Stairwell Painting | Adding Color to Large Walls

Here's the perfect solution for adding a splash of color to a large stairwell. So many houses have an open floor plan that includes wide open spaces, that adding color and selecting the right painting can be a challenge.

One of the best ways to find the right size, is using a hollow door that you can purchase from Home Depot or Lowes.

Splash some color the the unfinished door after it's primed, attach hooks and WA LA! An instant splash of color on a large intimidating space.

Adding a Special Touch to an Open Floor Plan

Most homes now are faced with the challenge of planning colors for an open floor plan. The most common question then is "How do you add personality into different areas while having an open floor plan"? For this home, that has no clear division lines, to split up the straight painting, we turned to the ceiling to add personality.

To create personality for this dining room, we added a hand painted vine, in very faint neutral colors. It's important when adding decorative painting to an open floor plan, to keep in mind that the wall colors should appear in the decorative painting to keep the colors harmonized.

Now this dining room has it's own personality through a custom, hand painting vine.

Cabinets Re-Finishing | Easy Update

There are easy ways that you can cut corners when you are remodeling your home. One of the best ways is to salvage you old cabinets and give them a new updated look, with half the cost.

Here's the cabinets before they were painted. Still in good condition, solid wood, but the style of the counter top and fixtures really dated this bathroom.

My client loves hand painted furniture so I took clues from what she had around her home already, as inspiration for the bathroom vanity.

After a few coats of paint, some decorative painting, these once dated cabinets got a much needed update with a price tag that can't compete with re-finishing a vanity.

Stay tuned to more posts/tutorials on the very popular idea of using the cabinets that you already have.

Oil decorative painted kitchen backsplash

Back Entrance Way Floral Mural

I'm now realizing for the second time that every project I do, and every color I use ends up being my favorite. With that being said, lets take a peek at my new favorite mural project of the week.

Every project has an exciting story behind it. The addition/renovation of this house was about 2 years ago, and ever since then, the homeowners have always talked about placing a mural within this space, since the walkway really doesn't allow for pictures to be hung. Well they got their wish about having a mural! The best part, is they have no idea. Lets see how long it'll take them to figure out it's there! I'm not good at surprises, and lets hope they're not following my twitter updates or blog.

Back Entrance Way: Before Mural

Being from Georgia, this house has the look and feel to be found on the pages of Southern Living. I knew that this mural couldn't be just ANYthing, but had to have a sophisticated look and feel, like something you would find in Southern Living.

My inspiration came from hand painted Chinese silk paintings, and kept with muted colors and some hints of saturated color here and there. Taking hints from the way homeowners decorate is a huge key an help when you are deciding how to design your mural. This homeowner likes to use muted wall colors, and accessorize with pops of color, and that's where my color decision came from. I also decided to do this mural in Oil paint.

Back Entrance Way: After Mural

Floral oil Painting for Sale

That's right... I started an E-bay account today, to help fund the trip to Worlds for Michael Schiavone's on the US National Team to Australia. It's actually very big, measuring 36x48. It's the first in the series that I've been doing. Part of me really wanted to just try E-bay to see if it works, and then if it does, to raise money for Michel's trip...
Michael Schiavone's Story for Worlds

E-bay Link to BID!

5 Affordable Updates using Decorative Painting

1. Do the base coat: To keep costs down, ask around to your family and friends, I'm sure you'll be able to find someone who is willing to help you base coat. Then the artistic work can be done.


2. If the wall paint is less than 1.5 years old: We can work with the existing wall base color, to do a color change, and you can instantly have a different room! (Photo Below: Room started off as the 'builder' white, and 3 layers were added to create faux)


3. Have a 'decorative boarder' added around a room: This works great in any room. Most clients have done this in hallways, kitchens and bathrooms. When you add a vine, or flowers to any wall color, you instantly get a different feel, and colors you never knew will start to shine through the room.


4. Paint the ceiling: That's right, look up in your home. These often neglected spots in the home are a sure way to give any space a 'wow' factor with out re-doing the whole room, with minimal costs compared to a whole-room re-paint.


5. Add a Decorative Accent wall: This allows you to have a whole new room, with only changing one thing, for a dramatic change.

Carrisa & Laura's Bedroom

You can see the progression starting with the last photo... (I will upload the pictures that got missed when blogger is fixed... Sorry)

We started with a general concept board, but that changed during the painting of the room. I do have another sample board depicting the plaid for the bottom of the wall.

We were going to keep the room in a pink and white theme, but then while I was painting I realized that I'm all for pretend, but this pretend wasn't right! The trees looked sick without leaves! Like something got into the water... so leaves it was.

Talk about a sophisticated look for 2 little girls!

Suzie's Kitchen is done

For all you cycling fans, check out the bike and the like (www.bikeandthelike.com). It's Suzie, my client's cycling touring company. I can't wait to head out on one of them!

Alright, now for the decorative painting part. Suzie's kitchen is done! I'll be taking better pictures, these don't do it justice at all!

Suzie decided that she liked the branches and flowers to be more faint, and I think that was an excellent idea to keep things faint.

Kitchen

Interior Design done by Kimberly McCarl of Interior Concepts

Magnolia Sample Board

Wall Finished!

Goddard School: White Marsh MD: Work in Progress

Orchid Potting Room

Orchids

Bald Head Island| Main Wall Completed

Here's the final product. Both jobs are done, so it looks like I'll be heading back home!

Bald Head Island| Project Update

The back porch




Finally, here is an update on my travels to Bald Head Island, NC. I arrived here on Monday with Scott, recovered after the drive, and started to paint. We had no time to waste. Scott had the toughest job of all, painting the tippidy top with the blue for the sky, as I worked from the bottom up creating the first layer for the mural. He flew out on Wednesday, and I've been finalizing things ever since. Ok, so maybe I've been a bit over indulgent in looking at the scenery and taking my rides on the 7 mile loop. Tomorrow will be interesting with a 3 hr ride ahead of me! There are also pictures from my room and the back porch which overlooks the ocean. Do you blame me for not wanting to leave?

Flower Garden

Lake Front Stairway

Secret Garden Walkway

What a wonderful treat for your overnight guests! We thought painting the room a solid color would be a bit to boring and we knew that it needed something special. So I painted the walkway around the room, and a picket fence for the headboard! you're guests might never leave, sleeping in this room!