Great Fixes and Home Improvement Solutions

Great Fixes and Home Improvement Solutions

Great Fixes and Home Improvement Solutions

There is a solution for fixing, improving and getting your Home Decor to blend beautifully…it is an Artist.

 

I am drawn to write and share some tricks of the trade.  These are some hidden and underlying things that are going on out there that I find many people do not realize is possible…or even a thing to optimize home decor!  Below I am going to point out some of the little extra’s that Vitti Art Decor & Painting gets called to do, or suggests to our customer’s.

 

Blending in the details of your Home Decor

 

A fair amount of people, whether it is for their business, home or boat (or any other possible surface!) are looking to take the contrast of fixtures and receptacles out of the home decor equation.  I am referring to those bright white recessed light frames (ie: high hats), air conditioning vents, electrical switches and outlet covers. Sometimes it is even a chandelier that stands out like a sore thumb. Now of course, if your ceiling is white, the recessed lights and AC vents are not going to stand out.  However, If you have some color or a faux finish, then those frames are going to stand out harshly.

high hats painted to blend with ceiling color

High hats (recessed lighting) painted to blend with ceiling color

faux receptacle outlet switches to blend with backsplash

Matching the color of existing granite backsplash and painting the electrical outlets to disappear.

faux receptacle outlet switches to blend with backsplash.

Matching the color of existing granite backsplash and painting the electrical outlets to disappear.

Chandelier faux to blend into room color

Faux chandelier in a metallic paint with a color that will blend into the existing room color.

 

Improving the Fine accents and details of your Home Decor

 

Another reason you want to hold your reliable and talented Artist close, is when you want to enhance certain fine elements you may already have installed.  Let’s say you have a marble floor; well an upgrade to the beauty and continuation of this element would be to faux-marble all the baseboards and/or staircase that abut to it.  This continuation completes the room nicely.

faux marble painting of baseboard to match existing marble counter top.

Faux Marbling of baseboard to match existing marble counter top.

 

There is rejuvenated life after damage to your Home

 

Have you ever been in the predicament of water damage, blunt force damage to walls or even just the random touch-up from knicks and scratches?  We are called into many a home that has had some type of damage and required massive replacement or repairs to painted surfaces.  Consequently, after the repair, the client needs us to re-match the existing color paint and re-create the faux or faux-woodgrain to match.  If you are lucky and only have touch-ups throughout, rest assured that we can make those areas disappear like they never happened.

Matching paint to recreate faux

Artist matching the color of existing faux. After water damage, we were called in to match existing faux to repaired walls.

 

 

 In Conclusion

 

I hope this information was interesting and shined some light onto some of the different types of projects that we do.  When you work with such skilled and experienced Artists such as Mabel, you realize that with paint and the ability to match colors by eye and perform outstanding faux finishes; anything that comes up is possible!

 

Michelle Miller, CGC
Operations Manager / Project Coordinator
Vitti Art Decor & Painting
Find us on Facebook @MabelVittiniArt

 

 

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” – Will A. Foster

Faux Finishing 101

Faux Finishing 101

Faux Finishing 101

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Faux painting is the Art of creating painted surfaces to look like expensive materials.  Some of these materials are marble, hardwood or venetian plaster.  There are different faux techniques that can be utilized to make furniture and other surfaces look textured, antiqued or multi-dimensional.  There are many options under the “umbrella” of faux finishes. We’ve described some of our favorite finishes below. Check them out.

Faux Finishes

Faux means fake or imitation according to the dictionary.  All of the different types of “faux” we discussed in the first paragraph are technically examples of faux finishes.

Metallic Finishes

The use of gold, silver or bronze paints to give elements the appearance of antique or aged (weathered) metals.  To create the appearance of rusted patinas, a base is first applied to the entire surface. We then apply a metal and patina glaze with a roller or paint brush, depending on the surface.  Use a sweeping motion which will allow the base color to come through in some areas.

Wood Grain or Faux Bois

Creating a wood grain of any type or color of wood that you desire with the use of painting techniques.

Strie

A French word for “streak” or “stripe”.  Adding thin striations of color to make an appearance of denim, linen or other fabrics.

Subtractive Technique

The use of a sponge, wet rag, plastic bag or dry roller to “take off” some of the paint to create a textured look.

Ragging

Handful of rags squeezed together to apply a unique texture.

Color Wash

Blending together multiple hues of tinted glaze to create variations of color within the design.  Color washing gives the appearance of a weathered exterior wall or even barn wood.  After your base coat is dry, a secondary color is mixed with glaze in a four-to-one ratio (four parts glaze to one part paint). How you apply your glaze determines how it will end up looking. Sponges give a more textured appearance, brushes produce noticeable lines, and cloths create a more downplayed texture.

Trompe L’oeil

“Trick of the eye”.  The addition of architectural design details which appear realistic.

Marble

Creating surfaces that appear to be marble.  For instance, I have painted plaster columns and ceramic tiles to compliment the already existing marble in the home.  Once I match the color to the existing marble, I can begin the process of marbling.

I have used many different tools and techniques over my career to create compelling and unique finishes for my clientele.  Art is all about thinking outside the box!

A more experienced Artist will thrill you with the possibilities.

The History of Faux Finish

It is hard to fathom that faux techniques have been used for thousands of years!  There is evidence of faux finishing going back over 5,000 years.  Faux painting has continued feverishly as an art throughout the centuries.  It was first felt in the United States in the 1920s as part of the Art Deco style movement. At that particular time, it was generally used in commercial and public areas.  In the 1980’s, we saw a significant shift in faux finishing to encompass residential homes.  This shift broadened the possibilities of home decor to an extraordinary bounty of beauty and excitement for Interior Designers and homeowner’s of the like.  Instead of textured wallpaper that is such a permanent choice for walls; the use of faux painting techniques were unleashed to create the same illusion of texture and depth.

The Professional Artisan

It is not an easy task to create your own faux finish, and it will be noticeable should you ever compare it to a skilled Artisan.  Most professional companies will provide a portfolio of their work and will be able to evaluate your home to know what will be good techniques to flow with your home decor.

Glaze 

The two most commonly used methods for applying a faux finish are glaze and plaster.  According to the definition by Wikipedia, “A glaze is a thin transparent or semi-transparent layer on a painting which modifies the appearance of the underlying paint layer. Glazes can change the chroma, value, hue and texture of a surface. Glazes consist of a great amount of binding medium in relation to a very small amount of pigment. Drying time will depend on the amount and type of paint medium used in the glaze.”  For the full article see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaze_(painting_technique)   With that said, faux painting creates the appearance of texture, but it will be smooth to the touch. Consequently, this is a good choice if you ever decide to make a decorating change in the future; you can just paint over it!

Wallpaper vs Painting

While commercial wall coverings and residential wallpaper do offer versatility, faux painting is considered more versatile.  Faux finishes can be applied to any surface as long as it’s plain and sealed.   The preparation and priming of the surface will vary depending on the type of surface that is being painted.  Again, as an experienced professional, we know the science behind the products we use as well as the technique for each product.

Additionally, faux painting will last longer than wallpaper.  Paint does not have seams, so it will never peel off as wallpaper will.  The maintenance is simple, and a professional painter can easily do touch ups. Using faux painting, you can achieve the appearance of dimensions, as well as giving homeowners the chance to cover up any imperfections in their home.

There are so many facets to faux finishing that it creates excitement in the world of home decor.  If you want the look of a stone or brick wall; we can achieve it.  It you want to have marble baseboards; we can create it!  Unleash the imagination!  The professionals at Vitti Art Decor & Painting have over 20 years of experience and can achieve ANY look you want for your home or office.  Let’s Create Something Great!

Follow this link here to see some picture of different faux styles.