These Faux Walls

New blog

2009-07-12T14:58:00.003-04:00

Hi, everyone! I've begun a new blog to focus on my new path in life.....I will still be faux finishing, but very little. Teaching is a huge commitment and I intend to give it my all, so any painting I do will be on holidays and over summer break. Miss P Productions, www.misspproductions.blogspot.com, will focus on my art and my family. I'd love to have you come by!

A Performance in Temecula!

2009-06-22T09:49:00.004-04:00

My daughter, Stephanie Scarcella, an opera studies student at The Boston Conservatory, has a paid (well, a tiny amount, anyway) gig performing opera at The Merc in Temecula, California on August 6! I am so proud of her! If you are nearby and want to hear her beautiful mezzo-soprano voice, please give her a hug and tell her you know about her from my blog.....and wish her success with her upcoming graduate degree program! If anyone out there wants to tell me how to load a recording of her singing, I'd love to add one to this post.

We made it!

2009-06-10T08:32:00.003-04:00

We made it through the graduation and celebration without tears! Yes, I did get a little watery eyed a couple of times, but mostly with pride. Everyone was so gracious and helpful, and we had enough food to have three parties! Here is Natalie with her grandmothers at the inspiration celebration (what is now done instead of a baccalaureate).

Being the queen

2009-05-26T09:48:00.002-04:00

You gotta love the giveaway sponsored on http://myartfuladventures.blogspot.com! We girls deserve to treat ourselves better! Check it out to win great prizes and get a girly warm fuzzie.

Life's twists and turns

2009-05-22T06:48:00.002-04:00

What a wild ride we're on. Last weekend my youngest daughter and I attended my oldest daughter's college graduation in Boston. In two short weeks Stephanie and I will be attending my youngest's graduation! Family is coming in and festivities must be prepared for. I will be using ideas gathered on many websites, including Heather's and Suze's.

Unfortunately, we must also face a challenge - my mother in law, a beautiful 69 year old woman, suffered a stroke. She is currently doing well with therapy, but the cause of the stroke brings some scary decisions and much uncertainty.

So we keep living our rollercoaster ride of a life, and are grateful for friends and loved ones who are there for us to share the joys, sorrows, challenges, and triumphs!

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T22:53:00.006-04:00

Can birds read?

What a lazy, lovely Mother's Day! I did whatever I darn well pleased! :) Here are a couple of pictures from my trip to the beach early yesterday. The heron on the pier rail let me get within two feet of him to take photos, although this one was from across the walkway. A young boy walked up to look at him, and after about 10 seconds he flew off - poor kid may have thought he was a statue, he jumped so! Click on the image if you 'd like to see it up close and personal (the way we did!). And if you would like to leave me a comment, just click the blue word comments directly beneath this post to send me a little message.

Keeping up with baby

2009-05-08T06:38:00.002-04:00

I try to check in on baby Bella to see how she is growing - you might want to visit this blog, http://daisyrockerjenn.blogspot.com, to see her photos, video, and pictures of her progress. It truly is a miracle.

2009-05-01T18:50:00.002-04:00

I have offered to donate a custom piece to help defray medical costs for a beautiful, premature baby, Bella. Please read more about her and the lovely people who have donated incredible art to help her at http://talkingwhitetrash.blogspot.com/2009/04/great-i-am.html.

Freebies!

2009-04-26T22:22:00.000-04:00

Tammy is giving away a cute piece of her art! Stop by http://thefroufroufrog.blogspot.com/ to enter.

My babies are growing up!

2009-04-22T13:47:00.002-04:00

Lately I've been frantically preparing graduation announcements - those for my youngest, Natalie, who is graduating from high school, and those for my oldest, Stephanie, who is graduating college. When I picked up photos to insert in the announcements, I looked at graduation cards, and reality hit. Now, I am not your weepy mom type, but I truly got tears in my eyes realizing that my little girls, both beautiful, talented, and independent, will need and even want me or my input less and less. After all, that is what I raised them to do! I am so proud of who each of them are, but I am already missing being as important a part of their life as I used to be. Guess this is what they mean by the empty nest syndrome!

Fenway Victory Gardens, Boston

2009-04-11T12:14:00.005-04:00

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the Fenway Victory Gardens in Boston. I will make it a point to take pictures again in May to record the changes. So many things were budding and I was lucky enough to find a few blooming during my small, sunny window of warmth opportunity! Most of my visit was cold and wet!

copper backsplash

2009-03-31T08:36:00.002-04:00

I just love how rich this aged copper backsplash looks with the existing cabinetry! I also put this treatment in the recessed ceiling tray which has a stainless steel frame - very chic!

Promised before and afters

2009-03-15T14:07:00.003-04:00

Here are the promised before and after photos, although not the best lighting was available. I'll be taking new photos for my portfolio after I seal them, in the daylight.

Home Again, Home Again

2009-03-11T08:58:00.001-04:00

My weekend in Boston was so short and sweet! My lovely daughter sang beautifully and looked like a grown woman - well, I'd best face the fact that she is! The weather was gorgeous, not cold at all, until Monday morning........it snowed! I stood on her roof catching snowflakes on my tongue until it was time to walk to the T and head to the airport. We arrived in Fort Myers to 80 degrees and sunshine.

I'm working on a staircase for a client, which I hope to show you soon!

Finding my muse

2009-03-02T08:06:00.000-05:00

After a little disappointment on the job front, I felt a need to be productive in some way other than housework (don't we all?). On Saturday I wasn't completely sure of my direction after deciding that I needed to rework my inchie canvas, but suddenly I felt the urge to drill. Yes, drill, as to put holes into things. So I pulled out all kinds of metal, plastic and wood embellishments I had saved and drilled away! It felt great!

On Sunday I got to Lakes Park just after the gates opened at 8 a.m. to look for birds, critters, and scenery to photograph. It was amazingly quiet there, and the birds were rather shy, but I managed to find a few treasures. Some of the camoflauge was awesome!

First is a little yellow finch, who came out of the center of his tree to pose for me, then a red wing blackbird scolding me for getting too close, a portal through the trees, and a spider web glistening in the sunbeam (there is actually another, larger spider web to the right that you might be able to see if you enlarge the photo).

I hope you enjoy the few pictures I am sharing today. I am off to walk a dog, then on to a lovely day with my best friend......part of which involves getting a new canvas for my inchies!

shabby chic mode

2009-02-17T09:48:00.000-05:00

Perhaps it was Valentine's Day, perhaps just my need for soft, gentle surroundings at this particular time, but I've been playing in the shabby chic materials! I want to share the three matchboxes I received in a swap recently, via the Speckled Egg, as well as some things I've done with some of the contents of those sweet little boxes. The blue green heart seems to need an image on the tag.....Now I'd best get started on my altered book!

On-line course offer!

2009-02-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wanted to refinish a piece of furniture or your cabinetry? Now is your chance to go through the process with a qualified instructor step-by-step! We will work on something on a smaller scale to give you a taste, but your final product will be one of quality and beauty. As I refinish a small cabinet, I will offer you downloaded instructions, on-line question and answer capabilities, photos, supply lists, and every little tip and hint you might need to avoid frustration and be proud of your accomplishment! The price of the class is $25.

Above is an example of the item I will be refinishing; I picked it up at a thrift store for $3 just to play with it. I don't know about you, but I always need more storage for little art supplies. I might even leave the doors off for use in some other way....hmmm....

Please come join us at ArtisticAvantGarde, (http://artisticag.ning.com), and let me know that you are interested. I look forward to having fun with you!

And the winners are....

2009-02-12T06:21:00.001-05:00

Third place - men working pendant - Jill with Jewelry Elegance
Second place - connect pendant - Contessa Kris

First Place, the 16X20 photo of the beached starfish.........Crystal Neubauer!

I am going to send each one of them (you) an email, but if I don't hear from you by Sunday, I'll draw again.

Congratulations! I wonder if I'll get lucky today?......

For Sale?

2009-02-11T15:18:00.001-05:00

This week I have been helping a friend of mine prepare her home for sale - taking off wallpaper, adding texture, priming, and soon I will paint, all in the main bathroom. When she bought this home three years ago she put a lot of money into remodeling the kitchen, so now it's time to update the bath......including the 1980 formica cabinetry. She's such a dear friend and sweet, loving lady, that I just want to help her get it sold in this poor market.

Oh! Let's not forget that tomorrow ends the OWOH event, and I will not take any submissions to the drawing after 6 P.M. I'll have my daughter help me choose first for the two pendants, then for the photo, and will post them Friday morning. I'll be sure to contact the winner via their email, also! Won't this be fun????!

Almost 200!

2009-02-03T14:44:00.000-05:00

As I look into the entries for my OWOH drawing, I see that the number has reached almost 200 entrants! So.....I am offering the two soldered pendants shown in addition to the 16 X 20 inch photo originally offered! These photos were given to me by my mother, and were taken in the WWI era. Don't forget to put your email address IN your comment - I've tried to track some down, which takes a long time and often doesn't get me an address, which means I can't put that name in the drawing. :(
If you have time, please indulge me and answer the poll question on my sidebar to the right. I'm planning to offer an on-line class and would love your input.

I teach faux finishing classes here!

2009-02-01T08:55:00.001-05:00

Please provide me with feedback!

2009-01-31T18:53:00.000-05:00

I am going to try something - teaching a faux finishing class on-line. Would you kindly help me by answering the poll question to the right, in my sidebar? Feel free to choose more than one answer. Your feedback would really be helpful to me in choosing the class to teach. Keep on blogging!

Teaser

2009-01-22T06:04:00.000-05:00

Here's a teaser for all of you participating in the One World, One Heart event......when I have 100 comments, I'm going to add another prize! In size, it will be much smaller. :)

Poem from a friend

2009-01-19T16:17:00.000-05:00

Wow! I'd really like to share a poem written by one of my entrants into the One World, One Heart give-away - she sent it to my email and honored me again by allowing me to post it to my blog.

Be sure that if you are entering to comment to the previous post, not this one.

Lovely little starfish

Covered in some sand,

Wondering ‘bout his life

While sitting on dry land.

Then along came a lady

With camera in hand,

And made that starfish famous

Ain’t life grand!

Katina

Kjkoukla(at)hotmail(dot)com

Isn't that cool??

Big give-away!

2009-01-19T11:29:00.001-05:00

The big event has begun! As a member of the One World, One Heart gypsy caravan, I am offering a 16" x 20" photo of the above starfish, the same photo of mine that was published in Somerset Life Images last summer. This starfish was beached at low tide on the north end of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, and the early morning sun was casting shadows and peeking around the tiny dunes.

Here's what you have to do to be in the drawing: comment to this post, leaving me your email address so that I can contact you if you win! It's that easy! You don't have to be a blogger or a member of any group. I must have your email address and you must comment to this post only. By checking back, you can find out how many people have entered; but remember, there is only one entry per person, so everyone's odds are the same! You never know who will win! The drawing is on February 12, 2009. Click on the One World, One Heart icon on the right hand side of my blog page to see others who are participating.

Give Away!

2009-01-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

Hi, everyone! Just a reminder to peek here tomorrow for the One World, One Heart give-away! I'll be posting the item I will give away to a winner announced on February 12, and everyone is welcome to try to win! Check out the link on the right for more information, but I'll also have thorough directions tomorrow! Hint: It's something I'm very proud of!

Cape Coral Arts Festival

2009-01-12T08:39:00.000-05:00

Bonnie Fulks, my dear friend, and I, decided to team up! We entered a booth at the Cape Coral Arts Festival, but were on a waiting list for a space. Friday, the day of registration and set-up, we found out we were in - thank goodness we were all ready to go! And thank goodness we did this! Wonderful connections with people were made and we had so much fun. Of course, the compliments felt terrific, but the best parts were meeting so many people, sharing our passion with the public, and getting to know one another even better. Bonnie has had experience with this venue, and was a great leader in the set-up and break-down experience. All in all, it was fantastic, and we feel sure we will have the opportunity to share our skills with new clients in the future.

Art Festival

2009-01-09T16:54:00.002-05:00

Oh, my goodness. A good friend, another faux finisher, and I were on a waiting list to have a booth at a large art festival here - and we found out we're in! We have everything ready (we think). Tonight we check in, can set up her tent at 8:00, and set up tomorrow before the show which starts at 10 and runs until 5. It repeats those hours on Sunday, too. We really have talked a long time about working together, playing off of each other's strengths (hers being plasters and mine being cabinetry), so we are hoping and praying that this venue brings us appointments and jobs for months to come. It will definitely be a new experience for me! I'll post pictures Sunday night or Monday.

Ending the year right!

2009-01-01T12:09:00.001-05:00

Oh, what a lovely last day of 2008! After lingering over coffee and browsing artsy websites, my best friend and I went to the beach, my absolute favorite place. Score! It was a perfect day! We talked, walked, perused magazines, people and pet watched, took photos, and sneaked a small D.Q. Blizzard. We forced ourselves to leave after four hours of bliss, and I came home to work on sample doors. Perhaps I should find a new word to use for "work", because I just love doing it. A breeze was blowing through the studio, Sophia was chillin' on the floor beside me, and Bella Fleck was keeping me humming. After dinner we watched a couple of movies, munched popcorn, and vegetated until the New Year arrived. Perfect.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T12:42:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas from Sophia and I! May your day be filled with peace and joy!

Ceiling Tray

2008-12-23T09:31:00.000-05:00

Here is the ceiling tray I painted in the same home as the small columns. It is a very lovely metallic finish that can be completed quickly and without too great a cost. The chandelier is a family antique, crystals with gold fleck embedded, which really benefits from the complementary shimmer of the ceiling.

Missing photos

2008-12-10T08:27:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've followed up on my work, but here are the garage doors I finished last month, and columns that I did two days ago. These are not in the same home. I enjoy working outside when the weather is nice; however, these doors were in the bright sun most of the day, which meant I only had the first few hours of each morning to work. When the sun heated up the fiberglass it was impossible to move the faux product and would have produced undesirable results. Not a problem - loved the challenge!

These columns were a simple plain cream color which was a distraction, so this soft finish really packs a punch! They don't steal the show from the beautiful doors or lovely marble surfaces - they blend well and add to the textures and colors of the home. I was able to complete them in one day because of their small size.

Wonderful stuff - give-aways

2008-12-02T20:10:00.000-05:00

Check this out! Chrysti has some awesome images on her site! http://chrysti.wordpress.com

Traditions

2008-12-01T19:21:00.001-05:00

My family really isn't close, and we don't have too many traditions. Sometimes when I have gone home to visit for a week, my sister has only had time to see me once for 45 minutes. So this visit last week was very special, because in my four day stay I saw my sister three days in a row and the rest of my family twice for several hours at a time! I met my great nephew for the first time, and reintroduced myself to my great niece - they are so cute and we had a marvelous time playing together. Although it didn't snow, it had snowed, so we did get to see the white stuff on the ground and have some great photos. We probably won't get up north again for several years, but we do so hope that some of the family can come down to Florida to enjoy the sunshine and beaches!

Back to work tomorrow, and I'll have some new faux finishing photos soon!

Fun with a friend!

2008-11-12T07:45:00.000-05:00

Saturday I drove over to Daytona Beach to see my friend, Vicky, who recently moved back to Florida. She helped me load my U-haul when I left Wyoming, and we have been friends for fifteen years. My head is spinning from all the talking and laughing, designing and decision-making, painting and mess-making! Her new home had a "circus peanut" orange color on the kitchen walls, which we promptly base-coated over so that faux could be added. We decided to faux her entry columns in a copper base with black glaze over, and the accent wall in the living room next to the columns in a copper stone, which I extended to the bridge over the columns. She has promised to send me pictures (of course I forgot my camera)- I'll post them!

We stayed up late working and being goofy, posing on top of the high open wall, painting faces on my leg, talking, crying, and otherwise doing all the things long-time girlfriends do. I taught her how to glaze, and she glazed the lower kitchen walls - beautifully, I might add!

Unfortunately, I had to cut my visit short by a day to come home to take care of my puppy's injuries, but she knows how to do the last finish we were planning for the upper kitchen and dining room walls, and has a great start to adding the color she loves to her house! She took good care of me with lovely accomodations, homemade food, and whatever drink I desired :). I'm going back, and she'd better come here!

2008-11-03T19:38:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago I posted about more exteriors doors - here they are! Although I am experienced with exterior doors, I did have some unexpected complications, so there was a learning curve for me this time. By the end of the month I'll have another set of garage doors to post!

Old is new again

2008-11-01T07:46:00.000-04:00

Funky, right? This is Tom's grandma's mahogany buffet, morphed into our T.V. stand. We have needed storage in this area since the remodel, and decided to "reuse, restore, recycle" this piece for the purpose. There is a metallic English brown finish underneath a crusty antique white wash. I love it!

Design consultation

2008-10-20T14:25:00.000-04:00

Above are pictures of a dining room I just glazed. By clicking on the first picture, you can enlarge it and see the very subtle glazing effect on the wall. This gentle treatment adds interest and enhancement while allowing the dramatic ceiling treatment, chandelier, and furniture to be highlighted.

The client had a $500 gift certificate she purchased with her high bid at the Heart Ball, a fundraiser for the American Heart Association. We used the overall feel and decor of her home, the fabric that her window treatments were being made of, the upholstery on the dining room chairs, furniture colors, etc., to decide upon a treatment for the tray ceiling. At first we had planned to paint an anaglypta paper with coppers and gold. She didn't know of a wallpaper hanger, so I did some networking and found her one; in the meantime she found a similar wallpaper for purchase, so she decided to use the gift certificate on her walls instead. I was so happy to be able to help her complete the elegant look of the dining room by offering ideas, providing a referral for paper hanging, and applying a faux technique!

More wood doors!

2008-10-12T14:11:00.000-04:00

I have another job coming up to change a previously painted front entry door to one that looks like wood. The client gave me a lovely wooden piece of fruit to use as inspiration, and these are the color combinations I have put together for her. Eventually she will also put this finish on her garage door, which will bring a very rich, natural look to the exterior of her home.

Outdoor transformations

2008-10-08T12:46:00.000-04:00

Here you have it - a transformed fiberglass garage door! The owners are working on a total home remodel, so when they are done with the front of the house I will take a picture how beautifully this dark wood look door blends with the architecture of the home. I'll be matching their new front door to this, too.

Playing with paint

2008-09-28T09:37:00.000-04:00

Just a couple of sample cabinet fronts I've been designing to show clients interested in seeing what can be done to update cabinetry or furniture. I have a few more, but haven't been able to get a good photograph of them - maybe when it stops raining and I can shoot without a flash in the studio. One of the others is a medium blue with very subtle, lighter blue glaze on it, one is a soft yellow with an off-white "distressed" look top color, and the other is a sage with brown glaze and true distressing.

The rest of the story....

2008-09-24T13:19:00.000-04:00

Didn't Paul Harvey used to say that? Am I dating myself?

Here is a photo of the entry/dining room columns. Today I sealed them with a satin polyurethane. Thank you to the owners of this lovely home for giving me the honor of creating a new look for them.

The little things...

2008-09-21T09:55:00.001-04:00

At the moment I'm busy with the little things - painting a bed for a client, a sample cabinet door for a potential client in Odessa, and other sample cabinet doors for potential clients. While I'm at it, I thought I'd post a picture of a living "little thing" that won't be little much longer......Sophia! She will be four months old this week, and is about 50 pounds and 23" high at her back.

Beautiful home

2008-09-11T22:02:00.000-04:00

What a beautiful home I had the opportunity to work in! These columns are in the master bath, but there were 4 more that I painted just like these in the foyer and dining area. Those, however, were 12 feet tall. It was hard work due to the fact that once you begin on a column, you must continue until finished in order to get the best results, but it was rewarding. Going from white to this was a huge change! I love my work!

Inspiration

2008-08-26T07:36:00.000-04:00

I have been asked about the links I share to the right of my posts. Why those links? They are visual holidays, color inspiration, design delights, or just plain make me feel good! Sometimes the smallest element of a photo or piece of art can spark the idea for a new finish, or application of a well-loved finish. Do you have a link you think I would like? Just leave a comment to this post, and I would love to check it out! And THANKS!

Ceilings, Modellos, and Fun!

2008-08-19T19:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday and today I worked with my new friend, Katy, on a project she is working on. She, her muralist friend, Heather, and I glazed two trays and one very large living/dining room ceiling together yesterday. Three people who had never worked together turned out to be an incredible team! Today I helped Katy install a 5' X 7' Modello on the glazed dining room ceiling. I have worked with small, individual Modellos before, but never one this large, and never on a ceiling. Thanks to Katy I now have lots of words from the wise and a super experience under my belt - and we had a lot of FUN! I can't wait to put a large Modello on cambric cloth to show my clients how rugs can be created on hard floors, and I hope that someday I'll get the chance to design a ceiling for someone.

New Ideas

2008-07-31T14:53:00.000-04:00

I just came home from convention on Sunday, and I'm finally catching up! I got so many great ideas and learned some new techniques that I am anxious to use - want to see some? I'm adding one or two pictures to this post, but the rest of the new stuff can be seen in my faux gallery, which is linked here. This year I made several new friends from around the country, met three new fantastic teachers, and learned a dozen new finishes to put in homes and places of business. I have that renewed excitement and the high from being creative!

Cabinetry magic

2008-07-21T17:24:00.000-04:00

Here are photos of the cabinets I refinished in April. The client's oak cabinets were in great shape, but there was just too much oak in the open kitchen/family dining area, and she wanted an updated, old world look. I especially love the blue island as an accent! Feel free to visit my faux gallery, linked to the right, to see more photos.

Small touches

2008-07-16T07:40:00.000-04:00

I was finally able to get to a previous client's home to take pictures of the large wall, column, and niche that I fauxed over a month ago. The large wall is beautiful, but difficult to photograph because of the glass block windows that glare in the picture. The niche and column, however, photographed well, so I thought I'd share a picture.

Distractions

2008-07-01T17:55:00.001-04:00

Here is my latest distraction....Sophia, the newest member of our household. She's spunky, soft, and sweet, and we can't wait until she begins to look like a real Great Dane. I was broken hearted to lose my dear Bella at only 4 1/2, but couldn't live without another of these wonderful family dogs.....so she's here!

Builders Care Beauty

2008-06-21T11:30:00.000-04:00

Builders Care did it again! I was very impressed with the work of the landscape company, Renfro Jackson, who provided the mature plantings and labor to install them all around the house. The owner chose the door color, and I chose three colors to compliment the door and home color on the stone. She was thrilled with the results!

Exterior facades

2008-06-16T10:20:00.000-04:00

Last week at the Builders Care extreme home makeover I volunteered to help improve the exterior facade on the home. On Friday stucco was being applied, but the lower three feet of the front of the house were covered with concrete molded to look like large stones. This surface had been painted turquoise. On Wednesday I will use the new color of the house and trim, plus two additional colors, to create a realistic look to the existing stone facade - an easy and effective faux fix! I am excited to be able to use my passion for painting to help out!

Time for Fun!

2008-06-13T07:16:00.000-04:00

I'm going to spend a wonderful weekend away not worrying about work, chores, or cooking! I saw this quote and it made me laugh, so I want to share it with you.

"Some days its just not worth chewing through the restraints."

Have a great weekend! Laugh freely!

Yippee!

2008-06-12T21:57:00.000-04:00

Next Wednesday I get to put my faux finishing touches on the Builders Care home! On the lower 3 feet of the exterior of the home there is a stone facade which is currently painted a bright, Florida color. I get to make it look like stone! Yippee! I'll be sure to take a before and after photo and post them next week.

Builders Care volunteering

2008-06-11T08:52:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow I'm going to lend a hand with the latest Builders Care project, a total renovation. I'll only be helping to set up for lunch for the guys, but it's a great feeling to lend a hand to someone in need in a small way. I'd love to say that I am painting, but the contractors they use have bigger paint contractors who go in and spray on this type of project. Someday.....

The last time I helped I met the sweetest older woman as I was trying to help her go through years of stored items in order to choose what to keep and what to let go. Another time I cleaned, another I moved stuff out to a storage unit. They often just need muscle, and I can lend mine. :)

Check them out at www.LeeBuildersCare.org.

How hiring someone else saves you money

2008-06-10T12:47:00.000-04:00

Okay, okay, I know this sounds like a sell. And I guess in some ways it is. But how many times have you tried to do something yourself and were disappointed in the results? or found that it simply was too tricky? or took too long? or the directions you found on-line didn't tell you how to approach that corner or work around that plumbing?

Then you understand the saying, "Time is money." We are all busy people, with more than enough to do on any given day. We don't like to waste our time. Hiring a faux finisher can get you the results you want without wasting your time. Not only that, a good business person will explore different finishes and looks with you if you are having trouble making a decision, work with existing fabrics, colors, and art work in your home, and customize a sample board for you if you desire.

Perhaps you think it will cost too much to get the finish you desire. When you are holding your initial meeting with a faux finisher, be sure to let them know your budget. They will show you finishes that are more likely to fit into your budget; even that keeps from wasting time, both yours and theirs. If the finish you really want is a bit too costly, maybe they can devise ways to enlist your help, such as base coating, which saves them a step and could reduce the cost a bit. Or maybe they can work with your current base coat. Perhaps just painting an accent wall would make enough of a change, and would be a more budget-wise option. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Another huge money saver is having your wood cabinets refinished instead of replaced. Although this is a multi-step job which requires an extended time period, the difference could be tens of thousands of dollars! The client whose cabinets are pictured above was told it would cost $40,000 to put up the new cabinets she wanted, but I refinished them for less than $6,000! Definitely worth it, don't you think? If you click on the flickr link on the right, the before picture of her kitchen is in my faux picture set, and the change is quite dramatic.

Think again about creating a special finish for that room you keep changing. Don't be afraid to contact me and get a quote or two or three - you might learn that together we can achieve a beautiful look within your budget.

Communication is key

2008-06-09T19:17:00.000-04:00

Here we go! I'm beginning this blog in an attempt to communicate with previous and future customers about my business, faux finishing news, and new finishes I'm learning. I plan to include ideas for custom finishes, tips for saving money, pictures and links, and anything I think will be of benefit to my readers.

I'm excited to be attending the SALI convention again in July, taking classes in cabinet finishing (one of my favorite new things to do that saves thousands over buying new cabinets), unusual finishes using unusual mediums, and finishes for countertops (cool!). I can't wait to share what I learn with you!

Last month I learned how to use paint to apply layers of color with a trowel, creating an "old world" look with inexpensive materials. The rough look is very attractive, and some blending of color naturally occurs. This is a picture of my sample boards from class - my favorite is the blue and yellow one. Notice that on the one to the left there are two effects, a striae on the left side of the board but not on the right. I was experimenting! :) A colored wash looks awesome over either of these boards, also!

I'll be back with more thoughts in the near future!