San Francisco Womens Journal » Interior Design

Furniture for Small Spaces: Storage Magic!

SFWJ — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:29:47 +0000

Beryn Hammil

In my last article Secret’s to Decorating Small Spaces, I shared some tips on how to look at the floor plan of the smaller space you’re considering. It’s important to give some thought to how the space will support your lifestyle. Another significant aspect for you to consider is…storage.

by Beryn Hammil
SF Bay Area Interior Designer

As you can imagine, condo or apartment living presents a storage challenge. Fortunately, furniture manufacturers have considered this lifestyle change as they design new lines. People, who are downsizing, as well as young apartment dwellers, are the beneficiary of this change in design direction

Furniture that Works Magic as Storage

Almost every piece of furniture has the potential to give you a place in which to store stuff. Ottomans have tops that lift off to provide storage inside the cube. Some even have tops that become serving trays! Beds have drawers built into the framing underneath the mattress as a place to store either clothing or seldom used items. Media cabinets have lifts built into them so the flat screen TV doesn’t have to be visible if you don’t want it to be seen 24/7.

Remember the piano bench whose seat lifts up to store sheet music? Well, now there’s even a chaise whose seat lifts up to provide storage underneath it too!

Small dwelling denizens have much to choose from when it comes to practical furniture.

Sleep options are endless: we’re all familiar with sofas that convert to beds and wall units that tilt down to become beds (the Murphy bed). Both have been around for decades. Now there are club chairs that convert to single beds, sofas that convert to bunk beds, and narrow window seats that pull out to become full size beds.

Furniture too can be as flexible as kids’ Transformer toys: console tables expand into dining tables, coffee tables lift to become dining tables, small cabinets open to reveal beds, and mirrors magically become wall-mounted flat screen TVs.

If it can be imagined, it probably exists. And if it doesn’t already exist, there’s someone out there who can make it for you.

This variety of options makes a smaller home seem as if it has more space in which to live, and without all the hassle of a larger house.

To downsize one’s living space is now the “cool” thing to do, no matter what your age. And with all these clever ways to make a smaller space more practical, even people who don’t need to downsize are choosing to live smaller. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times, but whatever your motivation, it’s something you can embrace with both arms.

Beryn Hammil is the owner of Beryn Hammil Designs, a San Francisco Bay Area Interior Design and Decorating Firm. She is known for “creating spaces people love coming home to every day.” As a designer, Beryn listens carefully to her clients’ needs, and then expands on them to create the homes that people enjoy living in for years after the work is complete.

Beryn is a member of ASID and is known throughout the Bay Area for the “Design Dilemma” columns she writes for the San Francisco Chronicle’s Home & Garden section. Her interior design and remodel projects are as compelling as her written ideas. To learn more please visit her website BerynHammil.com, connect with her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

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Decorative Painting: The Fine Art of Client Collaboration

SFWJ — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:20:33 +0000

Deborah Disman

In my world of site specific Decorative Painting, every project is a collaborative effort that is designed to translate the Client’s inner vision into concrete visual form.

by Debra Disman, Decorative Painter

I am not alone in this effort. When I look around on a job site, interact with designers, architects, contractors and craftspeople, and observe real estate agents and property specialists, I can see that everyone working with Clients has this goal in mind.

Clients are Our Key Collaborators!

When I worked with a delightful couple poised for retirement from distinguished academic careers, I observed the collaborative nature of their relationship with their realtor Robin Miller, “Realtor Robin, The Nest Finder” who referred me to them.

A True Collaboration

Clients Debra and Gil embraced the magic of decorative painting as one means to create the unique wine country home they had in mind. I listened carefully to what they said, and then offered ideas and suggestions on how to use my work to achieve their vision.

At its best, the creative process with Clients is give and take, a true collaboration. Debra and Gil named their new home “Windstone”, and commissioned signage above their front door. They researched fonts, and I chose metallic hues that I felt would pull out the lettering, and integrate with the colors, treatments and design of the adjoining room.

Together we worked on color choices and custom treatments designed to marry the existing architecture with the sense of clarity, warmth and elegance they desired in their new “dream” home. During the process, I helped them hone and clarify their vision, and offered feedback and support on their choices.

Said Gil, “We feel so reassured about the direction of our decisions….it helped us so much that you liked the choices we had made…– you give us confidence!”

Capturing a Unique Vision

A botanist by training, Gil not only designed an actual vineyard for their backyard, he and Debra also presented me with an original quote to be lettered over their wine bar niche, in which a vineyard mural was painted. As with all projects, I showed Samples of styles, scale and colors for them to choose from.

The Sampling process is crucial to enable Clients to get a sense of what the finished application will actually look like in their environment. It is this attention to detail that will produce the desired effect. As a site specific Decorative Painter, this is the Client response I seek:

“You …captured our vision….But even more so, you added so much “texture and depth” to our concept by providing insights and ideas that will truly transform our home into a special wine country manor.”

Have FUN, while Exceeding Expectations

Gil and Debra are accomplished cooks, and their kitchen tray ceiling cried out for a treatment that would enhance it as an architectural detail, add warmth, depth and interest, and reflect the copper accents throughout the room. The warm coppery orange colors also stimulate the appetite!

When Debra and Gil affirmed that I was “able to artfully capture our vision for Windstone and make it even better than we could imagine.” I knew that the goal of translating their inner vision into concrete visual form had been realized.

However, when they declared, “THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!”

I knew we had transcended the goal of our work, and had met one of the needs of our soul: to share our skills, talents, and creativity, and have a blast in the process!

Long after our work was complete, Gil and Deb confided, “We tell everyone what an enjoyable experience it was…” Clients should look back upon our collaboration as a wonderful experience! This spells success, as much as their appreciation and enjoyment of the colors, finishes and treatments now gracing their home.

May you always meet the goals of your work while satisfying the needs of your soul, and enJOY every moment of the process!

Debra Disman’s passion is to translate her Client’s inner vision into concrete visual form. She can help you use the magic of decorative painting to transform your home, place of business, even your community!

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, CA which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers and serves as the Color Muze for blog talk radio’s Artistically Speaking Radio. To learn more please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

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Secrets to Decorating Small Spaces!

SFWJ — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:35:12 +0000

Beryn Hammil

Now that the children are grown and are out on their own, many people are considering moving to smaller living spaces.

Moving to a smaller home may initially be challenging for a variety of reasons, including emotional, but smaller spaces can be better. For most people it offers a more practical lifestyle; there’s less to manage, clean, and maintain. Of course, there’s also less space and accompanying expenses to pay for too.

by Beryn Hammil
SF Bay Area Interior Designer

Consider this When Planning Your Move to a Smaller Home

Before you commit to a smaller space, look at the floor plan of your potential new home and make sure there’s enough space in it for you to create an inviting home. Ask yourself a few key questions:

Does the kitchen afford you all the amenities you need to function effectively in it?
Is the living room large enough to have a separate dining area?
Does the house or apartment have enough closets?
Do you really need a guest room that’s not used most of the time? Or can a guest room be a library, study, or media room whose sofa opens to a bed on those rare occasions when you have overnight guests?

Answers to these questions will help you make a wise decision about your new home.

CREATE THE ILLUSION OF SPACE

Rooms within Rooms

One of the best ways to make a smaller home seem larger is to arrange your furniture to create “rooms within rooms.”

For example, did you know that a sofa can also be a room divider? Instead of putting it against a wall facing into the room, put it in the room perpendicular to the wall so that its back is facing towards part of the open space of the room. This visual separation can effectively make a living room and dining room out of one space. Two rooms for the price of one!

To help reinforce this divided room concept, place a console table (with ottomans under it for extra seating when you need it) or a credenza (it can provide storage space) at the back of the sofa. Add a pair of console-height table lamps on top of it and put some of your favorite accessories in between. This provides lighting for the sofa area as well as ambient light for the new dining room.

The newly created dining area is perfect for socializing when friends join you for a lovely dinner. Additionally, your dining table also gives you and your guests a place to sit and play cards or board games.

Furniture that Serves Multiple Purposes

Back to the living room area; be sure you have enough seating for guests and to give yourself a change of place in which to sit. Swivel chairs, comfortable in and of themselves, also give you the opportunity to face in a different direction without having to rearrange furniture. Very practical for a small home!

A coffee table is a necessity, but can occupy lots of visual space. A glass table on the other hand, is still a functional surface but without taking up so much “eye” space. Alternatively, consider a coffee table that has ottomans stored under it as part of its design. When you have guests, the ottomans are wonderful for quick seating, and grandchildren love to make secret forts out of them!

Mirrors Create the Illusion of More Space

Mirrors are another wonderful way to make a small space appear larger. Instead of mirroring an entire wall, think about a large, framed mirror as a major element on a wall in the room. It can literally create the illusion of twice the space, and with its frame, it seems like a work of art in and of itself.

Close the Door and Away You Go…NO Worries!

Downsizing to a smaller space used to be a word that struck terror in the hearts of homeowners. Not so much any more. It’s now an opportunity to live a freer lifestyle. More people are looking forward to being able to just lock the door and go on a trip without a worry about who will water the garden and watch the old homestead. That’s reason enough to give up the large house in exchange for a smaller space in which to live a more carefree life.

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Celebrate Life Events with Decorative Painting!

SFWJ — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:51:32 +0000

Just like repainting, remodeling, or redesigning, adding a mural or decorative painting treatment to your home, business, or community space often signifies transition, which means change.

Change goes hand in hand with transformation, and decorative painters are here to help you celebrate your life events with creativity, and make your transitions fun, beautiful, and transformative!

by Debra Disman, Decorative Painter

Working closely with you, the decorative painter can create customized pieces, finishes and treatments that reflect the important transitions in your life, business, or career. We support your journey in a unique, way, harmonizing our work with your particular environment, needs, tastes and goals.

Twin Bundles of Joy: Life Imitates Art, Two by Two…

The advent of the birth of twin girls inspired the lettering of a quote from a beloved children’s story which wraps around the nursery walls. The story, about a French girl’s school where lines of little girls walk two by two, (rain or shine!), set the theme for the twin’s nursery, where the lettering gradates from gold to copper. The space between the picture rail and the crown molding makes a perfect background for the iridescent text.

Doing something so special and appropriate for the room and the occasion helped the Client prepare herself for the transition of motherhood- times two!

Are You Ready to Recycle, Reuse, Recreate?

A treasured piece of furniture that has seen better days can be transformed into a one of a kind accent or even focal point through the magic of decorative painting. A console table, bought second hand, and beloved by the Client, was ready for transformation after a light sanding removed its peeling paint.

Since the house was being remodeled, the entry where this piece lives was being transformed. This set the stage for imaginative reuse of the existing furniture, with the Client as creative collaborator in the process. As is often the case, one change inspires another.

Restaurant Revamp adds a Unique Touch!

When Benihana’s Restaurant in Cupertino, CA underwent a remodel, it commissioned a graphic treatment on approximately 46” by 500’ of corrugated wooden soffit that wrapped the building side and front, 80’ in the air. The players involved came from the worlds of business, construction, graphics and installation.

The imagery, colors and design of the treatment is based on Benihana’s existing brand graphics, used in its interior wall coverings. The Cupertino location is the only venue in the US where this kind of unique exterior painting treatment can be found.

Close coordination with the highly skilled team was crucial to its success. As Director of Retail Development for the participating P+R Group Reed Larsen said, “We discussed the desired effect and Debra went to town and got it done in time & it looks great”.

Update and Celebrate with Decorative Painting!

New addition to your family? New space? Recreation of your existing space, room, building, business? Time to revision that piece of furniture so that it can live up to its aesthetic and functional potential?

Remember that transition = change = transformation, and transformation is the stock and trade of the decorative painter. The next time you find yourself moving through one of those all important life transitions, consider how a change of color, texture, pattern or image could support and reflect this milestone of your life journey, and offer you something expressive, lasting and yes, even transformative, in return.

Debra Disman’s passion is to translate her Client’s inner vision into concrete visual form. She can help you use the magic of decorative painting to transform your home, place of business, even your community!

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What is the best place, space, surface or location for Decorative Painting?

SFWJ — Fri, 07 May 2010 18:59:44 +0000

The answer is… EVERYWHERE! Have you ever wanted to create your own paradise by bringing home a piece of that special vacation or experience that inspired you?

by Debra Disman
Decorative Painter and Principal, ArtiFactory Studio

Do you dream of creating an environment that inspires others because they more clearly understand your message? Do you have an interior wall, an exterior wall, a nook, fireplace, a piece of furniture, even a ceiling that could be transformed by the right combination of skill and imagination?

The World is Your Canvass!

For Decorative Painters, the world is our canvass and thus…it is YOUR canvass! In the process of creating, our goal is to support the human beings that live, play, dream and work within the existing space and architecture, both interior and exterior. Inevitably, the creative work commissioned for walls, furniture, floors and ceilings reflects the spirit, goals, desires, needs and intentions of our Clients. They hire us to translate their inner vision into concrete visual form, and create something magical and unique for their particular environment.

Residential Wall Magic Enhances Life Transition

A chosen vase becomes the inspiration for a unique wall treatment on a relief area over the fireplace mantle in a new home purchased by the Clients in anticipation of their retirement. Part design, part mural, all decorative treatment, this application seems an extension of the luminescent vase- or is it the other way around?

Here’s what the Client had to say about the magic:

“I knew that the mantle treatment would be a very special part of our new home, but to see how you had taken digital photos and transformed them into art was amazing to me!”

Commercial Branding Opportunity through Striping

Martinkovic Milford Architects suggested decorative painting to their Client, the owner of On the Fly, a specialty men’s store in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Center, to add an extra dimension to its display window. The broken stripe suggests stitching as well as the classic men’s pin-striped suit, and reflects the visual branding image used in the store’s marketing materials.

The hands-on stripe application both communicates and enhances an established visual message, while adding that extra bit of bling to the store and its display. You might say this treatment is “tailor made” for the venue!

Non Profit’s Mural Project Builds Community

Staff, managers, clients, friends and artists all contributed to The Land of Oshun, an 8×40’ mural painted on the exterior of The Oshun Center, a program of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics. The Center provides a safe place and services to women and their families. “Oshun” is a deity figure in the Yoruba religious pantheon, and represents all that makes life worth living.

In addition to identifying the Center and brightening up a challenged neighborhood, this collaborative mural “will inspire everyone who sees it to be aware of the great contribution that women and families make to our communities.” Darryl Inaba, Founder, Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, San Francisco, CA.

Enhance, Beautify and Expand the Vision

In all of these cases, decorative painting is used to express and expand upon the vision of the homeowner, the business, and the organization, adding depth and dimension to each space. The new home, the retail space, the women’s center, are enhanced and beautified through the magic of decorative painting. The purpose, function, and intention of each is more effectively communicated through the application of its special treatment.

The results are…transformative!

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, CA which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers. To learn more please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

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Contributing to Our Communities: Decorative Painters Work Their Magic

SFWJ — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:00:57 +0000

Decorative painters are inspired by the causes they love, the need to give back, the creativity that is released through the act of giving, and the desire to connect to the larger community through their work. Here is an example of Decorative Painting in Action to support the San Francisco community.

by Debra Disman
Decorative Painter and Principal, ArtiFactory Studio

Following is a mural that I did for the wonderful organization Planning for Elders inthe Central City. The Donor Tree was painted on canvass with donor names later added to the bricks and leaves.

The Donor Tree for Planning for Elders in Central City.

Many Ways to Contribute

In last month’s article, I asked three of my favorite artists/artisans from around the country to help me paint a portrait of the contemporary decorative painter working in the U.S. today. Their responses also revealed the many ways they contribute to their communities through their work.

I believe their insights also ring true for all Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners.

Following are some of the ways they use their unique skills and talents to employ the magic of Decorative Painting in support of their communities. I hope these insights inspire you!

Supporting Causes Close to Our Hearts

Julie Dexter, Gold Leaf Walls, Colorado Springs, CO

“One of the big events here in Colorado Springs is “The Heart Ball” which supports the heart association. For three years I donated towards their silent auction. The “package” included Color Consultation and $1000 towards labor. This year I plan on doing the same for “The Fur Ball”, which benefits the local Humane Society….a personal favorite.”

The Need to Give Back

Lyna Farkas, The Spirit of Décor, Ashville, NC

“In 2005 over 100 faux finishers worked together to “faux” a house. The experience was made into a book. The proceeds went to fund a Habitat house in New Orleans for a Katrina victim.

In 2009, a dozen faux finishers met in New Orleans to paint together, bringing beauty to that house, and getting to know the owners who would live in it. As Chair of this phase of the project, I recruited local volunteers and interfaced with New Orleans Habitat coordinators. We also supported the NOLA SPCA where we did mural and painted doghouses for their auction. I even found some local young architects to build the doghouses and lined up publicity through the New Orleans press.

Why did I do this? I need to give back in a significant and creative way in order to stay balanced. The artists who worked together on the Habitat project formed a deep bond. Our intention is to find projects each year to work on together and continue to give back with our art.”

Giving Releases Creativity

Joy Conway, Funwalls, Albuquerque, NM

“In January, I completed two murals for the RoadRunner Food Bank here in Albuquerque. This was originally going to be a small project, but after I saw what the food bank was accomplishing, I donated a lot of extra time and creativity.

It came out beautifully, adds a lot to the facility, and I feel really good about doing it. The act of giving seemed to release a flow of creativity for me.”

Thoughts on Giving from Debra Disman, ArtiFactory Studio, SF, CA

Successful artists and entrepreneurs also need to be business people, but the dollar return on every project is not always the bottom line. For many, their deepest fulfillment is to immerse themselves fully in their creative work, and experience the gratification of connecting with others through that work.

By contributing our art and craft to the community, we not only connect to the world outside our studios, we become a part of it, and thus part of something greater then ourselves.

Here is another example of how the magic of decorative painting can give back to the community. This is a Donor Arch that was created for Maitri Compassionate Care, a hospice in San Francisco, CA. The names of donors who contributed to their building capital campaign were honored by adding their name to The Arch!

The Donor Arch, Maitri Compassionate Care.

Here’s to celebrating the power of connection, and the contribution of all of our special gifts to the enhancement of our world!

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, CA which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers. To learn more please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

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Thinking Green: Eco-Friendly Event Decor

SFWJ — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:16:30 +0000

I’ve always associated the color green with the month of March. New grass on the hills, budding foliage on the trees, and of course St. Patrick’s Day. Green is also the color of conservation and eco-awareness.

by Laurel Winzler, Floral and Event Designer

Laurel Winzler

I’m often asked by clients how they can make their events more “green” and how to purchase organic or sustainably-grown floral product.

Green Event Decor

When planning an event, decor is one area where you can make eco-friendly choices to reduce your carbon footprint. It’s important to think creatively and let go of conventional ideas like having a cut flower centerpiece on each table. Following are three ideas to help get your creative ideas flowing!

1. Use Live Plants

Use living plants that can go home with your guests at the end of the event. The following picture shows how a single plant, in this case a beautiful orchid, adds elegance and simple beauty to an event.

2. Think Outside of the Traditional Flower Box

Or set a flat pallet of wheat grass wrapped in Ti Leaf in the center of the table. Add a few blossoms or whimsical silk butterflies inserted on picks.

3. Use the Season’s Fruits and Vegetables

A simple display of fruit or vegetables can also make a statement, grouped on a plate or filling a classic glass cylinder vase.

Use Recycled Containers

Working with recycled containers also increases the eco-friendliness of an event. Old glassware, tins, trophies or crates can be found at flea markets and thrift stores for next to nothing, and can star on your table with a simple plant tucked inside. This often takes more leg work to locate the containers in sufficient quantities, but if you plan early and are willing to “mix and match” you can achieve charming results!

Flowers and Plants: Organic, Sustainable or Local ?

When looking for plants or cut flowers that have organic credentials, you’ll quickly discover that the selection is limited. Flowers and plants are a visual product, and to consistently produce both beautiful blooms and attractive foliage requires the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Many growers are adopting more ecologically sound farming practices, but most still work with too many chemicals to be certified organic.

Farmers markets can be a source of organically grown seasonal blooms, but typically you’ll find the product is of lesser quality than commercially grown. To find high-quality flowers or living plants with variety and color, you still need to purchase from a commercial grower.

The Best Answer: Buy Local!

Don Garibaldi at his family's Ano Nuevo ranch, flower growers since 1901.

The best answer is to buy from local growers – and we in the SF Bay Area are blessed to have options. Several of the vendors at the San Francisco Flower Mart still grow their own product locally- in Half Moon Bay, Salinas and Monterey.

Most have been in business for 3 or 4 generations, so purchases from them truly support local farmers and their communities.

Other vendors at the Mart bring in product from Southern California, Humboldt County in Northern California, and regions of Oregon and Washington. While not immediately local, this product is not imported from overseas and many of these growers are already working sustainably in their farming practices.

Truly organic cut flowers and plants are hard to come by, but in Northern California you can exercise your option to buy local or West Coast product. Let your florist know this is a priority for you, and be open to creative suggestions and alternatives.

All it takes is a little awareness for each of us to make “green” choices in our event decor.

Laurel Winzler left a career in the legal world to establish her successful floral and event design business, Laurel Designs. She has built a reputation for innovative and exciting designs, serving clients from Bay Area brides to the San Francisco Symphony. Drawing on years of experience as a performer and artist, she specializes in working with each client to enhance the beauty of their homes, offices and special events.

Laurel is a preferred vendor at many exclusive Bay Area event venues, and donates her time and talents to many organizations, including San Francisco Opera, Special Olympics, Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Community Music Center, Project Inform and the Junior League of San Francisco. In addition, she is a sought-after speaker at hospitality industry events. Please visit her website, flaurel.com, to learn more.

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Paint Brush in Hand…Decorative Painters Transform Our World One Wall at a Time!

SFWJ — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:55:09 +0000

Have you ever been drawn to touch the walls of a room that have been transformed thru the magic of decorative painting? As you ohhhed and awwwed did you ever wonder about the person who transformed this room from a Yawn to WOW…using only their hands, and well, yes, a few paints, brushes, glazes and plasters, among other materials?

by Debra Disman
Decorative Painter and Principal, Artifactory Studio

Who are the Decorative Painters?

Artists, artisans, crafts and business people, decorative painters are all these, and more, as three of my favorites from around the country can attest!

I asked Lyna Farkas from Spirit of Décor in Ashville, NC, Joy Conway, owner of Funwalls, Albuquerque, NM, and Julie Dexter of Gold Leaf Walls, Colorado Springs, CO, to offer their opinions to help me paint a portrait of the contemporary decorative painter working in the U.S. today.

Decorative Painters Come from All Walks of Life

After years in the business, corporate, and retail fields, Lyna, Joy and Julie pursued decorative painting as a way to “find my creative side and do something restful for my soul”, to become more fulfilled, “make art and a good living at the same time”, and “embellish my environment’.

Thriving on Variety and Transformation

What thrills the most about being a decorative painter? Variety and transformation! As Joy says, “Being a decorative painter means that every day is different.” She and Lyna “love the variety”. Julie likes “being able to transform a client’s home, from the initial vision to the end result…”, and giving the Client that “Wow” experience at the end of the project.

Not Enough Hours in the Day!

When asked what is the greatest challenge in being a Decorative Painter, time constraints rule. Wearing the hats of marketer, educator, estimator, artist, artisan, craftsperson, business person, accountant, and design consultant, to say nothing of chief paint mixer and brush washer can be challenging! Lyna finds that networking with other artists gives her the confidence to pull in help when needed.

And now we come to the heart of the matter…

Artist verses Business Person: Conflict?

Like many others, Lyna was a business person with an “entrepreneur soul” before she found her “creative side”. Thus, she is able to pull in all her skills to make a successful Decorative arts business.

“Having to constantly change from left to right brain is the second most challenging aspect of being a decorative painter for me… after time constraints.” says Joy .

Julie does not feel a conflict, as she informs the Client that she may take artistic license and that the project will be a “leap of faith’ to some extent. Her Clients are excited about the adventure!

Decorative Painting: Keeping the Soul Alive!

When asked what decorative painting adds to our world, Lyna declares, “I fully believe that surrounding yourself with beauty nurtures your soul”.

“Decorative painting adds a human element to our buildings,” explains Joy. “It shows the work of a human hand. I have seen the results of people being surrounded by color, forms and design. They are happier, more productive, more alive.”

Julie laments, “Our society is turning away from high quality artisanship in favor of fast and cheap, lowering standards of excellence. Being a decorative painter keeps age-old skills, and the appreciation thereof, alive.”

A Word from ArtiFactory Studio

Experience shows that we can become more calm, energetic, stimulated, peaceful and alive through interaction with our visual surroundings. Color, texture, pattern and imagery can enhance, beautify, and transform the built environment, as well as communicate hopes, thoughts, ideas and experiences.

In an increasingly technological world, there is a corresponding need for work created by hand; art and craft which expresses the individual or group. In meeting this need, Decorative painters can help to balance, beautify, and transform our world, one space at a time.

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, CA which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers. To learn more please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Decorative Painting: Creating Our Paradise

SFWJ — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:00:28 +0000

Why use Decorative Painting in your home, place of business, or community space? Well, the answer to this question could take up volumes, and does, but in a nutshell I offer a fourfold response: To Enhance, Beautify, Communicate, and Transform, not just your space or object, but your image, state of mind, and even your physical well-being.

How is this achieved? Often by using what is already at hand!

by Debra Disman
Decorative Painter and Principal, ArtiFactory Studio

ENHANCE…Decorative painting can enhance the existing architecture of a space.

The goals for a South Bay domed breakfast room project were to warm up the room, tie it into the color palette used throughout the rest of the house, and offset the white painted woodwork. The softly blended glaze treatment, applied with sea sponges, achieved this, with the added effect of highlighting the architectural details.

In the words of the Client, the room now feels “more magical”.

When a space feels magical, it can imbue us with a sense of unlimited possibilities, and tantalizing potential. Is there a better way to start the day?

BEAUTIFY…The inspiration for beautifying a space can be an item of the existing décor.

In the entry way to an eclectic Peninsula home, a custom stencil design was created based on the light fixture. The copper colors used in the stenciling stand out against the stippled background, enhancing the “layered” effect sought by the Clients.

The result is a unique sense of warmth which welcomes visitors into the house and the owners home after a long day at work. The entry becomes an energetic gateway into a vibrant abode that shimmers with bold color. A place which as the Client says “has some form of harmony between each room”.

COMMUNICATE…How better to communicate about a building, a business, or both then by taking its existing logo, enlarging it, and painting it on the lobby wall for all to see?

That is exactly what was done at 921 Front Street, a historic building located in the North Waterfront area of San Francisco. Originally a warehouse, it is now a commercial building providing office space.

The use of silver and copper in the lettering creates a sense of dimensionality which draws attention to the logo, now transformed into signage. The logo, “writ large”, greets all who enter the lobby, communicating to them exactly where they are now, while acknowledging building’s historical past.

TRANSFORM…The proud owners of a Sonoma”dream” house transformed an existing “empty” nook into into an expression of their love of the Wine Country.

How? They commissioned a custom mural for the recessed wall above their wine bar. The niche area around the mural is glazed with “wine” colors reflected in the mural. The wood cabinetry below is faux wood grained, and the wall into which the wine bar is set is glazed in a bold red with an original adage lettered above.

The Client muses, “It is really beautiful how the light changes the vineyard scene in the wine bar throughout the day.” Their conclusion? Decorative Painting has the power to “truly transform our home into a special wine country manor.”

We All have Our Own Special Idea of Paradise

For some, it may be a wine country manor, for others, an abode shimmering with vibrant color. The Finnish architect Alvar Aalto said,

“There is an ulterior motive, too, in architecture, that is always peeping out from around the corner, the idea of creating paradise.”

Here’s to finding paradise in our daily lives and environments. May this New Year bring you closer to your own, with the help of Decorative Painting!

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers. To learn more please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

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The Magic of Decorative Painting

SFWJ — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:08:07 +0000

Deborah Disman

What IS Decorative Painting? The term is bandied about, and used to describe just about anything from stenciling to murals to hand-painted lettering. In fact, all of the above, plus much more, falls under the rubric of “Decorative Painting”.

by Debra Disman
Prinicipal-ArtiFactory Studio

This is one of the reasons why this rapidly evolving, yet historic art form is so exciting, innovative, and applicable to today’s fast-changing world.

“Decorative Painting”, as it is used currently, is a broad, “catch-all” term. It covers a diversity of skill-based disciplines which engage aspects of art, craft, and design to transform the surface of an object or built environment.

Decorative Painting Takes Many Forms

Decorative Painting draws from an infinite range of sources for inspiration, including nature, world cultures, and our immediate environment. Some of its most familiar forms include:

Wood Grain Faux Finish in a historic Spanish Revival Woodside home.

Faux Finishing, faux is the French word for fake and the technique is used to simulate aspects of the natural and man made world. Creating the look of wood, marble, stone, and precious metals has been around for centuries.

The methods and materials of faux continue to develop and evolve. Many faux finish techniques use a translucent material called glaze, which is manipulated by various brushes and other tools.

Murals are works of art created directly on a wall or ceiling. Not limited to paint, murals can be created of mosaics, ceramics, photographs or other materials. They may include such techniques as “Trompe L’Oeil”, French for “fooling the eye” to create the sense that what is painted is actually there.

The crumbling edges of a building, a rose forgotten on the floor- are they actually there? Or is it the painter’s trick of optical illusion?

Custom Stencil at new SF Dress for Success boutique!

Stenciling employs a cut out of an image or pattern which can be applied to just about any surface in innumerable ways. It’s bounded only by the imagination and intent of the practitioner.

Letters, numbers, text and repeated patterns are great uses for stencils, but their application can go far beyond these.

Decorative Painting Through a Historical Lens

From the cave paintings of pre-history, to the wall paintings in ancient Egyptian tombs and Greek temples, to the development of Mural painting in ancient Rome…advances in decorative painting continue to be motivated by a mix of the practical and aesthetic. The use of faux finishes to cut costs of construction of Europe’s grand cathedrals during the Renaissance is an example of both practicality and aesthetics, which continue to inspire us today. The many applications of decorative painting continue to expand and adapt to our modern and changing world.

Enhance-Beautify-Communicate-Transform

Decorative painters seek to enhance, beautify, communicate, and transform our world by paying close attention to the objects we surround ourselves with and the environments in which we live. The visual evidence of our history would seem to indicate this as an intrinsic human need.

As the 17th Century philosopher and physicist, Blaise Pascal put it,

“Beauty is a harmonious relation between something in our nature and the quality of the object which delights us.”

Here’s to the transformative nature of beauty, in the healing of our world, and ourselves.

May your new year be a beautiful one!

Debra Disman’s passion is to translate her Client’s inner vision into concrete visual form. She can help you use the magic of decorative painting to transform a piece of furniture, a wall, an entire room!

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