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

While searching for good images to include in the White Done Right post, I came across two magazine visuals that…well, I wish a decorative artist would have been called in.  I think that the magic we do would have made a BIG difference.  See if you agree.  

This is a featured bathroom…and all I have to say is: Really?  Nothing more could have been added?  It seems so…empty and utalitarian.  

This one was a shocker.  Why’d they stop at the walls?  I don’t know about you but I’m salivating at the myriad of finishes that would have worked to “top off” this room.  I mean, if they didn’t want to go crazy, I’m sure something nice, elegant and sedate could have been worked out.  Anything but white…and I’m fairly certain the ceiling ain’t happy about it, either.

Well, I’m appreciative that with all the magazines I went through, it was really only two images that made me stop and wonder.  I do think it is so important to keep our local architectural and design firms consistently aware of the capabilities we have in our industry — I’m sure that some hear the word “faux” and, in the back of their minds, still think “sponging”.   I’m honestly thinking of doing a yearly presentation just to keep them abreast of all the products and hi-tech finishes available that can help enhance their vision.  Interior firms do have a lot to keep on top of (i.e., regulations, new trends) so an artisan firm that helps keep them in-the-know?  Priceless.   Plus, we can help avoid missed opportunities like the ones above again.  Everyone wins!

I wish everyone peace of mind, increased prosperity and another full year with your loved ones in 2009.  I hope you are having a wonderful New Year’s Day!  

Almost a year ago, I wrote about a great site, CG Textures.  Since some of you may not have read back that far, I’m extolling its virtues again.  The site owners say that they strive to be the world’s best texture site. 

We had a designer we work with call early last week about a major snafu that occurred in a restaurant she was designing – and which was opening with a bang on New Year’s Eve (ergo, today).  She needed to have 38 metal panels aged quickly and correctly.  We adore her so my brother and I squeezed it in during the holiday (while fielding “Where are you guys?!?” phone calls from the family).  We delivered them yesterday for installation, phew!  While looking for reference shots of aged metal, I remembered the site and looked under “Metals: Leaking” and Voila!  A myriad of visual references.  For free. 

CG Textures also has pics of skies, rust, water ripples, wood, stones…you name it, they probably have a good shot for you.  Check it out…while I go to sleep…

Reference Site:
CG Textures - www.cgtextures.com

A little bit ago, we did a two-part Faux-cus on the Pros interview with Sisters Hands, a group of ten artisans who came together due to their passion for decorative painting.  (Click here for Part One and Part Two.)  They formed a strong sisterhood — sharing ideas, working together and networking.

Back then, they talked about their plans to expand that idea to include all artisans by providing a beautiful and resourceful website and an info-packed newsletter.  Those plans have come to fruition!  Their website has Class Info, Recipes, Fauxplay Product Reviews, and…oh, just click in to see it all.  (Plus, I looooooooooooooove how on the home page you can click on their shadows and it brings up their bios.  They’re all wearing the same colors, too — very cool. Whoever thought of that idea: kudos!)  If you hurry, you can still enter to win a beautiful Tapestry Portfauxlio Bag by signing up for their newsletter. The premiere issue comes out on January 1, 2009…can’t wait to check it out.

I really enjoy being friends with women — I call them the Power Girls — who are all about entrepreneurship, breaking new ground and being forward-thinkers…and still being oh-so-chic and good to others every step of the way.  I find that balance of equal parts generosity and ambition to be very inspiring.  I hope you do, too!

[…although that may go out the door if it’s between you and me for that paisley tapestry bag, LOL… =) ]

Reference Site: Sisters Hands - www.sistershands.com

I hope you’ll forgive this foray into a post of a more personal nature. I’m very lucky to have most of my family nearby for the holidays…and it’s a big family. In fact, once someone gets in a serious relationship, that extended family is welcomed – no one really gets left out of The Insanity. I’m posting a few pics of the various get-togethers. Hope they give you a little background of the amazing family I belong to…it’s certainly shaped who I am.

…see what I mean about chaos?…

Shots of the Fam… 

We spent an entire day making homemade tamales…we even used traditional banana leaves.  Of course, there’s always the milling around to start the food line… 

It’s not a gathering in Miami if the boys don’t have cafecito, gossip and play dominoes.  Sigh.  BTW, we even travel with our own paparazzi posse…

Look at the cute mug I received as a gift…great to receive such support at home, no?

I’ll post soon!

I hope you are enjoying the Holiday Season with your family and friends!  Thank you for being such wonderful readers and I hope to provide an always-improving blog as we go along this road together.  I’ve appreciated all your lovely comments and insights this past year — they make me so happy to read them!  I wish you all goodness and prosperity in 2009! 

Warmly,
Regina

I thought I would pass along a little advice given by Dean Sickler of Dundean Studios that has come in handy (yet again) this week.  It was back in 1998 and I was taking one of his classes.  He said to us, “Let me give you a little color advice.  If you continue in this career, this tip alone will be worth the cost of the class.” 

Dean’s Tip: If you are working with two colors that are not meshing well and something is off, mix a little of each color into the other.  Voila!  Each color will take on some of the properties of the other and they will magically start to flow better. 

Trust me, I never forgot those words and he was prophetic: they certainly have been worth the cost of the class. 

Speaking of color, I recently received my Color Association newsletter.  They are one of a few companies that forecast, research and archive color.  They also provide color trend information to various industries 14 months in advance.  Every year, theirs is one of the reports I look to for guidance in the colors to keep in mind while creating new sample boards.  Their site is pretty interesting — take a gander, if you’d like.  Their newsletter advised of an informative article written by their former director, Margaret Walch.  She recently took a trip to Chile and wrote about its architecture, use of color and also threw in a bit of history.  It’s a nice read.  (I love learning about the use of color in other countries.  I wrote a bit about mine in The Colors of Guatemala.)

Have a great day!

So, I love Modern Masters metallic paint.  I’ve used it for years and pretty much know which color would work without having to look at a paint deck.  I have wanted to try out other metallic paint lines, such as Blue Pearl or Faux Effects, just to expand my horizons but you know the old adage: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  That’s why I keep using Modern Masters — it’s my comfy Linus blanket.  (But don’t get me wrong — I will soon come out of the box and try the other lines, perhaps with a class.  I’m like a crow: anything new and shiny does pique my curiosity.) 

The reason for my post?  Oh, yes — did you know there are 10 new Modern Masters metallic colors?  You can see them right on the front page of their website.  My favorites are the (clockwise from top left): Camel, Nickel, Black Pearl and Black Cherry. 

I was a little surprised at the new Burnt Orange but then remembered this pic which I featured back in The Color of Fall post.  Who’d have thunk orange trim would work so nicely?

BTW, on the Modern Masters website, I discovered that they posted some cool recipes and techniques under the “What’s New?” banner.  I especially like the Shimmer Rust finish, which mixes their lustery plaster with their reactive metal patinas.  Yummy. 

Have a great day!

Reference Sites:
Modern Masters: www.modernmasters.com
Blue Pearl: www.metallicmart.com
Faux Effects: www.fauxeffects.com

So, today we did a little something called Team Wars.  My brother and I divvy up into teams and we all agree on the day’s tasks.  Each team works to get the specific tasks done first and done well and each member of the winning group gets a financial bonus. 

It was Team Terrorizers vs. Team Kick A$%%@!  You can imagine the amount of trash-talking, subterfuge, psychology (”Wow, you guys have a lot left.  We’re so ahead of you…”) and spying/recon missions that were occuring (”They’re still sanding!”).  At one point, my brother came into our area and started playing the Rocky theme song on his iPhone and putting his hands up in the air in victory.  Of course there was an uproar (”What?!?” — “NO WAY are you guys done!” — “You haven’t even started spraying — that was part of the deal!”).  Then he said ”Just wanted to give you all a preview of what’s gonna happen when we win!”.  He was promptly kicked out with some lovely parting shots. 

At the end, we were right in the middle of various phases of our tasks and so tired that we haven’t even decided a winner.  I’ll keep you posted.  I did, however, want to run two things by you that we’ve come to love: Orange tape and TSP substitute. 

(1) My friends, James and Shayna, told me they sold an orange tape that was better than my 3M orange-core blue tape.  They mentioned something about Japanese rice paper and Danish adhesives but I was skeptical so they sent me a trial roll.   WOW — I love this tape.  Seriously: No more blue tape.  It gives an even cleaner edge to a faux finish and my Modern Masters metallics don’t even stick to it and pull off.  Better yet?  It’s $6/roll and free shipping if you buy by the case.  (I pay close to $8 per roll for the blue tape and I buy those by the dozens.)  Please consider trying this tape — here’s the link. 

(2) TSP Substitute — Went to Home Depot looking for TSP to clean cabinetry and they no longer sell it.  They do sell a TSP substitute that has biodegradable contents.  While you still do have to wear gloves and such, it was much easier to work with than original TSP.  It comes ready-mixed, the vapors aren’t as potent and it preps a surface beautifully. 

That’s it — thought I would pass those two info nuggets along.  I hope you are having a great day…will talk soon!