Mural Painting: The Spice of Life

Mural Painting: The Spice of Life

They say variety is the “Spice of Life” and for those of us who love to cook or eat (which pretty much means every single one of us), the earth has given us an abundant variety to choose from. Think of your favorite spice. My personal favorites are Rosemary (it’s like aphrodisiac catnip to me) and Peppermint (anything peppermint: food, candles, soap, perfume- I can’t get enough of it). Extensive studies have been done as to why we use spices in the first place and how their uses developed over the centuries http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~burton/foodcourse/spices.html

But let’s get to the really fun stuff, like… how to use which spice in what food: http://www.cooksmarts.com/cs-blog/2014/09/ultimate-infographic-guide-spices/ 

And, of course….Painting!

Painting spices on the walls are a fun and inspirational way to liven up a kitchen and even if you don’t cook, it will make it seem like you know your way around the kitchen.

Spices painted above kitchen cabinetry:

Over door way:

Potted spices in breakfast nook:

To have your  kitchen “spiced-up” contact Swan Studios Inc. http://www.swanstudio.net/

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Mural Painting: “What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks…”

Mural Painting: “What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks…”

One of the numerous reasons people flock to sunny Southwest Florida is our glorious clear skies. No smog. Aside from the occasional tropical storm (and even those can be very short) we aren’t covered in continuous grey skies, but rather bright blue skies with cotton candy clouds. Most homes feature vast window openings allowing nature’s antidepressant to filter into our lives daily. Occasionally though, a room may be crying to for even more of the outdoors. That’s when you need a muralist to paint a window of the sky you want to meditate on. A muralist can paint you a window that features the bright blues of day or the brilliant flashes of sunset.

A daytime sky in a family room overlooking a golf course makes use of the “sky high” ceiling height:

This “window opening” double duties as camouflage to hide a ceiling storage cabinet:

Due to the center location of this condo's master bath, windows needed to be painted in. The sunset provides the perfect view for relaxing while soaking in the Jacuzzi: 

A narrow entry way "expands" and features a day at the beach:

To open your home with a mural of the great outdoors, contact Swan Studios Inc. http://www.swanstudio.net/

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Mural Painting: Birds of a Feather…

Mural Painting: Birds of a Feather…

You know the saying “Birds of a feather flock together”. Well, they certainly do on this ceiling dome “aviary”. The ceiling soars above the front door entry way, giving the perfect location for the heavens to host a flock of feathered friends:

Since the dome has a secondary level of crown moulding the full mural can’t be seen at once. So the birds were painted so that no matter which angle of the home you are walking from a different bird is there to greet you. Here’s a close-up view of the colorful bunch:

My view from the scaffold:

To have your feathered friend mural contact Swan Studios Inc  http://www.swanstudio.net/

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Faux Painting: Taking Things for "Granite"

Faux Painting: Taking Things for “Granite”

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Friends and family gather to share stories, seek counsel, and eat all their yummy favorites. Just breathing in the aromas from your moms kitchen can immediately give you comfort. So it is no wonder that of all the rooms in a home the kitchen is most important when deciding the value of the house. If you’re looking to update your kitchen and have new countertops there are so many fabulous options available today; granite, concrete, quartz, solid surface to name a few. But remodeling or updating a kitchen can come at a steep price. What to do? Faux paint the counter top to mimic granite. Yes there are kits, but I create unique faux finishes and those possibilities are LIMITLESS!

Close-up views of a recent faux granite finish:

First you need a primer that can allow gloss surfaces to accept paint. For this project I used                          Bull’s Eye 1-2-3. http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/zinsser/primer-sealers/bulls-eye-1-2-3-plus-primer

counter top with primer:

Select an inspiration granite:

Once the primer is dry, give counter a base color to work from and allow to dry. Dapple the colors you desire, I use both natural sponges and chip brushes. For this project I used both solid colors and metallic colors to give a more dimensional effect. Allow to dry overnight. Finish with a sturdy durable clear top coat. Since there are warm cream and golden tones in this project, I used Helmsman Spar Urethane in gloss. You’ll want to apply several coats, drying between each coat. http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/clear-protective-finishes/interior-exterior/minwax-helmsman-spar-urethane

Spar urethane can give a golden hue. Depending on the granite color you’ve selected you may want to use a clear epoxy. http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/epoxyshield/garage-concrete-floor-coatings/premium-clear-coating 

or C-500 urethane www.fauxfx.com

Final results: 

Side by side comparison:

To have your own unique faux finish created, contact Swan Studios Inc http://www.swanstudio.net/

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