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!

Well, Saturday — the first get-together by the Wallnuts (nee The Fauxtastic Four) – was a blast.  We had projected meeting from 10 am to 3:00 pm but everyone cut out of the studio close to 6pm.   We would have continued our party on to dinner but we had a rather large (and loud) lunch.  (By “we”, I don’t mean just the four of us.  Husbands were there, siblings were there, family was there…what a fun day!)  To put it all together will take a few more days than I expected but I hope it will be worth the wait.  The four of us were really surprised at the end of the day when the men came in to set up our podcast.  We thought we were just going to talk into the laptop or something but nooooooooooooo…there was microphones and stands and mixers and stuff I can’t even pronounce.  As we were doing our chosen recipes during the day, we were gabbing and laughing and having a great time.  I really hope the podcast caught some of that energy.  It’s our first one so I’m sure we’ll get more comfortable with it as time goes on.  Here’s two teaser pics of our day:

 (Left) Prepwork: Books, Materials & Coffee   (Right) My microphone…a bit daunting

Well, we’re off to prep for Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay.  It doesn’t feel like a bad one but you can never be too overprepared.  I’ll try to post more cool stuff in the meantime, if the weather (and finger) permits.  I hope you are having a beautiful, sunny day! 

We are getting together to check out the recipes in Gary Lord’s book “It’s Faux Easy”.  (Do click on the Fauxtastic Four link above to read a little more in-depth about our plan…it’s been a long day and Momma’s tired.) 

My husband, Chris, and Sharon Adelman’s husband, Chad, have been working diligently this week to put our podcast tech tools together to ensure that the four Wall-nuts can talk all about our first adventure.  Thank you so much, Chris and Chad!  I’ll try to post the entries up as fast as I can.  Not sure the world is ready for us gabbing away (someone is bringing Mimosas, I think) but there it is…

Until then!

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!

What is wonderful about Sisters Hands is that they are planning to continue sharing their decorative painting knowledge.  Their website, recently launched, will soon feature great articles, recipes and a Q&A area.  A newsletter will also launch in the Fall. They will also have product reviews, fun stories and a few more surprises in mind for all.  How cool is that?!?  I’ll definitely be visiting often — I’m going to nominate myself as a long-lost cousin, LOL!

Here’s Part Two of our interview with the “sisters”…

Professionally, who are some of your inspirations?

Patty Henning says: Early in my career I was inspired by my first FE Instructor, Julie Robinson, who opened my world to professional finishing products and just a hint of what could be created with them.  Where else do I find inspiration?  Other creative artists.  Being an avid web user, I have a natural tendency to seek resources there. With so many fellow artists on forums such as Murals Plus or Talk Faux, I find it a great source of inspiration to see their work, be it a photo of a room just completed or a new finish in the creation phase.  Often, when I feel a connection with an artist’s style, I will check out their website or blog, bookmark it and revisit it in the future.  It’s a great way to get the creative juices flowing.  Professional businesses that offer new and exciting products, tools or design ideas, such as Royal Design Studio, Modello Designs, and Faux by Kathy motivate me. Lastly, it’s not so much who as a what.   I love looking through printed literature that focuses on home design and style.  My favorite author is Betty Lou Phillips.  Magazines and books are a great source of inspiration for me, and a great tool to help a client envision just what I can offer for their space.

What is the most positive/fulfilling project you have ever done? 

Judy Norman says: My most positive/fulfilling project I have ever done was working with a designer who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Denise and I had originally met at a local bible study and worked together for several years.  Her cancer had progressed and she had been extremely ill right before Thanksgiving two and one half years ago. I went to visit her when she came home from the hospital and I asked her if there was anything I could do for her thinking she would ask for meals, housecleaning, etc.. She said her 11 year old daughter wanted her room painted and would I have time to do that before Christmas.  I said we need to do something more than just paint and together Denise and I came up with a color scheme for her daughter. I pushed other work to later dates as I was convinced that she would not live to see Christmas. I gathered the products and went to work painting neon green walls with large black bagged flowers and hot pink centers. I painted the ceiling fan hot pink and used the three colors to create some unusual patterns on the ceiling. Her daughter chose 3 designs from about 10 different samples I had made for her.  I also found a picture frame in hot pink and neon green so she could have a picture of her mom close by. It was such a bright room I imagined the little girl might having some trouble sleeping at night, but she was thrilled with how it turned out and said she sleeps well. Denise wanted to pay me for the room and I said absolutely not!  This is a gift to you and your daughter and it is my pleasure to do this for you. We visited quite a bit over the next 18 months before Denise lost her battle with breast cancer. I can’t express how much joy she gave me in my life and this was such a small thing that I could do for her. Even though it isn’t a fancy high end finish, it is the most fulfilling project I have ever had.

What’s the best piece of professional advice you have received?

Elaine Castronovo says: I chose to answer this question with somewhat of a twist.  Some of the best advice I have received about my career came from outside of the industry, from individuals and sources that were unexpected but welcome nonetheless.  Sometimes if you take a moment to really listen to what people have to say, it can change your course or keep your head above water. Before attending my first professional class, I ran into a neighbor/friend at a local grocery store.  We stopped to talk briefly.  I don’t know that she will ever know how much her words of wisdom affected me then and how they still ring true.  When I told her how I was second guessing everything, business decisions and dealing with the guilt of leaving my family to further my education she simply said to me: ”Being a Mom and staying home with children, making them your focus, your world becomes very small.  Go away to your class - you will never regret it.” And oh how right she was.  That first class lead to many more and a whole new me, and a much bigger world. 

Another piece of advice came from a meeting that my husband had at work that was meant to pump up the employees for the benefit of the company.  The man speaking to the audience made a simple statement that still makes me stop in my tracks and I remind myself of this all the time. He asked the audience, “What is the definition of insanity?” His reply: ”Doing the same thing over and over…and expecting different results.”  This small statement keeps me in check every time I want to complain about work or the results I am getting.  And another is a quote from Connie Reeves, a cowgirl: “Always saddle your own horse.  Always know what you are doing.  Go in the direction that you are headed.”  To me, these are words to live by.  Although none of these came from professionals within the industry, they have all been the best advice that has encouraged me to keep steady, not be afraid to grow and know that I will always be learning - thoughout my career and in my life.

What is the best thing that has happened to the faux industry in the last five years?

Julie Young says: To me, the best thing that has happened to the faux industry is two-fold. The first being all of the cool, fun textures - whether it is a smooth Venetian Plaster, Marmorino, Versiplast or PlasterTex. No more sponging or ragging a colorwash to mimic texture. Most of our clients do not want to attempt a textured finish so we are in high demand. The textured finishes are so hands-on that they sell themselves… whether they are metallic or matte in color. Embossing with stencils or patterns is another asset in design. Small thin trowels are great tools for application for folks with petite hands.

The second most exciting thing to happen to the faux industry is the networking and camaraderie. You can go to any class and meet friendly willing partners in the industry. You can network thru message boards.  You can go to SALI/IDAL conventions to find like minded souls. The creativeness in our industry brings people together to collaborate and it is an awesome accomplishment.

Where do you see faux finishing heading in the future?

Renee Holder says: There are many professionals in our industry, including our group, that are making it a mission to educate the public and I believe that people are listening.  I believe that the awareness of faux and decorative painting is currently more acute than in any other time in our recent history.  I also believe that the client is more tolerant of prices now that decorative painting has become more popular and the fact that they are more educated in the time that it takes to not only apply these finishes, but all of the work that goes into a project prior to application.  Not only do we now have designers, architects and builders using our skills, we also have other trades who refer us to their clients as well, such as plumbers, electricians, tile, granite and flooring installers.  Look in any major publication and you most likely will see a decorative paint finish displayed somewhere, if not on walls, then on backdrops in advertising.  It’s basically everywhere!

For the past several years I’ve repeatedly heard that faux is on it’s way out and wallpaper is making a big comeback.  Although I keep hearing this, I’ve yet to see it happen. What I have noticed is that the wallpaper manufacturers are now trying to mimic the finishes that we apply to walls everyday.  Don’t get me wrong, I know that wallpaper will always be around, but I don’t believe it is a competitive worry.  The consumer would much rather prefer a certain look without the seams showing and the labor entailed with hanging and removing wallpaper.  They also take into consideration the fact that they can have custom color in their finishes, which is limited in the wallpaper selections. I truly believe that the future for our industry is going to continue to grow and be a strong influence in residential and commercial settings.         (End)

Well, I had a tear in my eye reading Judy’s story — what a tremendous opportunity to do something wonderful for Denise’s daughter! I bet it meant the world to her. Elaine said something really important as well: so many accomplished women never take the time to do something for themselves…when in actuality, it may be just what their own soul needs the most.  Well, it’s been a pleasure for me to transcribe this interview – I hope it’s been an enjoyable read for you!  They reinforce how rewarding it is to reach out to your fellow artisans and create a group filled with trust, respect and friendship.  In fact, the group as a whole reminds me of that famous quote: “Sisters are different flowers from the same garden.”  Please be sure to check out their individual sites as well as their Sisters Hands site…it looks to become a wonderful resource!  Have a great day!

In what was a first for our Faux-cus on the Pros series, almost the entire group was involved in the interview and tackled specific questions.  Normally, I take about five interview questions but each answer was so touching and/or had such a great message, that I decided to leave them all in and create a double-header.  So, this is Part One of our interview with Sisters Hands.  Before we get into our interview, I want to take a moment to let you know who the ten members are (in abc order) and have the chance to get to know them better by visiting their websites and seeing their outstanding work. 

Susan Bickford of Singing Walls (Nashville, TN), Marti Carroll of Fauxscapes (Baton Rouge, LA), Elaine Castronovo of Creative Lane Finishing (Pittsburgh, PA), Cindy Everett of Designer Finishes Studio (Olive Branch, MS), Patty Henning of Fabulous Finishes (Detroit, MI), Renee Holder of Artistry in Faux (Little Rock, AR), Judy Norman of Decorative Illusions (Atlanta, GA), Krista Vind of Ufauxrea (Destin, FL), Cait Whitson of Carte Blanche (Scotland) and Julie Young of Julie Art (San Diego, CA). 

Here we go!

How did you meet and begin this networking path?

Marti Carroll says: This question can be answered in many different ways depending on which sister the question is being directed to.  The answer is as diversified as the group members!  This has been an accumulation of friendships that has been formed over time. Our beginning was based on a personal desire.  I have never been one to be in the public eye, especially on public forums and I had no local finishers in which to network with.  Although I would lurk on the public forums daily, I rarely posted.  What I was looking for were finishers who would be interested in a more personal setting in which to share ideas and support.  I had made many friends in the industry through classes and conventions and decided that it was time to reach out and try to design a support network that was more intimate than a public forum.  I called a couple of friends who are respected finishers that I would like to have join in on this idea and they were very excited about it.  I set up a private message board for us to chat on and we set down a few simple rules and that was the beginning.  We are usually in contact with the rest of our group on a daily basis, discussing everything from pricing projects to how to handle a kid crisis!  We love taking classes together or taking classes from members who are teachers!  We get together once a year for our annual “faux play”, which is a fun and exciting time to share ideas and play with new products!  And when we have a project that requires a few extra hands, we know that we have our group to help us out.  Over the last three years we have supported each other both personally and professionally….we truly are sisters at heart!!

Please describe working with your Sisters.  How do you prepare and execute a commission together?

Krista Vind says: Working with other members of Sisters Hands has been a tremendous blessing in both my personal and professional life. I love what I do, but I enjoy it even more on a daily basis when I share the work, the challenges and then the beautiful results.

One of the really empowering things about being a member of a group of extremely talented and experienced artists is that I now actively seek very large projects. In the past I was reluctant, and I am sure it showed in interviews and consultations, because very large projects were just SO much to bite off for one person. A concern for me was that when taking on jobs that could last months on end, I wouldn’t be actively marketing and my business would suffer after that one project was done. I did learn this lesson firsthand early on in my career. I was really starting to enjoy some success and recognition and was so pleased when I got my first really big job.  I worked on that job for 8 months and when it was over, even though I was so proud of all the work that I had done and my high profile client was ecstatic, I found myself out beating the street trying desperately to find business. In essence, everyone had forgotten about me while I was away. Those concerns are not an issue any longer. When I take on large projects, I try to bid them so that no job will take longer than a month to complete, so the size of the job dictates how many Sisters are needed to complete it in a timely manner.

You may wonder about how this obviously affects the overall cost of a project.  When I bid Sisters projects, I include funds to cover travel expenses and labor. Generally, we call in others from the group based on the type of experience required for a particular job, the individual talents of each member as well as the geographic location of a member to the jobsite. Most often large projects are commercial (a store with an opening date) or a very large residence (someone is carrying a construction loan), so time is of the essence. The actual project price is not much different for group vs. single; it is just concentrated into a smaller time frame. When you are able to complete projects quickly, the constant change of project and scenery keep your outlook really fresh. Less time in the “execution phase” allows more time for the “design and creative phase”.

We have had the opportunity to bid projects as Sisters Hands, but for the most part, we are led by the Sister who secured the job and completed the preparations (bid, samples, etc). We are comfortable traveling anywhere to complete a commission.  Beyond the business aspects, it is not a job but a true joy to work with the talented ladies in this group. We have so much fun in all the projects we undertake, from work to “faux play” (our yearly gathering). We support each other no matter what life throws our way…..good or bad. I have no biological sisters, but I do have real sisters! 

What are some misconceptions about faux finishing that you encounter?

Cait Whitson says: The misconceptions I encounter in Scotland are various.  I chose to answer this question because I thought it might amuse to see attitudes that are 5,000 miles away and yet many of you will find them familiar.  First of all, the word “faux” is almost never used to describe decorative finishes. A faux finisher is referred to as a “specialist decorator” or a “decorative painter”. In this tiny country that is smaller than Maine and with a population of only 5 million, there is actually very little awareness of what in the USA is termed “faux” and we as a company are continually educating our clients. We have a panel van that has a description of our business on the side: Carte Blanche, Decorative Painters - Graining and Marbling, Paint Effects, Murals, Hand Painted Furniture. Despite all that information we come across people on weekly basis who will say “I’ve seen the van often……and what is it you actually do?”  I am not sure what more we can say to explain it. The terminology is misconstrued and misinterpreted regularly. I visited a client only today who said he wanted graining when he in fact wanted strie, I am asked alarmingly often if I do murals, I have been asked for dippling in the past, asked if I disturbed walls and had a designer ask if I could “do some blobby stuff”. We are often asked if the paint just does that when it comes out of the tin.

Many clients believe that good finishers can only be found in London. We constantly surprise people when we tell them that we are home grown. We even have the converse of this happening – clients who tell their friends that the work they have in their home, carried out by Carte Blanche, was actually done by a company in London. We, like all the best finishers the world over, are still fighting the sponging and bad rag-rolling image that has haunted the industry since the 80’s and the word “stencilling” is virtually a swear word.  I always think that Melanie Royals was so clever to invent the word Modello, a new word for a stencil, and I am thinking I might do the same in Scotland just so we get the opportunity to use them more often.

I think the biggest misconception is amongst the tradesmen that we work with…they are all convinced we earn an absolute fortune. I do little to dispel this as perhaps their belief, whilst at times misconceived, will turn into reality if we believe, too. 

What are some of the coolest items and/or products you’ve come across together?

Susan Bickford says: One of the most fun things we do as a group is get together once a year just to play with product and be creative.  All of us have a history with FE products, but we’ve also introduced each other to some other great product lines including Perfetto and Blue Pearl, Pro Faux, Texston, Wood Icing, American Clay, and Rosco Scenic Paints.  At last year’s gathering, we were fortunate to have some companies contribute products for us to play with.  Kathy Carroll shared some of her great Bella products as well as other products that she carries.  Misty Heath of Perfetto shared some of the new Villaggio, as well as Shimmered Suede and Portofino.  We were introduced to Blue Pearl’s great metallic glaze, and their Wood Gel Stain.  Rosco, a scenic arts company, shared their new acrylic paint line, and our favorite in that line - Crystal Gel - a great adhesive medium for a variety of thing including glass beads.  American Clay shared their Loma with us, as well as Manda Mudd, who shared their great 3 step textural product.  We all come away from our play time invigorated, producing and selling new finishes using all the new products we get to share and try out. 

…to be continued…

Phew!!!!  I myself am inspired by their thoughts and heck, all those great products to look into!  Thanks, Susan!  I found myself laughing at Cait’s designer asking for “blobby stuff” — and have also been asked if the product comes that way out of the can.  Um, no….  (Don’t even get me started on the “OH!  You do sponging!”  Sigh.)  I hope you tune in to get Part Two of our interview with Sisters Hands, including their future plans and what they say is the best thing that has happened to the faux industry.  Until then!

What I like is that paired with the furniture and treatments, the wall treatment doesn’t make this room look too “cute”…

Columns — so many finishes to choose from!  Two of the three here get a touch of whimsical stripes and a matching accent wall.

For a bright dash of color, faux flowers are glued onto the painted branches on the wall for a more three-dimensional effect.  You could build the “tree” using the Garden Room Designer Range or Exotic East Panels 114A or B.  You could also forego the flowers and try it in full relief. 

Although Black & White will always be striking together and can be more of a serious combination, it’s nice to remember that you can still have a bit of fun with it, too.  Cheers!