Recently it had been a bit discarded and I thought I’d give
it a new look. I think now I
almost love it! I work so much here in Italy painting stores and homes for clients often in the tones of
white, cream, taupe, gray, which I understand is calming to the eye. Yet, it is making me crave some color
and motif.
Showing posts with label faux finishes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faux finishes. Show all posts
Painted Bohemian Side Table
Painting My Floor Kiwi Green
Sette Design |
I want to ask you to take a deep
breath before you continue on, now try not to judge me on the hideousness, the
profoundly abusive, ugliness of the before shot my linoleum floors. If it hurts you to look at for a moment
on the Internet, think what it has done to me and my family, all these
years. O.k I’m being silly…kind
of.
Architectural Elements - Corbels
I love the idea of architectural
elements lying around in interiors and in the garden. Rome is full of them with ancient Rome present in daily life. You might be walking down the street
and come across a dirt space and a huge Roman head or column just there –
gorgeous and shocking.
I once drove over the boarder to
Mexico from California with girlfriends to go shopping and what did I come back
with but a huge concrete ball. I
kept it for years lying around my various apartments. I wish I still had it now here in
Italy. If you put a piece architecture in your space it makes the space look interesting instantly. Corbels, columns, architraves, pieces of stairs, a newel or chunk of a banister, capitals, arches, leave them on a beautiful floor or lean them up against a wall, put a bowl of floating flowers and candles and there you have a scene of tranquility and antiquity.
If these Corbels were for me I
would have painted them a great color like sapphire blue or ruby red. In San Francisco I had a pair that were attached as a true architectural support under a square archway and I painted them a chalky rich pink. Man did they look great! In this situation I must do what the client wants alas.
There were previously messed up
in an electrical fire blacken with smoke, but no real damage done. They are made out of terra cotta.
Corbels before shot |
I painted them taupe in acrylic
and then dry brushed over them in oil color (raw umber).
The project took a few days for
drying time, but the actually working time was minimal. It was fun because it was such a quick transformation.
Corbels as book supports |
I am wishing a Happy Sunday to all
my lovely readers around the world.
Kind regards,
Natalie
I'm linking with these fun parties:
Labels:
design idea,
faux finishes,
painting techniques
Shabby Chic Italian Library
Now that it is the new year
doesn’t it make you want to clear everything out and start fresh? Here is a job I did recently that is a
good example of new beginnings.
Sometimes it is hard to paint
over the dark wood especially in a library setting.
Here is the before shot.
First I painted the ceiling an
antique rose. I believe that
painting the ceiling a color is way hip, especially here in Italy where the
ceilings are often so high that it makes the space seem empty and cold. Color above right away makes the space
glow with warmth.
Then I painted the walls a
creamy white that had a tiny hint of pink in it. You can’t really see the pink on the wall, but I could see
it in the paint bucket and once the walls dried it gave the effect that the ceiling
was reflecting pink onto the walls.
Which it was, but I helped it along.
This room really shows the
changing light of the day. Under
gray skies it has a splendid effect of tones of white and off white. Then with the sun out a blush comes
over the space.
the doors are almost an oyster off white (not green tinted) it's the light |
here I left the wood of the desk natural |
the glass is definitely half full |
I painted the bookshelves the
same color as the walls only in acrylic paint with a satin finish. I didn’t prime them since I wanted the
wood to come through easily. Here
there is 4 coats of off-white, one to two coats of polyurethane.
Then I sanded just the edges of
the bookshelves, painted on some brown wax, waited a half an hour and rubbed it
off with a piece of wool (an old sweater). I left the wood of the desks as it was, touching it up some
with Mordente (wood stain) and the white shelves ethereally rise above.
I love this apricot color tile floor |
Shabby Chic bookshelf |
Shabby Chic distressing detail |
This client was going relocate the hat collection and put the books back in, plus some colorful art on the
walls.
Isn’t this Italian Library just
reeking of a fresh start with hope permeating the air? I love the view of the secret garden ensconced inside our crazy city.
With affection,
Natalie
I'm linking with:
Miss Mustard Seed
Miss Mustard Seed
Labels:
design idea,
faux finishes,
painting techniques
First Anniversary
Happy 1st Anniversary
Sette Design Blog
I started this Diario di Design
a year ago today and I remember that it had snowed on the mountains around the
city that we live in here in Umbria and I thought I’m going to write about the color white,
just delve in Nat, you can do it. I
took the plunge and now here we are a year later. I am so thrilled you are here too.
one candle in sette design studio |
oh the possibilities |
It was so pretty, I had to put in my macho work boot. |
I love it that we have a little-BIG
creative community around the world and around the corner. Everyone is full of positivity and joy
and encouragement, it is quite astounding.
love wins |
in my studio |
I made a wish for Sette
Design.
A few dreams-goals:
I want to complete the E-course
I am creating on painting techniques and creativity. It is going to be so gorgeous with little films, and photos
and stories and ideas.
I want to organize a Furniture
Painting and Art Class here in Umbria, Italy that you can come to. Imagine learning Venetian Stucco and
Frescos painted as motif on furniture or panels, taught easily as process and technique so that anyone can do it. Then going to find a cafe to sit in and have a cappuccino.
AND
I want to encourage you all to
go after your dreams, to stop and pause and figure out what those dreams
are. Right now start some project
that you want to do and if you just can’t possibly start it now. Then pull out a notepad and write down
what it is you have in mind to do.
Then you will have already begun it by writing it down. It’s in the works! It is that simple.
HAPPY One Year!
Let’s go for 2. It is going to be an adventure.
Cheers,
Natalie
Labels:
cool idea,
faux finishes,
inspiration
Painted Pear Box
Happy November first, can you believe it!
Here we go with the pears again. This time I am going to try to let the photos speak for themselves.
You can see where I took my creative influence.
A silver bowl and some luscious pears.
natural pear stippling - heaven |
simple life- still life, a book, sage and pears in a silver bowl |
Then I thought I would try to copy the finish of the pears on this box, simple as that.
Acrylic paint, some silver leaf and some stippling in dark brown with a tiny brush.
I like the irregularly applied silver leaf on the box closure hardware |
It somehow humored my heart to paint this project. Later I gave it as a birthday present for a 9 year old friend, filled it with candies and gave the pear too, wrapped separately. It is funny to give someone a pear as a birthday present, they never expect it! It is good to throw them off, especially those tricky friends. I am sure you have some tricky friends. Did a whole hoard of them cross your mind just now with yourself leading the pack?
painted pear box |
It is fun to look around and find your inspiration anywhere. I would love to do the bathroom walls or a laundry room, some small space stippled like a pear.
With affection,
Natalie
I'm linking with:
French Country Cottage
Romantic Home
Between Naps on the Porch
Labels:
faux finishes,
painting techniques,
simple life
A White Kitchen
The kitchen is in a house
build in the 1600’s and that makes it splendid. Fireplaces, a small hand painted church
(praying room), wooden “trave” ceilings, views to die for, terracotta floors,
all set in among olive groves.
I hope this post will make
everyone “rethink” how easy it is to change your kitchen. That said, it was a lot of work and a
lot of paint, yet the effect if grand.
Ready for the before shots it's a shocker. Do you like it better? I do, it makes the dark narrow space so refreshing to me.
before photo |
I sanded it, two coats of base coat,
three coats of off white with a grey tint, a faux effect with oil paint on the
corners and then finally two coats of polyurethane.
I painted over the glass motif
with metal paint in flat white. It made the etched glass design look cool and the amber colored glass punched up to
look much prettier than before.
The roses on the glass before were a pretty bad, bright red with green leaves.
metal paint on glass |
I also painted all the metal
handles with metal paint, about three coats.
It is a roll up your sleeves
kind of job. But I did it all on
saw horses in my studio, even resting the doors on little supports of blocks of
wood or even with screws poking out of the wood to let air pass under once I
have flipped the door to paint the other side.
This house has an amazing room right off the kitchen with a wood stove and lots of windows, here you can see the gorgeous antique ceilings that are the same in the kitchen. This client has a good eye, very feminine and cozy with attention to detail.
I wrote this amore because remember love wins! |
back roads of Umbria |
Miss Mustard Seed
Romantic Home
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Between Naps on the Porch
Labels:
faux finishes,
inspiration,
painting techniques,
simple life
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