t snag my clothing. I’m a girl — I had to notice that…)

There are many more ideas in this book — I didn’t even post some of the most amazing visuals.  Sometimes a bit of mystery is wonderful and I’ll leave you to discover those images.  I loved the fact that although most of the photographs are of “fantasy” homes and hotels, there were still many ideas and inspirations that could be brought into any space.  I hope you consider perusing the book — I believe that you will fully enjoy it and feel creatively inspired!