Faux Finishing and Luster Stone?

Faux Finishing and Luster Stone?

 and is it Nothing but The Best for Naples Fl?

Is it turning around for artists and other businesses?

 What’s working for the decorative arts?

I have found local residents are searching for faux finishing, mural artists and interior designers using the internet.

I have always been very active on the internet in regards to keeping a local presence when it comes to people searching for services and other things such as local arts and entertainment events, after all this is the height of our busy season with our winter residents are here to escape the winter months of the north.

So my question is

Have many of our residents picked up on their home improvements once again?

In my case I have seen an increase in work and more clients leading away from the commercial contemporary interior designs and picking up at the transitional/casual eclectic level of decor.

Yes I know there are areas still struggling in the country but I hope these are good signs for others on what could be coming your way very soon. Many have been reporting that they are having their best year ever while others are still “chomping at the bit” as my grand pappy use to say. At any rate I would sure like to hear from others of how it’s going in their neck of the woods as I am always concerned for my artist friends.

Naples and Southwest Florida has always had a rather unique kind of economy but even this last round of economic woes hit the local economy very hard. However some businesses were having their best years ever despite the economic decline and sailed right on through and never missed a beat.

At any rate I have been lucky and steadily producing commissioned work whether it be on canvas or walls which is why my posts have been below normal and not as frequent but at least I am able to get one or two posts out per month.

With that said I thought I would write a post on a recent remodel I was involved with for the last few months with an interior designer who I have worked with off and on for years on several projects here in Naples Fl.

This one happened to be a remodel that was in need of up grading being that it was built more than ten years ago which meant all the electronics and air conditioning were modernized and automated. Pretty amazing stuff as everything can be controlled from a mobile device such as the clients smart phones right down to controlling the shades. I think it will even wash the dishes for you.

As this is a rather long project I am going to write about this a little differently but still in my usual way of small parts.

Since the largest area was the Living room I will start here as it has 24 ft. ceilings and everything was done though out with a custom mixed color of Luster Stone made by Faux Effects Int. Entirely done by yours truly made for a consistent finish. Here are some before and after pics.

I know they are not the best photos but you’ll get the idea

As we look around the room you will pick up the glow of the metallics within the plaster which is what gives the walls it’s soft suede appearance. The faux finishing work was done entirely myself as it was applied over an existing texture and you really need to have the experience and understanding of the Luster Stone product when there is no room for error and I just happen to be that kind of artist. I know this home very well as I have been working with the clients for over 10 or 12 years so I know these walls better than anybody.

Luster Stone is such a versatile product which I have written about in the past but using it in this way is pushing the bar to another level which very few have done and been successful at it. Some think I am out of my mind when I tell them that you have to listen to what the product is telling you and some will catch me talking to it but most will ignore me because they think I’m a nut anyway. When the younger adults start staring at me in disbelief it’s at that time I will reach down jamb my finger into the bucket like it was grandmas cookie dough and cram it into my mouth like a confectioner who’s working on a prize wedding cake and look at them and say “Ahhhh perfecto!”

This really sends them over the edge but I don’t do it too often because it really does taste like something that fell off of the back of a rat wagon. But of course I am only kidding and it’s just an illusion I create, I mean after all, artists like to have fun also and there are many of us that don’t drink so we must be extraordinarily weird to say the least.

As with anything else you must understand what your working with to get the best results and like some will say “You can teach a monkey to do that” Well in defense to that I can honestly say that I have seen some end results where a monkey could have done a ten fold better job to say the least.

Hopefully you are able to see the soft, low contrast that this color throws at you but you really need to experience how it changes through the day depending on what part of the day or even the season you view it from. I really like how the mixed custom color enhances the original art work they have in the hallways.

Moving in with some closer shots is hopefully helping here because I know my grammar probably has some of you bouncing off the walls, however when writing these posts on faux finishing most times I don’t have the luxury of time to repeatedly proof read everything.

I think ending this post where I started for now at the fireplace is probably a good choice which also gives me the chance to let you know that the beautiful art glass that is making my Luster Stone and Faux Finishing look so well is by hot glass artist Beverly Albret who I met a some years ago and her art is just fabulous. I have ran into her custom one of a kind stained glass and carvings on more than one occasion and if I happen to get a few photos of her work hanging over or next to my work I do consider it to be quite an honer and feel I must mention her name. I can identify her uniqueness the minute I see it and consider myself very fortunate that clients and designers believe my work is that worthy. It really is quite an honor, for I have been to her studio personally to watch her work and it is an amazing thing to see.

Because of the hot glass art, look how it has just made the Luster Stone faux finishing glow. It really makes her work the focus of the fireplace.

What is working for you?

Be sure to stay tuned as there is more to come from this remodel like

Master Bedroom and Master Bath

Hallways and Entry

Dining Room Walls

Dining Room Ceiling