Palm Trees and Stripes

Your guest bath is meant to entertain. Even if the space is small, it can be delightfully decorated. This guest bath was given a coastal look with hand painted stripes and palm treetops. The base color is a pale aqua shade (PPG1034-2 Honesty. The stripes and palm fronds are painted in SW SW9053. Using a vertical pattern helps give the illusion of height in the lower ceiling room.  The overall effect feels like wallpaper that is crisp, coastal, and entertaining. 

Creating the stripes takes patience. Decide the thickness of the stripe. I used a stripe that would match as if it were a tree trunk size for the palm treetops. You’ll definitely need a level and lots of painter's tape to mark of the stripes.:

For the palm fronds I used a premade stencil by Cutting Edge in their small version of the image.  The stencil comes with a tree trunk. However, as you can see, I used only the top portion of the palm tree. The palm fronds are painted onto every other stripe to give the space an airy feel:

Let’s create something beautiful for your wall space. Contact me at Swan Studios Inc

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Cow parsley on Dreamy Faux Finish

 

Cow parsley on Dreamy Faux Finish

Some walls call for a specialize faux finish treatment and some walls call for the perfect art piece to be hung on them. Sometimes, however, the wall itself needs to become a piece of art. Combining faux finish techniques with acrylic art painting was just the right touch for this wall space that bridged the transition form entry hall to the home’s kitchen. The background is glazed in dreamy shades of muted aqua, whispers of muted blue, and white on a creamy off-white base. Dusky teals were used for the stems. White and heathered deep ocean created the blossoms. The whole “canvas” received  a treatment of  medium textured white. That same texture was then used to give dimension to the cow parsley blossoms. The finished work is protected with Modern Masters Clear Coat in matte.

The art piece can be viewed from the entry and the living room space. The overall effect is airy and light and perfect for this coastal style home interior.

Let Swan Studios Inc create your own unique art piece for your home’s interior. Contact me at Swan Studios Inc 

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Happy National Food Truck Day

Happy National Food Truck Day!

Today is National Food Truck Day! Here's a fun colorful Food Truck I had the joy of painting. I also created the adorable mascot painted on the back. Art and Food - what a great combo!

The serving side:

Back view:

 

Close up of menu items:

Whether your restaurant is set on Terra firma or set on wheels, Swan Studios Inc can bring color and life to your setting. Contact me at Swan Studios Inc

 

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The Lighthouse

 

The Lighthouse

Over the years I’ve been requested to paint lighthouses into some of my mural work. Living in SW Florida, the Sanibel lighthouse is a common request. However, until recently a lighthouse hasn’t been the focal point of the mural work. Rather it’s been a mere addition into an overall scene. So, I was excited at the request to have  a lighthouse be the only object in the mural piece. A homeowner who is a collector of yard statuary wanted a lighthouse painted to fill an odd exterior wall angle. Little could they have known how much it meant to me. Every time I see a lighthouse I think of my Uncle Bill. He is a minister retired from a life as a missionary. Whenever he would return home to the U.S. to visit, he would be asked to preach and usually sing as well. One of the songs I remember him singing the most was the gospel song “The Lighthouse”. What a joy it was to paint this light house while in my mind’s memory hear him singing “The Lighthouse” and rejoicing in the love of Christ as our lighthouse guiding the way.

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Bamboo Mural to Hide the Drainpipes

Bamboo Mural to Hide the Drainpipes

Drainpipes are an essential for house construction. But sometimes they can get in the way of the overall look. Most of the time we choose to simply ignore them and pretend they aren’t there. Not for this homeowner. The pool on the lanai is flanked by the walls of a Casita addition. Previously, I had painted a botanical mural for a Zen feel. The location of the outdoor dining area is to the side of the wall mural and gives a view of the side of the new extension. This side wall is where the drainpipes are placed. Rather than look at the drainpipes, the homeowner requested the pipes be camouflaged by extending the bamboo of the mural. A few favorite backyard birds now fly in the mural as well:

Here’s a closeup look of the side of the Casita:

Ready to change the focus of your Lania? Contact me at Swan Studios Inc 

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Silver Metallic Faux Grasscloth

Silver Metallic Faux Grasscloth

There is a simple elegance to Grasscloth wallcovering. The care and installation, however, is not so elegant especially here in SW Florida. The average humidity level hovers in the upper 70s and often climbs into the 90s. It is like breathing water. Granted every home has climate control, but that humidity does find its way in and can affect wall finishes. If the Grasscloth is added into a bathroom there is , of course, the shower steam and sink splashes to contend with. A simple answer to having the look of Grasscloth on your walls without the worry of its upkeep is to have the look faux painted onto the walls.

This Casita bath was literally screaming for a wall finish. With a few tones of silver stria’d on in a horizontal pattern, the room now has the timeless yet modern look of grass cloth: 

Here’s a closer look:

For this particular room, the base coat color is SW7646 First Star. Then using a wide flat natural bristle brush the silver is delicate brushed. This look was alternating with Faux Effects Palette Deco in Silver, and a mixture of Flexible Modeling Paste and Metallic Silver acrylic.

The end result is glamorous, looks like wallcovering, and has the added benefit of being easy to care for and holds up even in the steamiest of rooms.

Let’s create your own custom faux finish look. Contact Swan Studios Inc 

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Asian Style Shutter Mural

 Asian Style Shutter Mural

Shutters are a quintessential look for homes in SW Florida. The traditional plantation style shutters are used both in both the interior of the homes and on the exterior of the homes. Occasionally, they are requested to be painted on in my mural work. For a current homeowner “traditional” meant an Asian flair. Their heritage is Chinese.  The mural work started out as a Zen look for their poolside wall. (to see those photos, visit: Florida Zen Mural )

I’ll have more on that in a future article.

Next to the Zen mural was a traditional arch window. Rather than leave the window “undressed”, Asian style shutters are now painted on either side. For extra flair, Asian fret work Is painted above the arch.

The end result is “traditional”, Asian, and 3D:

 

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