First Impressions

First Impressions

First impressions happen within the first seven seconds of meeting someone. A judgement has already begun to form in one tenth of a second. The importance of making a good first impression can’t be over stated. The same goes for your home. The first impression someone sees upon approach is your front door. Is it immaculate? Is it dirty and covered in cobwebs? Is the front door paint cracked and chipping off? Does it have a gorgeous finish you want to reach out and touch?

As a Faux Finish Artist, I’m often asked to refinish plain front doors into a beautiful wood finish. Real wood is earthy, welcoming, stately, and next to impossible to keep in great shape here in SW Florida. I was formerly the owner of a glorious real mahogany front door. My gracious the upkeep! Every six months the door had to be clear coated. Having your front door painted to look like the real thing is a much better choice here in SW Florida. Faux painting allows your front door to make a fabulous first impression and you get to maintain your sanity by not spending precious free time on the upkeep of your home’s entrance.

Here’s a few examples of the transformations from plain to fabulous wood faux finish:

The wood look faux finish can be rich and dark:

light and casual:

or even metallic:

A few things to keep in mind when having your front door faux painted:

Have your new hardware selected and available if your having your handles changed.

Your weather stripping will be removed and remain off while the paints are curing.

Weather will need to be monitored especially during our rainy season. Even humidity levels need to be monitored as the humidity can effect some of the mediums used to create the finishes.

Ready to make a great first impression? Contact me at Swan Studios Inc:

http://www.swanstudio.net

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#fauxpainting #fauxwood #woodfauxfinish

Cabinet Refreshing

Cabinet Refreshing

Sometimes you just need a change. Rooms need to be refreshed periodically. It keeps things interesting and gives new energy. You can change a room from dull and boring to enticing and vibrant. As a faux artist, one of the things I hear repeatedly is “I’m tired of my dark cabinets “. But the cost of replacing cabinets isn’t always in everyone’s budget. The answer – Faux Paint the cabinets.  Changing dark wood tones (and in SW Florida more orange/brown wood tones) to a white or cream base faux finish instantly lightens and brightens the room.

Here’s a look at a recent before and after:

Take a closer look: the base color has dimension with a faux glaze:

Or perhaps you're going the new gray color palette:

Driftwood tones for a "beachy" bathroom:

Crackled and antiqued:

or maybe a bit of light teal:

Faux Finish doesn't stop at just paint... add some sparkle with glitter !

Clear top-coats make the faux painted cabinetry durable and long lasting.

Ready to give your kitchen or bath a refresh? Contact me at Swan Studios Inc:

http://www.swanstudio.net

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#fauxpainting #cabinetfauxfinish #paintedcabinets

I Love You from Paris to Paradise and Back

I Love You from Paris to Paradise and Back

Southwest Florida is loved for its beaches and laid-back lifestyle. For those that love to travel, the SWFL Regional Airport is only moments away. You can jet off to other romantic places like St Maarten, the Bahamas, Cancun, or even Paris. Who doesn’t adore Paris? Croissants, wine, Chanel, and of course, the Eiffel tower. When you’re ready to leave the City of Lights you pop back into sunny Florida to enjoy...screeeeech… a concrete wall! That won’t work! Looking at cement walls reminiscent more of a jail cell than a sunny location to enjoy a Pina Colada is not what most people want at the end of the day. But that’s exactly what one home owner here in Cape Coral had after renovations included a privacy wall for their master suite. They both love traveling to St Maarten and she adores Paris. Painting a custom mural gives them the best of both worlds and is much more relaxing than stucco.

A side by side comparison shows the stark, almost life changing difference a custom mural can have:

The possibilities with a custom mural are limitless. So if you want to see both the beach and Paris at the same time- You Can!

Just beyond the beach umbrella you can see the Eiffel Tower:

And while dreaming of Paris, enjoy watching a sweet little sandpiper on the beach:

Its wonderful creating something unique. In the past year I've had the pleasure of painting a Tiki hut in Greece, a kite flying mermaid, singing corn cob, and a guitar playing popcorn bag. Who knows what's next! Perhaps giraffes on the moon or a spaceship in Rome. If you can imagine, I can paint it. 

Contact me at Swan Studios Inc: http://www.swanstudio.net

You can follow Swan Studio Inc's art adventures on:

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

and if you into all things photo, you can find Swan Studios Inc on Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/swanstudiosinc

#custommural #beachmural #muralpainting #EiffelTower

A City of Marble

A City of Marble

“I found Rome brick, I left it a city of marble “- Augustus Caesar

Back in my college days I attended a Humanities course because it was required. I didn’t expect much. I thought it would be just another plain course necessary to get through. Wow was I surprised. The class became one of my favorites to this day. The central figure studied was Augustus Caesar. No doubt you’ve heard of him. He did indeed find Rome as mere plain mud brick and left it in idolized and envied marble.

Although not necessarily creating a political and societal structure on which Western Civilization is founded, as an artist I like to leave a place better for having been there. In this case, changing plain blank surfaces into glorious faux creations of…marble.

SW Florida homes are peppered with columns both indoors and outdoors. Most often these are constructed of cement, wood, or fiberglass. And they are plain white surfaces screaming to painted marble.

Here’s a recent example of changing a plain Jane white interior columns with faux marble painting:

A closer look:

There are actually two columns in the home to create a formal dining entry:

Marble Faux painting on exterior columns enhances a home’s curb appeal:

Both interior and exterior columns receive a durable clear coat allowing the faux marble to gleam and to withstand the elements:

Marble faux painting can be created on other surfaces, as well:

Walls:

Outlets:

Statues:

Countertops:

Floors:

Even insets into existing marble can be faux painted to match:

Ready to have your plain as mud surfaces changed to a stunning marble surface? 

Contact me at Swan Studios Inc: http://www.swanstudio.net

You can follow Swan Studios Inc's mural and faux adventures on your favorite social media sites at:

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/swanstudiosinc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swanstudiosinc

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

#fauxpainting #fauxmarble #marblefauxfinish

Give 'em the Bird

Give 'em the Bird.

These delightful feathery friends are a great addition in murals. They add color and movement. They are a joy to paint and a joy to look at. When deciding on  mural scene for your home, inside or on your lanai, consider having birds grace your scene:

The colorful parrots are painted onto a dome ceiling and greet guests as the enter the homes foyer:

Excerpt of a Limpkin from a lanai's panoramic Everglades mural:

SW Florida is blessed with amazing Heron's and are a favorite to be added in home's murals:

If you love pink, then flamingo is the bird for you:

For a serene beach scene, little sandpipers are a gently sweet touch to add:

SWFL is home to the protected Burrowing Owls. This scene is painted onto an owl lovers Garage Door:

Our large white heron's are angelic creatures:

Excerpt from a lanai mural that spanned the entire backside of a home:

Itty bitty hummingbirds migrate through SWFL in the Spring:

I've been blessed to have painted some many variety of birds over the years. The above is merely a handful of these feathered friends. You can see more on my Face Book page in the photo album titled titled "Birds": 

https://www.facebook.com/swanstudiosinc

Be sure to follow all our art adventures on :

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https://www.instagram.com/swanstudiosinc

You Tube:

https://www.youtube.com/swanstudiosinccapecoral

Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/SwanStudiosInc

and, of course, you can always reach us at :

http://www.swanstudio.net/

#birds #birdmural #muralpainting

Name It

Name It

The most personal thing we each is our name.  Granted more than one person may have the same name. You might even be named after your Mom or Dad, or even your grandparents (I am). But your name is still uniquely you. Even the inflection of saying a name can be different from on person to the next. We wear jewelry with our name on it, or a loved one’s name. We splash our last-names across the threshold of our houses. We wear our names on business lapel badges. And, of course, we have our names blazoned across our walls in our homes. Yes, you can have it printed onto family portraits. But what is even more fun is to have it painted as your own personal artwork. For inspiration for your own walls, here’s a look at some creative ways my client’s names have been incorporated as custom wall art:

For a home receiving a modern palette makeover (more on that make-over in an upcoming article), the children’s play area is visible in the open floor plan. The walls are painted in a concrete faux finish and the adorable little boys’ names are painted graffiti style in metallic silver:

Here’s a fun twist for a homeowner’s last name:

This homeowner's prized boat christened with a blend of the homeowner's names is incorporated

into their bedroom mural:

What to do when your restaurant is named after family… be sure to incorporate the name in a custom mural:

Of course, kids love to have their names larger than life on their bedroom walls:

Ready to have your name emblazoned onto your walls? Contact me at Swan Studios Inc:

http://www.swanstudio.net/

and be sure to follow all our art adventures on:

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/swanstudiosinc/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swanstudiosinc/

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

#custommural #muralpainting #murals