May 22nd, 2013

Stencil Star: Gracie Reed

In this installment of our Stencil Star™ series, we feature the incredible artist Gracie Reed of Grace Designs Dallas.  Based in Texas, she frequently designs spaces from ceiling to floor and incorporates her love of pattern and color with our wall stencils and stencil masking patterns in many of her design and decorative painting projects.

Gracie Reed

ABOUT GRACIE REED

Grace Designs in Dallas, Texas, offers a wide variety of of exquisite wall, ceiling, cabinetry, and mirror finishes. Gracie has been in business for over 10 years and always stays on the cutting edge of the most original and premier finishes. Gracie researches the latest products on the market and pattern application, antiquing mirrors, cabinetry, and putting a modern twist on antiques are part of her specialties.

Modello-stencil-barrel-ceiling

Our Hearst Castle Stencil Collection for Modello™ Designs is in VERY good hands! A black and gold treatment goes über-glam with both a Hearst Panel Stencil (HearstPan108) and Hearst Allover Stencil (HearstAll100) designs. Gorgeous!

How do you determine which pattern will work for your project?

Usually, I can determine the pattern design for a project after understanding the client’s taste and viewing the selected areas of the job.  After paying attention to the existing furniture, bed linens, art, flooring, etc., I study Melanie’s stencil patterns and compose the perfect fit.

Japanese-stencil-on-furniture

Sensational furniture piece showcasing Gracie’s flair for balance, color and pattern! On this Japanese cabinet, she used one of our Modello® Designs Exotic East Stencil Panels with a beautiful color scheme.

What are your favorite surfaces to work on and design for?

Applying Italian plasters with Modello® Designs Stencils on ceilings is the ultimate for me! There is no end to the creative possibilities of types of surfaces, product mediums and Melanie’s designs!!!

Modello-stencil-groin-hallway

Shimmery, elegant groin ceilings featuring a wonderful plaster treatment along with Modello® Designs Ornamental Center stencils (OrnCen193).

Modello-stencil-groin-bedroom

 Jaw-dropping ceiling — but isn’t the whole room just lovely?  Green and golds make for a perfect compliment to the room and she used a Modello® Designs Exotic East Corner vinyl stencil (EasCor102) to complete the treatment.

How does stenciling enhance your creative business?

Since starting my business in 2001, I have been constantly exploring every medium in the creative field to extend my sample portfolio for my clients. Every client has a unique design style, so the finishes have to be customized for that project. By using both Royal Design Studio mylar stencils and Modello® Design masking stencils, I can easily produce a “one-of-a-kind” appearance. At least 50% of my projects include stencil applications. They can transform an attractive finish into an exquisite form of art! Many of my retail antiques are adorned with stencil patterns to achieve a distinctive impression. All of my floors and mirrors can only be accomplished by using Modello® Designs Stencils.

Stenciled and Gilded Antique Mirror with Pattern

stenciled-canvas-art

Gracie creates stenciled canvas & mirror artworks as well. She frequently uses custom Modello™ Designs Stencils to fit the surface and style of each of her art and mirror pieces.

We are thrilled to share Gracie’s work with you!  We’re so appreciative of having someone so talented using our stencil patterns so creatively. Be sure to visit Gracie’s website, Grace Designs Dallas, to see more of her incredible work and you can also find her on both Pinterest and Houzz.  Don’t forget that you can pin these pictures for inspiration and follow us on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter, too!

In sunny Tampa, Florida, we come upon a studio giving a new, inspired second life to furniture pieces.  Stiltskin Studios combine creative decorative paint techniques with lively ornamental patterns and stencil designs.  We’re so happy to feature their work for our Stencil Star™ series, which seeks to showcase creative artists and their inspired work.


ABOUT STILTSKIN STUDIOS

Michele and Kenny Hiley of Stiltskin Studios are a husband and wife design team who have both made creativity a priority in their lives. They re-imagined many items for their homes and once their friends laid eyes on the possibilities, a business (along with an Etsy shop) was born! Although they offer a full-service design studio, their passion is to take vintage and antique furniture and transform them to fit into a more modern home. Their name was inspired by the fairy tale Rumplestiltskin because he turned a seemingly worthless object, straw, into Gold.  They like to do the same with cast-aside furniture and uninspired interiors!

Gorgeous dresser transformed with Chalk Paint™ decorative paint in Florence, our Cherry Blossoms stencil and Royal stencil cremes!

How do you determine which pattern will work for your project?

So many things influence our decision on which stencil to use…sometimes, it’s as simple as using a stencil as a fun accent, such as the Cherry Blossoms we used on a dresser face…other times, it’s to add interest to something that is mundane, like the leaves on a dining table. Often times, we will have a theme in mind…a general direction, such as a Parisian Apartment or a French Chateau feel, that helps guide our decision; other times, we utilize stencils to do something completely unexpected, like a Moroccan inspired tabletop on a French Provincial table.

Frequently, we’ll be painting a piece when out of nowhere, inspiration strikes and suddenly, we decide to incorporate a stencil that was not in the initial design plan. Painting, for us, is a very organic experience. We enjoy the process and stencils are another bespoke element to make each piece truly special.

This lovely and artistic dining room set was painted with Chalk Paint™ and our Small Ribbon Damask stencil on the leaves. We love this inspired idea and so we featured it here on our Stencil Ideas blog.

Please share your top Stenciling tip with us.

A very wise and charming faux painting artist taught me to make sure all the excess paint was removed from my brush before I applied it to the stencil. That seemingly small tip brought us both over from not being huge stencil fans to wanting to stencil everything!

Additionally, there is no substitute for proper tools. They make the job go so much smoother and help ensure perfect results. Cheap tools typically beget cheap looking results!

What would be your “dream” stencil project?

Right now, I’m dreaming about stenciling my kitchen cabinets! We completed the upper cabinets last year (removing the doors to create open shelving) but the lowers are still hideous 1970’s brown laminate. I’m quite excited to have the option to stencil them…we feel the project will be very much representative of us and our style.

Stiltskin upcycled this vintage find with both our Paris Postage Stamp Wall Stencil and Postmark Wall Stencil! Unexpected and beautiful.

How does stenciling enhance your creative business?

My husband and partner, Kenny, has an art degree and is a skilled fine artist; I, on the other hand, can barely paint a straight line. I have much more imagination than skill when it comes to the details of hand painting. Stencils really allow me to create what I’ve imagined. I’m also slightly lazy, so I’ll not make the effort to put a design on the projector, sketch it on the piece, and then hand-paint the intricate design. Stencils alleviate all that work for me. Royal Design Studio stencils really are simple to use, the results are consistent, and I look like a creative genius when it’s all done! Because they are so durable, we can mix it up with different colors and looks using the same stencil. They’ve enabled me to bring my creative vision to life!

So stylish! This hutch was updated with our popular Springtime in Paris lettering stencil, metallic stencil cremes and Chalk Paint™!

We hope you’ve enjoyed the beautiful fairy-tale stylings of Stiltskin Studios.  Do be sure to check their Facebook page and their wonderful blog, too! Please feel free to pin these pics to keep sharing the creative love of pattern and paint!  You can always follow our Pinterest account as well for design and pattern inspiration and keep up with us on Facebook and Instagram, too!

 

August 2nd, 2012

Stencil Star: Tom Henman

Another fabulolus  Stencil Stars™ showcase.  Every other week, we are sharing our customer’s use of our Royal Design Studio mylar wall stencils and Modello™ masking stencils on walls, ceilings, floors, and more.  This week’s super STAR is Pennsylvania-based Tom Henman of Tom Henman Decorative Painting, a super talented artisan who applies stenciled patterns in innovative and unique ways in his decorative painting projects.

Tom Henman

ABOUT TOM HENMAN DECORATIVE PAINTING

Prior to starting his decorative painting business, Tom was an Art Director for a direct mail company until 2005, when he lost his job. A few years prior, Tom had attended a decorative painting demonstration given by artist Carol Kemery. He had dabbled in some faux painting in his home after her presentation, but then decided to seek formal instruction due to his job loss. Within weeks, he was signed up for an introductory course and knew instantly that decorative painting was going to be his new career.

Since 2006, Tom Henman has been the sole proprietor of Tom Henman Decorative Painting based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  He has attended some of the top decorative painting schools in the country, including a painting trip to Morocco with Royal Design Studio as one of our amazing and intrepid Peacock Painters. Tom continues to explore his new found passion and expand his clientele, which incidentally, includes his last boss.  Sometimes it takes one door to close before a better one opens.

Above, Tom creates a wonderful, well-rounded ambience with a lustery plaster on the ceiling and a Modello Ornamental Center stencil (OrnCen128) encompassing the room’s color scheme.  Below, a beautiful finish walls set off the three Modello Eastern Panel stencils (EasPan105) along the staircase walls.

What draws you to Stenciling?
I love the idea of adding color and pattern to a wall or piece of furniture to personalize it. Wallpaper has not been a friend of mine, ever since I had to remove it from my house. Often it’s difficult to find a correct wallpaper colors and patterns that coordinate with the room’s color scheme, and it may be discontinued. That is where I find that being able to design a custom finish with coordinating stencil colors is a win-win situation. Plus there are no seams that can peel!

Acid etching is a specialty of Tom’s studio, after being introduced to the technique in a class here in our San Diego Studio.  Using the Chippendale Molding stencil in vinyl form, he etches the design onto a Statuary Marble backsplash.  The Carrara Marble below has been acid etched with a custom Modello® vinyl stencil with the center area gilded.

Below you will see two bathroom vanities which have been transformed with a two-layer, two-color distressed custom finish.  The Spring Time in Paris Stencil Set is then stenciled in with our Royal Stencil Cremes. Beautiful and unexpected!

What are your favorite surfaces to work on and design for?
I know that this may sound crazy, but I love to work on ceilings! Clients often forget about adding a splash of color and design to the ceiling. It’s funny how we install huge chandeliers in rooms, but the light bezel is only 6” wide… it just looks out of place. When I can show a client how their room can look with a Modello Design on the ceiling that is proportional to the light fixture, they wondered why they waited as long as they did.  One of my favorite references for clients are Modello by Design Volume 1 and Volume 2 by Melanie Royals.

The dining room ceiling above has an Eastern Motif stencil (EasMot125) in gold and silver leaf while the walls have a modified Modello Eastern Panel Wall stencil (EasPan114).   Modello vinyl stencils are fantastic for areas with unusual architectural features, like the dining room below.  For the ceiling, a Hampton Corner stencil was used with a nice lined design joining the patterns while a custom Modello® stencil was created it to match it for the back wall.

Please share your top Stenciling tip with us.
The obvious answer is that I love Royal Stencil Cremes and Gardz.  They are a must-have for any mylar stencil or Modello® vinyl stencil project.  My real secret, however, is my MacBook Pro and Nikon D90 camera. I love to take before pictures of a wall and show the client how their room can look with a stencil pattern and finish. Sometimes clients just can’t envision the final result. This usually seals the deal or shows us that we need to tweak the scale and design a bit more before the job starts.

A gorgeous plaster finish in a powder room creates a great background for the two ornamental border stencils (Top: OrnBor157 and Bottom: OrnBor163) that were gilded in gold and silver.  The kitchen below has a beautiful ceiling which is set off nicely with a glaze finish and our Modello Ancient Worlds Center stencil (AncCen103) nicely capping off the beautiful light fixtures.

BIG thank you to Tom for sharing is stencil work and artistic inspiration with us. Seriously, we can’t wait to see more! If you can’t wait either, please be sure to see more of his projects on both his studio website and Facebook fan page!

In this weeks installment of our weekly Stencil Star™ series, we feature the hottest restaurant designer in D.C., Maggie O’Neill of O’Neill Studios.  She and her team of artists create some of the most innovate decorative painting finishes incorporating Royal Design Studio wall stencils and patterns in her creative, contemporary projects.  She also weaves in fresh color combinations and stencil designs in her fine art pieces. I first met Maggie when she came on our 3rd Peacock Painting adventure to Marrakech: The Tent Trip! I can tell you that she is even more fun than she looks!!!

Maggie O'Neill

ABOUT O’NEILL STUDIOS

Maggie O’Neill is a Washington, DC based fine artist and the Creative Director of O’Neill Studios, the decorative painting company she founded in 2001. Maggie attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and pursued a Masters Degree of Fine Art at the University of Georgia, enrolling in their Cortona, Italy program. “In Italy, I was moved by the rich art history of the Renaissance and the integration of commissioned fine art during this period,” she says. Maggie focused on drawing and painting (concentrating on portraiture) and the decorative arts, with her studies also including Fresco painting.

After Italy, Maggie continued to travel, eventually living and working in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, where she completed her first commercial exterior mural. “It was at this point that I fell in love with the creation of utilitarian and public artwork that the surrounding community could enjoy.”

Returning to DC, she decided to continue working in the vein of commissioned artistry and opened O’Neill Studios in 2001. In the time since, Maggie has built O’Neill Studios into one of the most well-respected decorative finishing companies in the Washington area. The team’s productions can be seen in some of the city’s most notable private residences, embassies, churches, restaurants and commercial spaces.

A custom Modello vinyl stencil design on a restaurant ceiling.

How do you determine which pattern will work for your project?

There is never just one determining factor of why or what pattern I will propose to a client.  Sometimes we have an inspiration paper or fabric to work from and the project becomes  about replicating the same properties; scale, color, etc.  I typically think about  the following three features of the space to select patterns and stencils that will work: Style, Scale and Palette.  What is the style of the space? Does it require something stylized with a high level of impact or something more delicate and understated? What is the existing  palette working in the space? Do we need to introduce more color or keep it a neutral pattern to create a backdrop for other features or artwork?  What features in the room allow us to play with  the scale of the pattern?

I think to have a stencil custom-made to scale for your space is the smartest thing anyone can do when introducing allover pattern. You may love a pattern on a sample fabric or even an item of clothing but it’s not right for your ceiling or the back of your bookshelves. Any of these things can direct you to the right stencil and technique. I highly recommend doing some research into the style or look you are trying to achieve before purchasing. Also, cutting out shapes to the scale of what your thinking and understanding where they will repeat and run off, measuring the space to understand where it will start and stop is also helpful.

At the OYA Restaurant in DC, Maggie and her team add 3-D elements to the Allover Fabric Damask stencil for both furniture tabletops and walls.  So inventive!

Please share your top Stenciling tip with us.

My favorite technique is a bit messier then the average application. I enjoy seeing the interruption of one color and the introduction of another. I also prefer to see a bit of depth in the application. For this reason my favorite technique is a drop shadow or a “pulled silk” effect.  This is at least a two layer stencil technique. The first layer of glaze or paint is a bit slippery so that it has a longer open time and transparency. Immediately after you stencil, you use your brush like a strie brush and  pull through the pattern lightly. Pulling one direction is important. I prefer to use gravity and pull down. The second layer is the same stencil (cleaned off of course) and place the stencil about 1/8- 1/4 of inch above where you originally set the first layer. Using a lighter more opaque color is helpful to achieve a raised appearance. This creates the look of hand worked fabric or pulled silk or ikat look.

Maggie also enjoys creating fine art pieces and incorporating stencils within.  Here, the Intricate Zelij wall stencil from the Allover Moroccan Stencil Collection supports the supports and enhances the beautiful central figure.

How does stenciling enhance your creative business?

My business is ALL about how creative I can be for my client and how can I work with what they already have. Turning something totally ordinary to something extraordinary has been the cornerstone to my business. Initially, stencils gave me the ability to offer high impact results with relatively quick turnaround and affordable prices. However, stencils have pushed open new creative doors for me as an artist and designer. I experiment with more techniques and applications that include 3D elements and unconventional methods .  I am constantly looking to wallpaper and textiles for inspiration and take note of the techniques used to create nuances in each design.

Maggie working with our one of our Modello Ornamental Center patterns (OrnCen162) in a more traditional space.

Stencils are tools this are just as important as the paint itself, allowing me to explore new methods. I now examine every space and surface  with a different perspective  and understanding of how to embellish or apply pattern.  I realize that you don’t need to stencil everything BUT YOU CAN!  The creative options stencils have introduced have overflowed in to my own fine artwork and now end up in most of my paintings. Stencils have been a juggernaut for my creative business and have opened the doors  of my portfolio to include fabric for window treatments and table runners,  wrapping paper, furniture makeovers, and even clothing.

At the Irish Whiskey Lounge, Maggie mixes both Modello vinyl stencils and traditional mylar stencils to incorporate multiple patterns, textures and typography to create an unforgettable stairway. Pictured is our Endless Circles Lattice, the  Moroccan Arches and Chez Ali stencils — all from the Moroccan Stencil Collection.

Maggie is a creative visionary who designs incredible, contemporary spaces.  Do yourself a favor (and be prepared to spend some time!) by browsing both her sites, O’Neill Studios and Maggie O’Neill Fine Art. For a more personal look, follow Maggie and her painting team via her two Facebook pages, O’Neill Studios and Maggie O’Neill Fine Art as well.

 

Our weekly Stencil Star series showcases our customer’s use of our Royal Design Studio mylar wall stencils and Modello™ masking stencils on walls, ceilings, floors, and more.  This week, we travel to Dallas, Texas to see the beautiful work of Amy Christensen and her studio, Faux Get About It.  Amy wields her considerable creative skills with stencil patterns in many of her decorative painting projects.

Amy Christensen

ABOUT FAUX GET ABOUT IT

Amy Christensen has always had creative pursuits: sewing, cooking, painting, stained glass and remodeling, to name a few.  However, after working in the advertising and marketing fields for many years, she yearned to do something more creative, in the physical sense, with both her hands and mind.  In 2000, she took this to heart and launched her professional faux finishing studio.  Today, her favorite aspect is helping client’s re-imagine their spaces through stencils and finishes with great colors, patterns and textures on furniture, ceilings, and accessories.

Above, a peeled paint and ceruse treatment by Amy incorporates our classic Ornate Italian Panel stencil. This is such an incredible finish for either furniture or cabinetry!  Range and vent hoods are also a wonderful surface to transform with a stencil! Below, Amy created a faux hammered copper for the top, wood-grained the frieze. She then created a faux marquetry look with our Napoleon Panel stencil from our Modern Masters Designer Stencils Collection.

What draws you to Stenciling?

Stenciling enables me to incorporate a design element or pattern into my finish that is crisp, concise and consistent in a way that hand-painting alone doesn’t provide.  The beauty of a stencil is that I can use it with just paint, or I can give it dimension with plaster, glass beads or even joint compound. I can further embellish it with gold leaf or foil as well as crystals and hand-painted details.  It’s an excellent tool for anyone to give an otherwise run-of-the-mill finish that extra pizazz that makes it come alive.

Using individual elements from the Allover Corsini Damask wall stencil, Amy created a metallic drop-shadow technique. She then used glass beads through the stencil to add a wonderful shimmer.  The walls received a beautiful pearl color wash prior to the stenciling for an allover shimmer.

How do you determine which pattern will work for your project?

I look at the space as a whole and envision how color, pattern and texture can enhance it as well as be combined in the same space.  When I’m allowed to do pattern building and use more than one stencil and finish in a space I  get really excited about the possibilities.

Plaster, gold leaf and bead accents are a beautiful touch with our Modello Ornamental Center OrnCen162, one of our most popular ceiling designs. Modello vinyl stencils are one-time use patterns that can be very helpful when working on ceilings or when larger size options are needed.  Below, the bedroom walls and ceiling are two-color pearlized plaster. A Modello was used for both the ceiling fan medallion and the frieze design.

What would be your “dream” stencil project?

One of my favorite chateaus is Chenonceau in the Loire valley of France.  It is filled with pattern and design on everything from elaborately handcarved wood work, to bas relief in stone, as well as  beautifully stenciled and hand-painted walls and ceilings.  No detail was left out in this castle! Even the windows are beautiful examples of pattern in both stained and leaded glass.  It would be amazing to work on reproducing many of these beautiful designs and share them with the rest of the world in the form of a mylar stencil or Modello vinyl pattern.

The barrel vault ceiling above has a custom vinyl stencil from our Modello Ornamental Panels collection with an aged gold leaf treatment.  Below:  The Large Italian Medallion Border stencil helps a cabinet panel end piece (far right) pull in the overall design along while adding decided interest.

Beautiful work, Amy and thank you for sharing!  You can see more of Amy’s artistry and projects on her website, Faux Get About It.  Keep up with her decorative projects via Facebook and Twitter.

June 12th, 2012

How to Stencil in a SNAP!

DIY stencil projects and how-to stencil tutorials  are sprouting up all over the web, which we LOVE to see. In fact, we love to see them so much we decided to create a blogging contest to encourage MORE! Our trip to the SNAP! Conference last April provided the perfect opportunity. We handed out an assortment of Royal Design Studio stencils to scores of creative bloggers and invited them to submit stencil projects for a fun and inspiring contest we are calling….

stencil giveaway contest

We had 9 crafty bloggers beat the deadline, and each has created a special stencil tutorial post that we have pinned to a special Stencil Star Blog Contest Pinterest Board for your viewing and voting pleasure. You can find complete details on our website, but the most imp0rtant thing is that viewer get to pick the $250 stencil shopping spree winner through the number of likes, pins, and comments and one of those “winning commenters” will be randomly chosen to win a second $250 stencil shopping spree. How fun and easy is THAT?! The voting is all done on Pinterest, but there is a nice recap in this post below…..

stencils on custom gift wrap project

How to stencil wrapping paper pin from Hello, New Day blog. Catherine cleverly used repurposed packing paper and stamping inks to create this fun, colorful paper with our Hollywood Squares furniture-sized stencil.

stenciling for a boy's room toy box

How to stencil a toy shelf pin from Sugar Bee Crafts blog. Mandy used our Hollywood Squares furniture-sized stencil here in her guest room, so when she has company this versatile piece can accommodate luggage instead of her toddler’s toys!

stencils on wood to create a sign

How to stencil a Summer welcome sign pin from Happy Looks Good on You blog. Megan stenciled a canvas with our new Beehive allover stencil for furniture, and then dressed it up with a fanciful garland and vinyl lettering stencils. So cute!

stencils on furniture to create planter boxes

How to stencil furniture drawers to create adorable planter boxes pin by Queen B and Me blog. Andrea rescued some dresser drawers that were set to be thrown out, decorated them with our lacy Indian Paisley wall stencil, and filled them with sweet flowers. I LOVE this upcycling idea so much!

number stencils on a house signHere is another cute planter box idea from Michelle.  How to stencil house numbers on a planter box pin from The Scrap ‘Shoppe blog. Michelle used our French Numbers Stencil on an old tote box, then filled it with burlap and flowering pots.

stencil project for kids
How to stencil Bee garden markers pin from the Danish Mama blog. This looks like a super fun project to do with your kids and is designed to teach them about planting and growing….and hopefully picking the fruits of your labor! Kathy used the sweet Bee from our The Buzz  furniture stencil.

flower stencil on a sign

Summer from Summer Scraps blog crafted a custom sign, which would be perfect for a house warming gift using one of the flower stencils from our Japanese Garden stencil set. You can find the How to stencil a sign pin here.

how to stencil a cute frame

We have many stencils that are perfectly sized for small craft project, such as our For this how to stencil a frame pin Lina of Fancy Frugal Life used the Endless Moorish Circles furniture-sized stencil to frame a family photo with a fresh, colorful accent.

stenciling on a floor mat

And finally, how about creating a custom stenciled door mat? Brittany of Pretty Handy Girl blog did just that with our popular Chez Sheik Moroccan stencil.

Please show some love and support for these fabulous ladies and their amazing stencil project. Visit our Blogging Stencil Star PinBoard on Pinterest and like, repin and comment on the projects that inspire you! If one of the project you comment on ends up being our winner, your comment on that pin enters YOU in the running to win a $250 Royal Design Studio stencil shopping spree along with the lucky blogger!!

Full details on our Snap! Stencil Star Blogging contest here.

April 3rd, 2012

Fab Furniture Stenciling

It seems like everyone is painting and stenciling furniture these days. And why not? Furniture makes a great little canvas for stencil patterns and you can accent details like table tops, drawer fronts, door panels SO easily and quickly with stencils. The availability and popularity of the the amazing Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ is inspiring people all over the country to scour thrift stores and flea markets for furniture pieces that can be transformed in a day with some creativity and a can of paint!

painted furniture with stencils and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

One of my friends who has caught the furniture painting bug bad good, is Debbie Hayes of Faux Design Studio. Debbie is a long-time decorative artist who has the MOST amazing studio in a converted fabric mill in Greensboro, NC. There she paints endlessly (it seems!), sells her one-of-a-kind furniture pieces and also teaches others how to do the same. Debbie has such an artful approach to using Chalk Paint™ and stencil patterns we were inspired to create this lovely graphic to showcase her work.

You can find all the details about the Royal Design Studio stencils and Chalk Paint colors Debbie used in this Fabulous Furniture Stencil post on our website. I hope it inspires YOU!

March 16th, 2012

Annie Sloan Takes America

The Annie Sloan North American Tour is ON! I’ve just returned from an exciting week in New Orleans, where Annie has kicked off her North American Tour by presenting an inspiring class to those of us who are privileged to stock and sell her incomparable and original Chalk Paint. In just the last year, the number of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint stockists in the U.S. has grown from a handful to 191 nationwide, and it’s a lovely family of dedicated, inspired, and creative people who are now sharing the beauty and versatility of “The Best Paint in the World” for repainting and repurposing furniture, cabinetry, and decorative accessories with this amazing product.

Royal Design Studio is sponsoring the tour with a free French Damask stencil, exclusive to all tour participants, that was designed by Annie herself.


Annie Sloan with stencil

In the Stockist’s workshop Annie shared with us an easy stencil technique that is a wonderful way to add layers of color and the expression of age and time with Chalk Paint.

Clear crackle varnish

We were also introduced to Craqueleur, a two step clear crackle varnish that is ideal for adding the effects of age to furniture and can be used over stenciling and decoupage work as well.

Most inspiring of all was the lecture Annie gave us on color theory using her Chalk Paints. She has prepared a series of boards that she will also share on the tour that shows how easily colors can be combined and neutralized, as well as gorgeous color combinations to represent French, Scandinavian, Boho Vintage, Neutral, and Modern design themes. If you are unable to make it to a class on the tour, Annie also shares color colour advice regularly on her Paint & Colour blog.

In addition to playing with paint, we also got to “just play.” Here is a photo of  Lisa Richert getting ready to lead the 2nd line dance at the fabulous party that they threw for us in one of the beautiful mansions of the New Orleans Garden District. Lisa also leads Annie Sloan in North America (and soon in Australia, mate!) as Annie Sloan Unfolded. What has impressed me the most (and always has) is Lisa’s passion for this paint, her commitment to Annie Sloan both as a person and a brand, and the complete professionalism and dedication of her whole inspiring team.

Annie herself is a true “original”, a consummate and accomplished artist without ego-full of as much grace and humility as talent and creativity. She leads by example and everything related to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint flows beautifully from her. It’s an honor to be an ambassador for her and her brand.

Is Annie Sloan coming to a city near you? Find out here. The tour has begun but there is still time to register for upcoming workshops in San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Leesburg, and Boston!

 

March 4th, 2012

Yummy Stencil Makeover

I have a rather large book case wall unit in my living room.  It’s…OK. Just OK. It’s functional. It’s “there”. I often look at it and think a) needs dusting AGAIN!, b) I need to give some of those books to Goodwill, and c) It would be so cool to paint it, stencil the back, and rid it of some clutter while upping it’s “cool” quotient.

I have a very simple but VERY gorgeous furniture stencil project by blogger Sarah Gunn to share, which is a perfect illustration of my thought process. It was recently featured on the Canadian blog Yummy Mummy Club.

furniture stencil bookcase makeover

Bookcase Before: nice, functional, stores stuff adequately but no great shakes.

furniture stencil makeover

Bookcase After: it’s like someone blew a breath of fresh air into the room! Sarah used one of my fav stencil patterns from Royal Design Studio-the Small Eastern Lattice. The green color is so, so pretty with the blue walls and it makes the white and silver accessories just pop. Instead of blending into the background, this simple furniture piece now has “presence”.

Stenciling on the back of a bookcase or wall unit is actually pretty easy as you can generally just pop that thin piece of wood off the back, paint it, and then reinstall it with finishing nails of a staple gun. How about you? Do you have a similar stencil project calling your name?

PS  Sarah also shared some stenciling tips on a recent airing of City Line, a fun morning show out of Canada.  AND, besides writing for the Yummy Mummy Club and TV appearances, Sarah also has her own business, Polka Dot Grove, which offers adorable custom canvas art for children’s rooms!

 

February 19th, 2012

All in the Family (Circle)

Growing up, we always had Family Circle magazines around the house. In fact, my Mom still has a subscription. Now, I’ll admit, it is no longer a “must read” magazine for me the way that Elle Decor, Veranda, and House Beautiful are, but this month’s issue is one I HAD to pick up!

You see, there is a lovely little furniture stencil project in there written by the talented (and welcome NEW discovery for me) Suzonne Sterling of the wonderful Urban Comfort blog.

furniture stencil-Easter Lattice

Suzonne used our Small Eastern Lattice stencil on a metal coffee table. Because this particular stencil requires you to paint in the negative spaces around the trellis pattern, Suzonne basecoated the table in a gold metallic paint first. She then did the stenciling in the brown color, so that the actual trellis pattern shines through. Suzonne posted about this project on her own blog here and you can find more detailed instructions also on the Family Circle website.

You will probably want to set aside some time to peruse Urban Comfort. It’s full of inspiring DIY ideas. I particularly liked this idea of creating a Winter Butterfly Garden and think this would be so, so pretty on a mantle of as a dining table centerpiece!

She also recently did a wonderful post on the upcoming Annie Sloan U.S. tour. As a stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I gotta love that one too!!