Mid-Week Madness

          Before I pack it in for 10 days and go to paradise-how about looking at some random samples? 

You know how it goes before you take a vacation-lots of loose ends to tie up.  In my case, I had a bathroom door, 2 counter top samples, and a design assignment.  Then there was a bid proposal and two new class curriculum to get ready. Oh yea, our IDAL application and sample pictures that are due while I am away. Whew, I really need a ......

"I believe this fine beverage has your name on it"

"Why thank you my good friend but first things first."  Like getting my bathroom door painted.  I purchased on inexpensive plastic door with a faux wood grain.  The base color is a custom Setcoat we make called Spencer Brown.  It is equal parts of Royal Taupe Setcoat and Brown Setcoat.

I mixed the new Super Hide Metallic Silver and the Super-Hide Metallic Rich Gold with Finishing Paste. This is a clear paste that is thicker then Aquawax and less shiny then Aquawax or Palette Deco Clear. I brushed the two colors at the same time following the grain.

When the Finishing Paste dries, the metallic colors really pop.  I thinned Neutral White Setcoat with Faux Creme Clear and brushed it over the finishing.  As I worked a section, I wiped it back with cheesecloth, creating a lime wash effect.

When the Setcoat was dry-later that afternoon-I rolled a coat of C500 Satin over the whole piece.  Now my Modern Pickled Door is ready for install.

Next....Our assignment was to come up with a "shiny" finish for a living room feature wall that uses colors in Mocha, a Silvery Blue Sage, and a Platinum. 

This is the first fabric swatch-A chenille damask.

And this..."Could you just match that little silver thread?"

The finish needs to be in a "Venetian Plaster" with a coordinating finish in the powder bath and a breakfast nook.  Since the home is painted a specific color on the surrounding walls, I selected a polish plaster base that I could mix with the client's actual paint.

I selected Venetian Gem Tint Base.  This is a versatile product that many people forget about.  It may be tinted with all FE colorants and I've tinted with flat paint in small amounts-no more then 1/2 cup of paint per Gallon. If you try this at home, do a sample to make sure you get the amount of polish that you want.  I use the VGTB to thin the pre-tinted Venetian Plaster making them more translucent. This allows you to trowel multiple semi-transparent colors at the same time to create nice marble and stone effects.  I mixed Mocha by adding 1 part Brown Faux Creme Color + 1 part Dark Brown Faux Creme Color + Venetian Gem Tint Base.  This is troweled in a high/low coat.

The plaster dries about 25% darker then what is in the bucket. Next, I mixed the client's paint in the Tint Base, and I mixed a separate batch of Tint Base and Pewter Gold Metal Glow.  All three colors are troweled at the same time-lapping and not spotting in the colors.  The plaster polishes from the blade.

If the finish is not blended enough, the 3 colors may be tightly bladed again. Each layer dries very quickly and get more polished as you apply more product.

For the powder bath, I used the Spotted Champagne Foil because it already had silver and mocha in it. Why make it harder? Lusterstone Tint base is tinted with the exact same colors used with the Venetian Gem Tint Base. This is randomly troweled over the foil. Finally, a Royal Design Stencil is used in the client's paint color.

The breakfast nook starts with the same Venetian Gem Mocha.  This is troweled and pulled with a wallpaper brush. 

Ashley dragged the same wallpaper brush through Wunda Size and then brushed it over the plaster.

She applied bright silver foil. Then, using the Lusterstone Tint base again, we made a Silvery Sage Lusterstone with a little Dark Brown and Green colors.

Here is the design plan presented to the client:

I called it the Modern Romantic Metallics-maybe that will help it sell?

Finally, we finished some new back splash and counter top samples:

Now, I am ready to really get to work....

"Bruce, would you like more lotion?"