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

In the past few weeks, I’ve read a few good articles on design.  I thought I’d put them together for you in one post.  Here we go!

Revamp Your Home with the Right Designer - Courtesy of Arizona Central.

How to Work Best with an Interior Designer - Courtesy of CNN.

TVs Dictating Interior Design Decisions - Even though the article is based on UK couples, I think it translates well to homes here in the U.S.  I remember when my husband asked me if I minded if we bought a new TV — “uhm, ok, I guess we need a new one” — and a few days later the delivery guys delivered a box taller than I am.  I personally would have preferred a television you can hide behind a painting, but that ship has sailed (for now).  Courtesy of Infomatics Online.

Fiction Mirrors - I had to include this new product offering: it’s so original.  I love how it fades into the background…although I’m still not clear if it turns back into a true mirror if someone passes in front of it.  Courtesy of Dwell’s blog.

The Floating Round Bed - I think it’s so cool…but is it classic?  I’m digging the natural horizontal concrete-y finish in the background wall. Courtesy of Apartment Therapy. 

Setting Competitive Fees for Your Business - I have some blog readers who own/want to own creative small businesses.  This is an article for Interior Designers but I thought it had some good advice for similar businesses. Consumers can also read about what is involved in establishing design fees. Courtesy of CNN Money.

Top 10 Design Hotels (Impeccable Decor experienced at their “organic best”) - This list is for those who love to find a gem of a small hotel at a great price while traveling.  My favorite description is for the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco — aesthetically what would happen “if Quentin Tarantino designed hotels rather than made movies”.  Hmm.  I know where my brother’s next vacation is going to be.

Research Weighs Consumers in Soft Market - Great article on consumer preferences and opinions in the current housing and design market, straight from Orlando’s International Builder’s Show.  Courtesy of Nation’s Building News.

Reben - Quick blurb from last year on a new Japanese-made paint, one that emits no VOCs and actually cleans the air.  I’m totally looking into this, knowing how our company strives to be eco-friendly.  Courtesy of transstudio.

A Global Sweep on a Tiny Budget - A good article on one family’s challenge to transform their apartment into a functional design haven.  I only wish they had put a warmer color on the walls…but that’s just me.  Courtesy of the NY Times.

Finally, I picked up the latest Consumer Reports magazine since it had “Interior Paints” right on the cover.  (I also picked up In Style, lest you believe that all I think about is paint.  Don’t know what would give you that impression.)  So, although Consumer Reports may not be happy about it, I’m saving you $5.99 and just letting you know the results.  There’s been a big shake-up in the results this year — Home Depot’s Behr had dominated the results from 2003 but there are some new sheriffs in town.  Call it the passing of the paint stirrer baton.  Kilz’ Casual Colors and Behr’s Premium Plus Enamel topped four categories: Best Values, Toughest, Tops for One-Coat Coverage and Best for a Smooth Finish.  Benjamin Moore’s Regal Matte dominated the Flat Sheen category and Glidden’s Evermore and Olympic’s Premium were the Best for Sunny Spaces (most resistant to fading).  Kilz is available in Wal-Mart, Behr and Glidden are available at Home Depot, Lowe’s has Olympic and Benjamin Moore is available at their eponymous stores.

If Consumer Reports should come for me — should I use “Blue Steel” for my mug shot?

We have been getting A LOT of cabinetry commissions lately — which really does not surprise me in this current housing climate.  In fact, according to AIA Architect, who conducted a Home Trends Design Survey, kitchen and bath projects remain strong as the residential market weakens.  If you are disatisfied with the way your kitchen or bath cabinetry looks — and there is a beautiful, durable and affordable alternative to wrecking the house and starting from scratch, why wouldn’t you explore it?  Plus, it’s great for environmentally-conscious consumers since you are, in essence, recycling what you currently own at the cost of no additional trees.

Here’s a sampling of our most popular finish: bringing in an overall color and lightly glazing the edges and trim.  I also recommend adding crown molding if the cabinetry doesn’t have it — it costs pennies on the dollar and yet adds great re-sale value to your kitchen.

Formica can also be changed (as seen in the laundry room on the left).  On the right, the light pine cabinetry was deepened to a cherry finish…and we didn’t have to sand it all the way to the bare wood and re-stain.

How white cabinetry gets a lot more interesting via the magic of faux bois: woodgraining.  You can see more pics of this project here and here or try another project altogether.

The distressed look is also popular.  Here is a during and after pic — you can see the black peeking through the red.  (Did you see the stripes on the ceiling?)

We are going to be offering two separate Cabinetry Refinishing classes at our studio about once a month.  The first class will be Saturday, May 17 and more details will be forthcoming.  These workshops will be specifically tailored to homeowners who want a change, don’t have a lot to spend but yet don’t mind a little elbow grease.   Each one-day class will teach one specific finish and it will be a jam-packed day: from planning the project to the final topcoat layer — homeowners will also learn how to use an HVLP sprayer for a factory-finished look.

Here is my brother…everytime we get into our spray gear I always tell him with my best Darth Vader voice: “Jason, I am your sister!”

He told me it wasn’t funny anymore after the 100th time I did it.  Doesn’t stop me, though…:)

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.