Faux Finishing with Silver

We just finished the Winter Olympics and the Hollywood awards season, where gold is the prized metal.  But in the design world, it is all about silver-gold's cool sophisticated cousin.  The cover and an entire home in the March 2010 issue of Traditional Home is dedicated to using this modern and glamorous metal.  In color theory, silver is a major conductor that enhances patients and perseverance.  Too much grey in your silver can induce melancholy and lifelessness.  Not enough grey in your silver may lead to uncertainty and feeling stuck between choices.  With the range of silver products available, it easier then ever to add a little "silver lining" to any room.

Leafing is a popular way to incorporate silver into your decor.  Below, I used decoupaged paper with silver and gold metal leaf squares to repair an antique french mirror.

Easier and more economical then leaf squares is using Silver Foil.  We carry both a bright silver, a dull silver, hologram silver, and a specialty silver and beige.  In combination with a foil size, the foil adheres to a variety of surfaces including dry wall, plasters, and wood surfaces.

Silver foil is used as a base layer on the samples above and below.  On the Savoy Silver sample, it is used under the Ebony Frost Lusterstone Stencil and on the Glazed Grainitine sample, the foil is under the Sandstone Plaster.

Placing foil on the top of a finish creates an equally pleasing and lively look.  On the Gilded Mesa sample, the dull silver foil is applied on top of the dried plaster. 

Our Tumbled Marble tile is given a rich update, with the bright silver foil applied to Quartzstone with a Faux Metal Bright Gold Organica stencil applied on top.

For many projects sandwiching the foil between layers leaves the right amount of bling for a variety of rooms.

For the Sun Vally Foil finish (above) we place the Silver Foil over a low texture. Lusterstone is then pulled over the foil to mute the potential gaudiness while retaining the reflective depth of the metal.

The above finish is very popular for feature walls in bedrooms.  Bright Silver foil is between layers of a custom Turquoise Lusterstone. The foil is glazed and then the upper layer of the Lusterstone is skip troweled to soften the look but still allow areas of the foil to shine through. Champagne Mist is used for the Wallsover Branching out stencil.

And for those of you that remember disco, break out your three piece white leisure suit and zodiac pendant. 

Nothing says "It's fun to stay at the YMCA" more then our Studio 54 sample.