Bathroom Makeover

Bathroom Makeover

It’s the New Year and time to schedule that resolution – you know the one where you’ve been promising yourself to have your home updated. You’ve drooled over the home magazines, visited the model homes to see what’s new, and watched every home makeover television program. You’ve watched so many, even the repeats, that the hosts now seem like old friends. 

2017 has already rushed in. Can you believe January is half over???? My how time flies! There’s a renewed energy in the air. And, dare I say the words----

“It’s Time To Make Your Home Great Again”!!! 

(Ha, I knew I’d find a way to use that as a paraphrase). But it is true. Whether you’re keeping your home or planning to sell it is time to bring the bathrooms up to date. Some homes I see are in dire need. My soul! I still seem homes stuck in the 70’s! Are you expecting the house to be claimed by the historical society??? Any real estate agent will tell you the kitchen and bathrooms can make or break a transaction. Even if you’re staying put, updating will bring value to the home. And the added benefit is looking and feeling totally FABULOUS!

Need more inspiration? Here’s some of the Fabulous Make-Overs I’ve created and designed for clients at Swan Studios Inc.:

The standard sized tub shower combo is replaced with a low walk in all tile shower. 

A large rain head gives luxury.

The tile inset ledge is just enough accent and adds a storage function.

A corner seat is a practical addition:

The greatest impact comes from the trackless glass shower door. It gives the illusion of more space and, of course, allows for much more light.

This bathroom makeover proves you don't always have to remove everything to completely change it all. The cabinet sink received a lift with specialty faux finishing, new granite, and a dazzling new sink. To see the entire bathroom make over : http://swanstudiosinc.blogspot.com/2016/04/faux-painting-cabinet-meeting.html

This guest bathroom make over is updated from dark & tropical to sleek & modern:

This master bathroom is jaw dropping gorgeous in all new finishes and faux painting:

The complete home makeover is featured at http://swanstudiosinc.blogspot.com/2016/01/faux-painting-7-year-itch.html

and is also on You Tube at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PTQXYXijJ0&t=24s

Okay, now it's your turn...let's update those bathrooms !!! To make your bathroom great again contact Swan Studios Inc.: http://www.swanstudio.net/

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+SwanStudiosIncCapeCoral

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swanstudiosinc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SwanStudiosInc

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/SwanStudiosIncCapeCoral

#bathroommakeover #fauxpainting #bathroomdesign

Art Buzz

Art Buzz at List Distillery

Fun night at Art Buzz showing at the List Distillery last in Fort Myers. I was eager to catch up with fellow artists and meet some new ones. It started off with being greeted at the door with Hazelnut Martinis---so you knew it was going to be fun no matter what.

Finally got to meet fellow muralist Erik Schlake in person. Gotta love the digital world where you can work in the same town, chat about work, and local goings on and yet take years to meet face to face. You can view his wonderful works at:http://erikschlake.com/

with Erik Schlake....and OMG ! we all know how much I love turtles!!!!

What a delight to meet Jeff Ocasiocasa and be introduced to his enchanting masking tape pieces. I’ve given my honey a list of his pieces I want! They are magical. You can view his enchanting creations at: http://www.ocasiocasa.com/

Many pieces were featured at the List Distillery by self-proclaimed Mad Scientist/Artist Cesar Aguilera. I adore his jewelry pieces. I’m inserting last night’s display below. You can view his gallery works at: http://cesaraguilera.com/Home.html

Jewelry pieces by Cesar Aguilera

The event also icluded some fun body art by Pam Trent of Wicked Apple Art. You'll find them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/WickedAppleArt

To enjoy the fabulous creations at List Distillery, visit their location at 3680 Evans Ave. Fort Myers, Fl. You can follow them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/listdistillery.

Thank you to my darling husband, always up for whatever Art Adventure I want to go on:

Color of the Year

Color of the Year

For the past 17 years, Pantone has selected a “Color of the Year” based on the essence and cultural of the moment we live in. Pantone helps establish the standardization of colors used to reproduce paints, inks, and dyes. This standardization means comes across the globe and across the globe can color match more quickly and easily. By selecting a Color of the Year, everyone from designers, artist, florists, and so on can better plan their upcoming products and designs. The Color of the Year is selected in a secret meeting of representatives from several nations’ color standards groups. The much-anticipated color is then announced through the publication of the Pantone View. To learn more about Pantone and Pantone’s history visit:

https://www.pantone.com  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantone

And the 2017 Color of the Year is: Greenery

In honor of the 2107 color of the year chosen to reflect New Beginnings and to inspire you as you look for ways to utilize green in your own home, here are some Faux Finishes created by Swan Studios Inc in shades of Green:

This gorgeous metallic shade of green enhanced with metallic bronze is no shrinking violet. It makes for a stunning backdrop for a tropical guest bath.

Shades of green are glazed sculpted relief palm leaves in this Florida guest powder room

Close up view of Green Serpentine marble:

To see more "shades" of green visit the Swan Studios Inc Flickr photo gallery at:

http://www.swanstudio.net/

To have your own walls celebrate the color of the year, contact faux artist Marty Wisher at:

http://www.swanstudio.net/

You can follow Swan Studio Inc's adventure in faux finish and custom painted murals on social media at:

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+SwanStudiosIncCapeCoral

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/swanstudiosinc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SwanStudiosInc

You Tube:  https://www.youtube.com/SwanStudiosIncCapeCoral

Artist Marty Wisher is also now on Twitter at: @MartyWisher

#coloroftheyear #greenery #fauxpainting

For Fun Here's a look back on the past 17 years of "Color of the Year "

Give Me More!!!

Give Me More!!!!

Give me more! That seemed to be this year’s mantra as happy clients requested more & more murals and faux finishes. Of course, that is music to an artist’s ears. If you are venturing into the world of specialty decorative finishes one of the best pieces of advice I can offer is “keep a record of what you paint”!!! I’m always astonished when I hear that an artist has no idea what colors or technique they used on a finish. I have been painting professionally for over 20 years and I have records on everyone. Sure it means you have to be disciplined and organized. As a business owner that is crucial though.  Each client has a file with a paint diary page in it. I log the colors, paint finishes, ratios of mix, any unique technique, etc.  And call me crazy, I will give the customer a copy of it if they would like it for their house diary ( If you are a home owner- please keep a diary of what is used in your home. Not just paint colors- ANYTHING! Grout color and brand, manufacturer’s info of appliances, etc.) Just as shocking to hear from a home owner as it is an artist that they have no idea what colors are in their home.  Over the years I have come behind other artists to fix damages done to faux work. Maybe there was a pipe that burst or electric circuits reworked or wall moved, or whatever.  Without records I have to reinvent the wheel. 

Fortunately, because I do keep records on my clients, I was able to expand a beach board wall faux finish I created onto even more wall surfaces.

The original faux work was featured on the Swan Studios Inc. art blog at: http://swanstudiosinc.blogspot.com/2016/06/todays-weathered-report.html

The home owner’s loved the wall so much they called several months later and asked that the treatment be painted onto the kitchen bulk head. It made perfect sense and now the area looks even more fabulous.

To get the paint color just right, I had originally mixed on site. Thank heavens I logged my mixes as I painted.

Ready to give your home the lift it needs to be super fabulous? Contact me at: http://www.swanstudio.net/ 

You can follow the Swan Studios Inc. art adventures on :

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+SwanStudiosIncCapeCoral

Facebook:bhttps://www.facebook.com/SwanStudiosInc 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SwanStudiosInc

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/SwanStudiosIncCapeCoral

#fauxpainting  #beachfinishes #beachmural

How to Paint Patina

How To Paint Patina

Quite often – perhaps more often than not- after a home is faux painted or mural-ed the homeowner wants even more work done. A few weeks ago a home with some exquisite Verdigris Patina faux finishes was featured here on the Swan Studios Inc Art blog:

http://swanstudiosinc.blogspot.com/2016/11/a-home-tour-in-deliciously-faux-painted_13.html

There happened to be a Hope chest in the master suite that had belonged to the home owner since her childhood.  It was hard to see since the finish on the chest blended in with the finish on the footboard of the bed. She asked to have a faux finish created to help it stand out. It is now faux painted with aged copper verdigris and oxidized rust. It is GORGEOUS!

The chest was transformed through a series of steps: 

The chest was transformed through a series of steps:

1)      The chest was cleaned with denatured alcohol to remove and dust and debris

2)      A primer coat is painted on in a deep brown

3) A second base coat was applied in Metallic Copper 

4) Using reactive metallic paint the lid and sections of the side were painted copper, while some sections of the sides were painted bronze:

 5) Using the bronze sections as the blending point, reactive rust paint was painted onto the lower portion, the feet, and the backside:

6) Here's where the real fun begins. ( If you're using reactive paint-especially reactive rust- make sure you are in an extremely well ventilated environment. Occasionally, I get up and walk away from the paint because it will make you dizzy). Wearing heavy industrial gloves :

Blue and green reactive solution is sprayed onto the metallic paints and rust activator is sprayed onto the reactive rust paint:

7) Sections were retreated to get to the depth I wanted to achieve and a urethane was put onto sections while it was semi-dry allowing the paint to react with a crackle:

8) Permacoat is used to seal all the processes ( if you are using the rust reactive paint this step is extremely important and be sure to follow the instructions ):

9) The chest now has the patina of age. time, and weather. And is is stunningly GORGEOUS !

Ready to have your own furniture piece transformed? Contact me at Swan Studios Inc:

http://www.swanstudio.net/

Be sure to follow the Swan Studios Inc painting adventures at:

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+SwanStudiosIncCapeCoral

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swanstudiosinc

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SwanStudiosInc

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/SwanStudiosIncCapeCoral

#fauxpainting #paintedfurniture #verdigrispatina