Kids’ Room Constellation Mural

Lately I have done a number of murals in public kids’ spaces – but it had been a while since I had done a kids’ bedroom mural… at least until I did this constellation mural in Weston, MA!

Collaborating with the fabulous interior designers at Briar Design, the goal was to pick up on the theme of constellation wallpaper in the same room (picture below).  The wallpaper is on one accent wall, so the idea was to follow the same theme with the mural, but keep with the light background of the existing wall color (basically making my mural the “negative” of the wallpaper).

The wallpaper on the wall opposite the mural

When putting the design together, I was obviously working with constellations – but I wanted to make sure my colors pulled in tones from the rug, curtains and wallpaper on the opposing wall.  When looking at the starts themselves, I wanted it to be fun while also giving a nod to the mid-century modern style in the rest of the house.

After presenting my design concept, my partners at Briar and the client felt I hit the mark – so I was on to painting the final mural!

It was gratifying that my client was happy with the results – but even more fun to experience the joy of their 7 year-old son, who ran in after school every day sharing his enthusiasm with the progress!

Enjoy!

Jason

The final mural!

A close-up with the astronauts Briar Design selected

Miles of Faux painted Marble

OK – maybe not “miles” – but this was a lot of faux painted marble!

My client Francesca brought me in to transform her “normal” woodwork into something special!  The main focal point was the bannisters and newel posts leading up a grand staircase in the home’s foyer and around the balcony – but it also included 4 columns and 2 decorative niches.  To go with the grandeur of the space, Francesca’s vision was to transform all of these elements from painted wood to elegant marble!

The first step was to determine the colors that would go into the faux marble.  Working with Francesca, we found colors from her carpet, the walls, the floor and the wallpaper murals that would work together well to make a marble look, while also tying the final result together with the rest of the space.  With these colors in hand, I was then on to creating sample boards to get Francesca’s approval.  Working with my colleague Joan, we created 2 different options to present – and ultimately, together with Francesca we decided on a final version that used elements from both concepts.

Once we knew the colors, patterning and process – we were on to painting!!  The key to making a believable faux marble is painting multiple layers.  This builds the depth and creates overlap of elements – much like natural marble.  In the end, we painted 7 different layers to get this look!

The extensive process was worth it, as Francesca was thrilled with the result of creating a realistic marble look with colors that work perfectly in her space.

Here are pictures of the final product -

Enjoy!

Jason

Looking across the balcony

Looking down from the balcony

Modern Art Textured Plaster Walls

The term “decorative painting” can be misleading – since often the finishes I do (gold leaf, metallic plaster, Venetian plaster, etc.) are not created with paint!

This was the case with a recent project.  Collaborating with interior designer Nicole Hirsch and my colleague Joan Kingsbury, the goal was to create a wall texture that was unique and contemporary.  With this brief in mind, we were on to the design process, starting with a sample board. Using a drag technique in plaster, the board showed how we could create bold geometric shapes and patterns in the plaster.

Nicole liked the board and we were on to the final room! The first step here was to draw out the pattern on the wall – looking at each wall as a piece of abstract art. When doing the drawings, we focused on the composition to make sure the design was balanced and kept the viewer’s eyes moving around (rather than focusing on one area).  Joan and I did one wall to get Nicole’s approval and then were off to the races with the rest of the space!

The end result was both striking and soothing at the same time – perfect for this bedroom!  The final walls were painted in a light grayish off-white, which capped off the clean, contemporary look.

It turned out that capturing the texture with a photograph was difficult (the camera couldn’t capture what you could see in person) – but these photos give a sense of the end product.

Enjoy!

Jason

Fantasy Mural sets the scene for Playroom at Therapeutic Center for Children!

The Lark Center is a new facility in Norwood, MA that provides therapeutic play and learning for children.  As they were building out the space, the Lark team (Becca and Michelle) had an area dedicated to play and a vision to make it magical – which is where I came in!

The first piece of the puzzle was a play structure – which the Lark team planned to have custom-built by Gavin Lynn of The Creative Carpentry Company.  To accompany the play structure, Becca wanted a mural to create a “playful, whimsical and magical” environment for the kids.

Sometimes when I meet with a client, it takes a little while of collaboration to come up with the theme for a mural – but when I first met with Becca and Gavin, this mural theme came to me within minutes.  When I proposed to Becca that I do a sunset scene with giant mushrooms, a frog and a ladybug – she immediately was on board!  Taking this idea to the next level, Gavin proposed to make his play structure look like a mushroom – and we were off to the races.

As always, I started with a scale concept painting to make sure my idea is exactly what my clients want.  Allowing for the space of the play structure, I did this concept painting (below) for Becca’s approval – and again, she was quick to approve!  With the design ready to go, I was also good to share with Gavin, so he could design his structure and plan for colors that would tie in with my mural.

The design concept

Once the space was ready for me, I was on to painting the mural.  At this point, the Lark Center was just getting started, so it was a blast to be a part of all the excitement and energy of the Lark team as they watched the progress.  Once the mural was complete, Gavin came in and worked his magic with the play center.

It was amazing to go back to the Lark center when they had their grand opening to watch kids gasp and squeal with glee when they saw the room and jumped in to play!

Enjoy!

The space, including Gavin’s mushroom play house!

The ladybug in the crawl space/nook under the play house

Peeking out from the crawl space!

Origami-Inspired Murals at the Wellesley Free Library

I don’t get the opportunity to collaborate with other artists too often – so it was a thrill to work with the Origami team at Origamido Studio on a large mural and installation project at the Wellesley Free Library!

The Wellesley Library completed a large renovation project this fall, and I was thrilled to be asked back (after I worked with then at the Fells Branch) to be a part of the project. During the planning process, The library team knew they would be doing a origami-influenced installation of butterflies in the Children’s Room, and they knew they also wanted murals in the space, but the concept was left open.  The one direction I had was that the space is also used by adults, so my designs needed to be appealing to both children and adults

My first instinct was to work with the origami theme.  To make my designs child-friendly but also more sophisticated, I decided to paint origami subjects as if they were a fine-art still life painting.  I wanted to use bright colors for kids, but also play with the compositions and shadows to elevate the paintings.  As a proof-of-concept, I did a quick watercolor sketch to present to the team:

My concept sketch for the library team

The idea was a hit!  My next challenge was figuring out how to find the origami I would be painting in order to do many of these compositions – so I reached out to Michael LaFosse and Richard Alexander at Origamido Studio.  To tie my paintings to their installation, I asked if they would be willing to create origami subjects for me that I could then arrange and paint – and they were more than happy to help!  What they delivered far exceeded my expectations – with boxes of amazing paper animals and plants for me to work from (I had requested animals for the walls and plants for the columns).  I asked that all of the origami be made with gray paper so I could arrange all of my compositions and then make my decisions on colors.  Below is an example of one of my studies of these origami creations:

My photo of 2 Origamido creations as models for my paintings

As usual, my next step was to do my concept paintings.  To add to the depth of the painting, I first painted them in all sepia tones and them painting the colors over the top.  Below are examples of the sepia painting and the final color version:

The first step in the design painting

Final color version of design painting

With all 10 of my concept paintings done and approved, I was on to the final walls!  As I did with my designs, I painted the final murals first in sepia tones and then in color – below is an example:

The sepia under-painting on the final wall

The final mural (photo by Dan Nystedt)

To give a sense of scale, here is the largest of the murals in the process of being painted:

A candid shot of me in the process of painting one of the murals

In the end, the murals and the butterfly installation worked great together!  Below are all of the murals, plus some shots of the installation. A special shout-out to Dan Nystedt of Nystedt Photography for his beautiful photos. Enjoy!!

Faux painted Tile

In the category of unique solutions – this recent project had me faux-painting board to look just like the surrounding tile.

The contractor who called me in had a tough challenge.  To make the required updates and repairs meant ripping out the existing tile – but when he ordered the replacement tile it did not match!  The client liked the existing tile and did not want to switch out the tile in the rest of the bathroom – so the contractor had to figure out how to make his repaired area blend in – which is when he called me!

I was able to paint and seal the board he installed to look exactly like the surrounding/existing tile – and the client was thrilled! 

I only took one “before” photo before I painted the first coat.  The other “before” photos show my first coat of paint (the color of the grout) and my tape for the grout lines before I painted the tile colors.

 Enjoy!

Jason

Before #1 (raw surface and the beginning of the base-painting

After #1

Before #2 (showing beginnings of establishing the grout lines)

After #2

Before #3 (showing the other end of the tub surround)

After #3

After #3a

Train Table Mural

I was honored to be a part of this custom train table mural project for the Burlington Library.  The table was funded by the Jackson Walsh Memorial Fund, and is dedicated to Jackson Walsh, a one-and-a-half-year-old boy who unexpectedly passed away.

Working with the Jackson family and Library Director Michael Wick, our goal in the mural design was to acknowledge and honor Jackson and his love of trains, while also creating an experience for Burlington area families that would be engaging and pay homage to the area.

 We decided to use bright colors depicting Burlington landmarks, while also including the Walsh family and a cardinal, which is meaningful to the family.

Working with Michael and the builder, Jonathan Ota of Gunner Grey Furniture, we were on to configuring the table top – complete with the track layout and a hole for kids to be able to pop in the middle if the train. With this in hand, I was on to designing the mural.

Below are pictures of the end result – which has already been enjoyed by many children visiting the Burlington Library!

The train table in place at the Burlington Library

Depiction of the Walsh family

Depiction of the library and cardinal in honor of Jackson

Depiction of Burlington Town Hall and Mill Pond

Depiction of Burlington town green gazebo, the Francis Wyman House and Mary Cummings Park

Abstract Mural in a Stairwell!

One my favorite things about what I do is the variety of projects I get to work on – and my recent abstract mural in a stairwell is a perfect example!

In the process of re-imagining their downstairs space, my client and her designer envisioned something fun, colorful and contemporary on the stairwell wall to brighten the space and make a dynamic impact… which is when I got called in!

After talking through ideas, I decided to show a concept painting using bold blocks of color painted to look like a large postmodern work of art – which they loved!

With everyone on the same page, I was on to painting the mural in the final space with my colleague Joan – which accomplished all of the client’s goals!

Enjoy!

Jason

View from the bottom of the stairs

View from the top of the stairs

Westwood Library Murals

The goals of each of my mural projects are different – and in the case of the Westwood Library, it was fun to do a 2-part mural that tells a story!

The Westwood Library is re-opening its Islington branch in a brand-new location, and they called me in to add a special touch to the children’s section.  One unique challenge in this case is that the space I had to work with was broken onto 2 distinct sections – one smaller section of wall is to the left of a bank of windows, and the other is to the right.  When brainstorming with the Library team about content, they wanted something bright and fun, and suggested it include a book, a ladybug and a butterfly.

With all of this in hand, I was on to the design process!

 Since I had 2 spaces, I wanted to tie them together somehow – so I decided to use them as 2 “pages” of a story.  Since they wanted me to include a book, I wanted the book to play a key role in my story that would unfold from the left from top the right.  When I started thinking of my design in this light, I came up with the idea of growth – and quickly decided on using the “baby” ladybug (nymph) and butterfly (caterpillar) of the left – and them the “adults” on the right.  I then used the title and content of the book to tie the images together with each other, as well as the library – with this design:

My design for left of the windows

My design for right of the windows

I presented this to the library team and they loved it!  With their approval in hand, I was off to painting the final mural!

The final mural - left of windows

The final mural - right of windows

Enjoy!

Jason

High-End Finishes for a High-End Showroom

It’s not too often that I get to do metallic plaster, silver leaf, Venetian plaster, gold paint and a mural all in the same location – but I recently did just that at the SDI showroom in Needham!  SDI is a provider of high-end home automation, theater, lighting and sound.  Their products are amazing and their team is even better – and I was honored that they chose me to add the dazzle to their new showroom on Highland Ave!!

The project started with a brainstorming session with owners Alexa and Angel before the walls were even up in their new space.  They knew they wanted the finishes to give the space an elevated feel, and they had the beginnings of a color scheme in mind – but from there, it was all about coming up with ideas as a team. 

For the walls in the main space, we settled on metallic plaster as a way to add some interest and dazzle as customers walked in the door – without being too busy or overwhelming.  For the color, we looked at available colors and decided to do some testing with a mix of colors to get the champagne tone they wanted, but to make it a lighter than the stock colors.

In the main space, there are also two tray ceilings that they wanted treated with special finishes.  For the smaller of the 2 ceilings toward the back of the showroom, we settled on silver leaf to complement the wall colors and also call attention to the lights displayed in the recessed area.  For the larger ceiling right inside the door, we took an idea from my website where I used directional gold paint (meaning the paint shows the direction of the brush strokes due to the actual metal in the paint).  For my past project, I did swirls – but to keep things a bit cleaner and more formal, we decided to try to do “tiles” – square of paint with the brush strokes going in alternating directions.

As an additional accent, there was a column being built to display a particular product that they wanted highlighted.  We wanted to create some drama with this finish and also tie in with the other colors around it (including a large custom display case they were having built). To accomplish these goals, we decided to use a high-gloss Venetian plaster finish in black.

In a separate listening room, we decided to continue with the metallic plaster to make it flow with the main room, but we went with a lighter silver color to brighten and differentiate the space.

Finally, in the back of the showroom, Alexa and Angel wanted me to do a “paint drip” mural similar to something I did a while back in their home!  In this case, we went with silver paint to keep with the overall look of the showroom.

As usual, I was off to creating test boards!  For the metallic plaster colors, I did a few boards showing different mixes to make sure we had some options to choose from for the perfect fit.  Showing what the “tiled” gold paint ceiling would look like was also important – so I did a scaled-down version for everyone to see.  With these, along with the silver leaf and black venetian samples – we laid them all out and saw that the overall scheme was just what they wanted!

Once construction was done and the walls were ready, I was on to making all of these plans a reality.

The project is done and the showroom is now open!  Feel free to stop by to meet the SDI team, look at their amazing products and enjoy the beautiful showroom!

Enjoy!

Jason

Metallic plater in main space

Directional gold paint “tiled” ceiling

Venetian plaster column

Close-up on Venetian plaster

Silver leaf ceiling

Silver paint drip mural

Faux Finish Repairs

One of the trickiest things I do is matching an old faux finish that was originally created by someone else.  The final look of a glazed faux finish appears to be one color – but it is made up of a base color and then a translucent glaze of a second color – creating the appearance of a mottled 3rd color that is very difficult to reverse engineer!

In this case, I had actually already done the heavy lifting of matching these colors about 2 years ago, when I did repairs for the same client due to some water damage.  Unfortunately, they had more water damage that took out another wall! 

While I knew the colors I needed, the challenge was not over.  After mixing and painting the base color, I had to experiment with the application of the glaze to get it just right (having the right color is not enough!).  Additionally, because the damage extended to the adjacent 2 walls, I had seams between the old finish and my repair to contend with.  When this happens, you can’t overlap the glaze – because it just makes the old finish darker.  Instead, I had to make a sharp seam between new and old – and then blend those seams with 2 additional paint colors to make them disappear!

With this part done – I was on to the fun bit of matching up the mural vine that started to the left of this wall and originally extended just a little to the right of the wall.

In the end, there was no way to tell there was ever any damage!

Enjoy!

Jason

The wall before my faux repairs

And after!

Camouflage Mural on Electric Box

“You painted what?”  “Where?!” Are often responses I hear when explaining some of my projects… and my recent job is no exception!

Adding to the list of interesting things I have painted, my challenge on this job was to make an electrical box blend into nature but be beautiful at the same time… an “attractive camo” mural if you will. 

The conversations with my client began with her vision to do a mottled faux finish - but when I did a test board, she decided it didn’t blend enough. As we discussed options, I proposed more of a mural approach, using overlapping tree patterns.  My client liked this idea and wanted me to dance a fine line between traditional camouflage and an attractive mural of trees.  As always, I did a test board of the pattern I proposed (below), and my client was on board (no pun intended)!

From there, it was on to painting the panel.  The biggest challenge was working with all of the shapes in the panel while still keeping a logical flow of the trees/branches – which also made this a lot of fun to paint!  The ¾ front view is how you see the box from the parking spaces and the back view is what you see from the road – so these angles were a particular focus (although all views are completely muraled).

In the end, my client was thrilled with how well the panel blended and how it transformed a utilitarian box into a work of art on her property.

 Enjoy!

Jason

Front of the box - view from the parking area

Back of the box - view from the street

Faux Brick Painting Hides HVAC!

So much of the work I do is about making a space beautiful with a mural, decorative paint finish or specialty surface treatment --  but I also enjoy the challenge that comes when I need to make things blend in with faux painting!

This was the case on a recent project where I needed to make an HVAC unit and the surrounding pipes disappear into the background of the surrounding bricks.  In addition to matching the various colors of the bricks and mortar, I also needed to replicate the aged look and the distressed whitewashing.

First, I needed to prime the unit (my “before” picture is partially primed) to insure the adhesion of the paint.  With this complete, I painted everything the colors of the mortar – which I achieved with 4 colors to get the textured and speckled look.  Once this was dry, I needed to tape off the brick pattern, leaving the mortar covered.  I then painted each brick – making sure to match the colors and also include the variation of the original bricks.  Each brick was individually painted with multiple colors to make them look authentic.

Once my brick colors were complete, I was able to create the look of the distressed whitewashing as well as some of the staining of the area around the unit.

In the end, my client was thrilled!  These shots were taken up close from the surrounding garden.  When viewed from the driveway (another 6 feet back), the pipes and HVAC unit blend right in!

Enjoy!

Jason

The HVAC unit and pipes before faux painting (partially primed)

Starting the painting of the bricks!

The final result!

Painting Wallpaper to Look Like Patinaed Gold

Sometimes I paint specialty finishes that look like wallpaper – but on a recent project, I actually painted on wallpaper for a specialty finish!

This was not your standard wallpaper, however.  Made by Lincrusta, this wallpaper is embossed – creating a three-dimensional pattern that looks like decorative plaster.

My client Cathy had the vision to enhance the Lincrusta paper in her dining room by painting it green and then having gold paint applied to the raised surfaces to create the effect of embossed gold that had aged with a greenish patina and had the raised surfaces burnished by years of wear.  I loved this idea and was excited to collaborate with Cathy when she called me in to help make this vision come to life!

As always, the first step was to create a test board to make sure I was getting the look Cathy wanted before painting the walls.  In this case, Cathy had done tests on her own and already had a good start on the best technique for the desired effect!  I took a scrap of the paper back to the studio and worked up a sample to show how I could make this work across the room.

When I returned with the test, Cathy and I collaborated further and I was on to the wall.  One lesson I have learned over the years is to always start on the most inconspicuous part of a room – which I did in Cathy’s dining room to get her final approval on the look for the rest of the space.  With the thumbs up on my first section – I was on to transforming the rest of the room.

It was extremely gratifying to have accomplished exactly the look Cathy was going for – and to help her create an amazing space!

Below are some pictures of the final result

Enjoy!

Jason

Sneak Peek of the Winchester Library Murals!

I just finished my weeks-long project at the Winchester Library Children’s Room!  It is not open to the public yet, so at this point we are only releasing a few sneak-peek pictures of the 20 mural vignettes throughout the room.

 The Children’s Room has a whimsical nature theme - with animals, birds, insects, twisty tree and giant flowers throughout the space.

 There will be more to come soon!

 Enjoy!

Jason

Sneak peek!!!

It has been fantastic working with the Wellesley Library team again on another project!  This one is in the main library branch and includes 8 murals ranging in size from 9’ high by 4’ wide all the way up to 6’ high by 25’ wide.  I am working with an origami theme for all of the murals and have been fortunate to partner with the Origamido team and using their designs as my subjects.  The opening is planned for October and the reveal will be a surprise – but this one small origami detail is being sneaked as a teaser for the many critters (and more!) that are underway.  More to come in October!!

Enjoy!

Jason

Now That’s a Statement Wall!

Many of my clients want subtlety… subtle beauty, subtle interest, etc… But not this recent client!!

I partnered with my colleague Joan on this project in Bedford, MA – where the goal was to do something bold and different.  Our client Jack was interested in samples we showed him using rust (yes, rust!) and metallic plaster.  He liked the idea of fading one into the other, as well as a fade with the plaster colors – so we were on to creating his bold statement wall.

The rust is an amazing product.  You first paint an iron-infused base coat and then apply an acid activator that creates actual rust.  This gives all the natural variation of real rust with the flexibility to apply it wherever you want it.  We started with this at the top and let it drip down a couple of feet from the ceiling. 

For the metallic plaster, Jack and his wife liked greens and wanted us to create an ombre effect – fading up from darker, more saturated greens to lighter colors and ultimately up to the rust.

It was fun to do something this bold!  It was also fun to get Jack’s text when the job was done – saying “it’s soooo cool. I love it!”

Enjoy!

Jason

Close up of plaster ombre

Close up of fade into rust

Completing the Grandeur of this Master Bedroom with Metallic Plaster

Sometimes I am called in from the beginning of a design process to collaborate on finishes, and other times, I am called in as a “fix”!

On a recent project – the “fix” started with understanding the original goals.  The challenge was created by a high-gloss wallpaper that unfortunately was flawed, and needed to be taken down as soon as they started installing it.  The project was a new-construction house that was near completion and suddenly the master bedroom became an obstacle to reaching the finish line!

The original goal of the designer and client was to add to the special feeling of this grand master bedroom with the pop of the high-gloss paper.  With that option off the table, the designer called me, and we were back to the drawing board.  To come up with a solution, we started with the goal of making the finish feel special and looked at options I could create.  After considering various specialty products and techniques, we settled on the metallic plaster - which has a rich, velvety textured look that also has a beautiful shine.  Working with the tones in the carpet, we chose plaster colors in white, creamy off-white and slightly grayish off-white that I combined to create slight variations in color in addition to the variations in shine and texture.

And it was a success!  In the end, the client liked the metallic plaster even better than  the look that the wallpaper was supposed to create!

Enjoy!

Jason

Close-up showing texture and shine!

Lime Paint Adds “Wow” Factor to Bathroom

I recently got a call from my interior design friends at Briar Design to collaborate on a specialty finish for the master bath on a project of theirs.

The clients are from Ireland and have an affinity for the old-world look of the aged plaster in Ireland, but also like a clean, more contemporary look.  The wife, Sheri, is also a big fan of color – so we needed something that would work with the adjacent spaces without being too neutral. Most importantly, the finish needed to be interesting and give the bathroom a “wow” factor.

I brought some samples of different finishes in different colors to look at in the space together with Briar and Sheri, and my lime paint sample immediately stood out.  The subtle, natural variation added just enough character to give the interest they were looking for, while still not looking too fussy with the rest of the clean décor.

For the color, we chose this soft grayish green which gave just the right look in combination with the spaces around it.

With the finish chosen – I was on to creating the look!  Lime paint is a multi-stage project that requires a base coat, troweled second coat and then a wax finish to seal it.  The wax finish gives the end result a beautiful soft glow that also has subtle variation (because it is also trowel-applied).

The completed look was a hit!  It was exactly what the designer and client were looking for.

Below is a picture of the final result, with a close-up to show the shine of the finish.

Enjoy!

Jason

Close-up showing the soft glow of the wax finish

Hand-Painted “Wallpaper” Elevates Ceiling!

Creating custom design solutions is a big part of what I do – and this recent ceiling project is a great example.  I was working with one of my interior designer partners, whose client had chosen a wallpaper for her entry hall closet and powder room – and wanted a treatment on the ceiling that would “elevate” the space to a whole new level!

The wallpaper chosen was ornate, but with a bit of an eclectic twist to it that went with the décor throughout the house.  Our challenge for the ceiling was to keep with the ornate theme without making the overall effect too busy.  The designer knew she wanted a painted “wallpaper” look, and it was up to me to create the design.

Working with a sample of the paper, I first chose a palette that built off the cream tones in the wallpaper, using the apricot colors as the accent.  Because green was the dominant color of the paper, I chose not to emphasize this in my pattern.  For the design, I wanted to use some of the smaller elements from the paper so my design did not complete with the walls – so I picked up on the flower buds and the feeling of motion in the wallpaper.  As usual, my first step was to create a sample board to share with the designer and client.  They loved where I I was going with the design, so I was on to painting the ceilings!

The concept board

Using my design as a guide, I drew and painted the design on the ceilings – starting with the closet hallway.  When I had completed all of it minus the green accents, I found that I liked it more without any green in the ceiling at all.  After collaborating with the designer – we decided to leave it without the green and I was off to painting the second ceiling.

The end result accomplished exactly the look the homeowner and designer were looking for!

Both ceilings

Close-up of bath ceiling

The hall ceiling (light fixture still to come!)

Enjoy!

-Jason