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

As you can probably tell, I never conceived the Fauxology blog as solely a journal of our company’s work.  Sprinkled in here and there, sure, but not the total focus.  However, I just noticed that I’ve been seriously lacking in putting up some of our own pics lately.  I figured that at some point, I have to have something showing that I actually do this for a living, LOL!  There are two other commissions — woodgrained exterior doors and a fabric ceiling — that I’ll put up a little later on this month in the midst of all the other blog posts.  Hope you enjoy these in the meantime…

Here’s a pretty Master Bathroom with a subtle metallic glaze on the walls and stencilling on the ceilings.  These clients liked light elegant touches.  We used metallic mica powders in the glaze to create just the right hint of metallic. 

The stencils used were Modello’s EasBor310…here’s a nice close-up of the design.

                     


On this project, we did both the crown molding and the walls in a kitchen and laundry room.  A close-up of the wall’s Distressed Marmorino is on the right.  The trim was an aged metallic and we used Modern Masters Statuary Bronze as the base.  The wonderful Marmorino was from Safra.

Here’s a shot of that project’s kitchen.  In this area, our client wanted the crown molding and all doors in the same finish as the cabinets.  What do you think of our matching?

                               


Here, we did both the aged schaibin dome and the elegant glaze on the walls.  I do wish our client had decided to go with a darker color around the dome.  To glaze walls like these, normally we have a separate company set up the scaffolding, which looks like the lower right pic here.  Our client didn’t want to invest the monies for that and asked us if we would use regular stacked scaffolding.  I thought “How bad could it be?”.  Folks — lesson learned.  I am never doing that to my team (and myself) again.  It was exhausting taking apart the 3 and 4-tier scaffolds and setting them back up again as we went along the stairs.  Not to mention that we had to do it quickly due to the glaze time.  But my team went through fire with me and for that I am eternally grateful.  Big kudos to McCloskey’s oil glaze for staying workable for soooooooooo long.

Last but not least, a nice dining room ceiling.  The stencils were custom cut and everything was glazed. 

“Talk” to you soon!

A few years ago, we helped a designer avoid a crisis with these doors.  Ever since then, I have begun taking a second glance at this oft-overlooked surface…and sometimes the sheer artistry and creative detailing brought to them might take you by surprise. 

I’ve gathered up a few pics I’ve had in my “Idea Book”.  Take a look…

I almost had a heart attack when I saw this pic.  Let’s see…beautiful dominant color?  Check.  Intriguing curved moldings?  Check.  Some decorative work inside the door’s panels?  Check.  Making what would have been just a pair of pretty doors into something extraordinary?  No more calls, we have a winner!  So, I wandered around my house to see which door would be so graced.  To my utter chagrin, no doorways were going to work well.  Oh, how I shook my fist at the faux gods!  Still waiting for that perfect client to come along…

Here are two different examples of decorative painting surfaces on doors– one is the wood itself and other on the tiles surrounding the door.  The painted wood door on the left is from the 18th-century and comes from Morocco.   

These are along the same idea as the first pic but dialed down a bit and executed with the color white.  Isn’t the bird detail so sweet?  I love them both!  

Sometimes, entrance doors can come in just the one color.  It works nicely with some exterior design schemes but you can always throw in a bit of interest.  Here, I like how a bit of gold was used to highlite the frames and center design.  Really makes you appreciate the scrollwork even more.

Thought I’d throw in this door just because it was so interesting.  The pic on the right is a close-up of the detail of the door.  Unusual, no? 

…and this one I thought I’d throw this one in because it’s welcoming…but it’s got a slight Tim Burton vibe to it.  Looks like a lovely garden, too.

Amazing what a difference a beautiful doorway can make.  Even just approaching one with an artist’s mind can open the door to a world of wonder.  (smile)  Yes, I had to go there, LOL!

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!

One of the most wonderful opportunities we’ve had this year is working at the Orlando International Airport.  We received the call and had to adjust the schedule and split the crews in order to make it happen for them.  My brother, Jason, took on the project while I headed another one at the same time.

Working in an airport means you have to take into account all the security measures.  Every morning, the cargo van would be checked thoroughly (even underneath with the long-handled mirrors) and there was a mandatory dress code.  Plus, all the construction site regulations were followed to a T.  I would definitely call it the most securite site Garay Artisans has ever been involved in! 

The finish was Venetian Plaster and it was imperative that it be done quickly and well since it was a public space on a serious deadline.  Since the site was open 24 hours (and had revolving crews), we were able to be provided with lifts that we shared with other trades. 

Here are the before, during and after pics of the work.  If you’re ever in Orlando, stop by the food court at Terminal B and look up — isn’t it nice to see the beauty Venetian Plaster can add?

Before & During

After Shots  (BTW, I particularly like how Jason and his team were able to work around the immobile vents and not make them look like they had a Venetian Plaster halo around them.  They were able to continue a seamless look.  The things I notice, right?)

A big THANK YOU! goes out to one of my best buds (and amazing artist), Jeff Huckaby, for taking the “after” pics on his way home from Paris. He took them without being asked — just because he thought we might like to have more pics. (You need a plane ticket to get into the terminal…so it was a pleasant surprise to receive them!) Thank you for always being so thoughtful, Jeff!

Talk Faux

Well, I’ve previously touted how wonderful Talk Faux is.  Talk Faux is one of the largest faux finishing forums in…geez, I guess, the world since it is on the World Wide Web.  (I don’t like being all grandiose and spouting off the word “world-renowned” all easy-breezy but I guess if you are online and have members from various countries, you do have international presence.)  Anyhoo.  It’s a beautiful site where about 1,800 members come to talk about faux recipes, faux issues, faux ideas, ask faux questions, have a faux gallery…in other words, talk faux.  I’ve been active at the site for a bit so imagine my surprise and delight when I was asked to be a forum Moderator.  I think being a Talk Faux Moderator is like being a docent in a beautiful museum showcasing living, breathing artists.  As the docent, you guide everyone around the museum, help answer any questions, make sure everyone feels welcome and comfortable, call security on visitors who become unruly and just generally peek around all corners to make sure all is running smoothly.  I’m in good company — some of the other moderators are some seriously respected faux folk, like Dean Sickler, Kathy Carroll, Kathy Boyd, Donna Phelps and Sweden’s Hakan Engstom, to name a few.  I’m like the Junior Newbie Moderator!  So come on in to Talk Faux — it is seriously the best online faux finishing group I have encountered!  (BTW, it also has a sister site: House of Faux - check it out, too!)

May Workshop Winner and June Workshop Contest Details

I’m proud to announce that Elsa Dilone of Kissimmee, FL has won May’s Free Workshop Contest.  Congratulations!  I can’t wait to see which workshop she chooses! 

June’s contest is really easy:

E-mail a faux design question you’ve been meaning to ask (i.e, What colors are good for a dining room?, Can I glaze my 12-foot walls by myself?, What base paint do you recommend for a faux finish?) and I’ll pick the most intriguing question.  Not only will I answer it and post it on our blog’s Mailbag – it will win you a FREE class.  Be sure to use the Contact Us page at our website to send them in — I look forward to hearing from you!

Good Luck…and I hope to see you on Talk Faux (I’ll be the one called FauxGirl)!  

I’d like to take a little observational side street on this grand Faux & Design Road Trip we’re on together.  You see, whenever I am proposing a finish to a client or making a custom sample, I always try to think “Is it beautiful?”.  Even if a client is on a budget, we give our best since A) There is something gorgeous to be had at any price point, and B) I would want someone to look out for me in the same way.  What goes around comes around, trust. 

I just noticed that subconsciously, the sibs and I pick out every day items using the “Is it beautiful?” theory…and they are usually patterns.  (I really have a thing for pattern this month, don’t I?)  Here are just some of the things I noticed around the studio office:

My sister discovered these at Ikea and was immediately smitten.  They are now our work desks.

File folders — I truly can’t stand the plain vanilla ones.  These are the ones I use for my client commissions and they actually inspire me to think more creatively…I mean, just look at the top “woodgrain” file…heaven!  Who wouldn’t love a similar pattern on their wood beams? 

For myself, I searched and searched for a laptop bag that wasn’t just industrial black or even just a plain color.  When I saw this bag at abbi, I though “Voila!”.  (Unfortunately, when it came in, my brother took one look at it and said “Well, that effectively takes care of me ever helping you carry your laptop.  Don’t even ask!”  Was it the pink?) 

In our studio, if it can’t run it’s probably going to get painted.  Here are some gallon containers (quarts not pictured) we fauxed in different finishes and patterns for a trade show.  Of course, we didn’t think about what we were going to do with them afterwards, LOL!  Now, we sometimes pour touch-up materials in them and leave them for our clients with our contact information on the top lid.   They love them and take care of them - which is great because the products, should they need them, stay fresh for years.

I suppose I could find even more evidence of “pattern-mania” if I looked harder.  If you take everyday items and just make them unique or give them a beautiful color design, it lifts your spirits up.  Who wouldn’t enjoy that? 

5/26 UPDATE:  I didn’t think to add where we purchased some of these items - sorry!  I’ve added them now. :) The folder information is in the “Comments” section.  Enjoy!

Earlier this year, Melanie Royals announced that she would soon be publishing her new book: Modello by Design, Inspiring Interiors from Artist’s Portfolios. She put out a nationwide call for artisans to submit their work using the wonderful Modello materials.  (Trust me, I love them.  Check out my recommendation back in October.)  We use Modellos frequently for areas such as entertainment centers, lettering and wall accents.  However, I knew we’d have to pick and submit some of our most unique and artistic uses of the Modello material to be seriously considered along with everyone else. 

This past week we found out we are to be one of the artisan teams featured in the book.  Wow!  My brother and I did The Happy Dance together (not meant to be seen in public).  I’ve been so excited that it’s finally becoming real enough in my head to blog about it!  (According to his site’s News section, I know finisher extraordinaire, Robbie Calvo, will be featured as well.)  We’ve no idea which of our submitted projects made the cut but we’ll find out in late summer when the book comes out.  We get our own copy but Mom has already placed dibs on it.  I guess I’ll have to purchase my own, LOL!

I think this is the proposed book cover…cool, no?

Photo courtesy of Design Amour

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!

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!