Carved Words

"What would you do in this room?" client asked.

"Words. Definently words. Your family motto, or goal, or something that inspired you, right here..." I suggested.

Client wanted subtle, "like carving" on this soffit. Great quote for a family room!

Beach Sunrise With Palms and Chairs

From start to finish here is how I do a beach mural:
Start with mid-tone blue SATIN finish or eggshell. It is a nice, smooth surface for me to paint on. Please finish basecoat painting at least a week before I come to paint mural, so paint has time to cure, harden. Not too dark, not too light, but a base color that you love----I can make a beach mural on top of orange, green, pink, purple...it doesn't matter. But think of how the color will show on the walls that I do not paint.

I strongly suggest client finds bedding first, before I come to paint. Solids are easy to work with. This client chose a bedspread that made the her think of her favorite things about the ocean. It is much, MUCH easier for me to use the colors from your fabrics, than for you to try and find a finished bedspread that coordinates with colors I choose. FABRIC FIRST. I will make it blend. That is my job!

It is a good idea to re-hang items that you want me to paint around. Put the mirror at the right height for you, even tape off where furniture will be placed. The client moved the bed away from the wall, but showed me where the headboard would be lined up. That helps me. Leave me 24 inches to stand and place my little ladder.
I like to start with the horizon line, where the sky meets the water. Not half-way on the wall. I try and make it work from the perspective client will see the room as she walks in, and compatible with view from bed.
Client wanted a sun path on water, either a sunrise or sunset, "cool colors at the top and warm colors near the bottom." I thought that was very astute instructions from a teenager, who knows what she likes.
I didn't want it to look like a rainbow, and needed to tie in the great orange and pinks from her new bedding. Keeping a wet edge, I layered on the paint in horizontal bands. And blended. I only used two brushes: violet/blue and orange/pink. I had some turquoise glaze to keep things wet and used a big sponge to move around the colors.


Add water/wave lines, cloud mid-tones.

Clouds are relaxing to look at, but take lots of elbow grease. Wax on-wax off.
And where do you end, really? I like how this mural bled off into the corners.
Open the closet door, and mural only extends 6 inches or so.
Do not be afraid to paint the hardware, treat it as wall. Two coats of satin polyurethane over the top when mural is dry protects from fingerprint abuse and use.



My signature is hidden in this corner. Just for fun.


A small bedroom this size with focus wall and closet and small wall to left and seagulls is a $300 project plus $25 for SUPER GLOW IN DARK paint effects. Not counting basecoat painting. If I do all the prep work, I have to charge more for my time.

But it is worth it! Paint transforms a room, and you can be on vacation every day for the price of one plane ticket!

Updated Damask

After shot of dinning room:


Before (from Ugly 80's, dated colors and wall paper border):


Elegant, bold, fun and dramatic damask on dinning room walls. Originally I thought I was going to do an all-over design, filling all white spaces, but stopped at this point. It was enough. Dramatic view from street when lit up at night!


This was a surprise treat for client-friend. She left me her keys to cat-sit and bring in the mail. She was gone a week. She invited us to use her pool all week. To make ourselves feel at home.

So I took her dinning room and treated it like my own!

I knew she loved my dinning room ceiling (same damask pattern is on my ceiling) and she was in process of ripping off border. I knew if she hated what I did, I could always paint over it for her...


But she loves it!

Ralph Lauren Ballroom gold paint below chair rail.

Rocking Kids Music Room

Silhouette band with red scarf blowing!


Before (a mural just waiting to happen!):

"C" is for Cars

Nine foot tall stripes in multi-blues and cream on focal-point* beige background wall.

Two-foot high cars and trucks inspired by "C" is for Cars nursery collection by Pottery Barn Kids.

This quilt has lots of periwinkle in it. Best paint match was mixing pure white with light periwinkle craft paint.

*FOCAL POINT=(the wall where the crib will go) the wall with no window, no light switch, opposite the entry door wall. The biggest wall you see in a room. Mural should go here.

Pink and Pretty

(I need a professional photographer who would remind me to pull off the blue tape for the picture!)