Working with graphic designer Jamie Stolarski who came up with the design, Nicola plotted out free hand the mural.
Best Quality Daughter is an Asian inspired restaurant that is housed in a old cottage that was moved to the shopping and dining district. We not only painted the mural but also worked on the signage in the front and back of the building.
During this process, the Pearl, for advertising purposes, created a time lapse video of us over the ensuing days. It only took Nicola 3 days to complete the mural part of the project.
Exterior murals can personalize and draw attention to your building and business. Instagram tagging with your signage in the background is the best method of advertising you can get.
Stenciling was done on the inside: Floors and Vestibule
The patio is now open, landscaped and a fun place for selfies and group photos. The food is amazing the owner learned her craft in Thailand and living in China where here grandparents are from. Best Quality Daughter is truly original.
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Earlier in the summer, we received a call from West Hollywood interior designer, Elizabeth Dinkel and her assistant, Jonathon. She had called Chateau Domingue in Houston asking for a decorative artist referral. They referred us. The amazing part is that the 3 year remodel was on the same street that we live on and where our studio is next door. We all felt this was meant to be.
The original floor
had buckled with water damage and turned yellow but Lizzie wanted to keep the original look. It's so fabulous!
Firstly however, we needed to match the newly installed columns to the wood stain on the walls and lime wash the fireplace.
After choosing Farrow and Ball's "Lime White", the contractor provided a sample of the stained floor where we made several samples finally choosing the 80% coverage, using FX Thinner as our glazing medium. (we love that stuff)
Next we started the marking off of the floor. Once having decided where we would begin, everything ran smoothly until we realized the blue chalk from the snap line just didn't show up well enough. Finding white chalk for the snap line proved our biggest difficulty but found it at a store specializing in weights.
After snapping the lines and taping, we covered each wood square and tape to be painted with Dead Flat Varnish for assurance that there would be no seepage. First coat of Lime White stippled in corners then brushed out for a crisp line. On day 3, we painted the last coat, removed tape and marveled at the beauty of this floor.
The contractor will topcoat this floor as is our practice of only creating the artistic finish. Can't wait to see the final product! We had a great time on this project and it was so refreshing to work with a California designer and an amazing client couple.
On to white washed beams and a pattened gold leaf ceiling for San Antonio designer Audrey Curl next week.
#ilovemyjob
Leslie
]]>Actually, it's what's happening at our client's palazzo in Olmos Park. Sometimes I pinch myself that I get to see such incredible beauty and museum quality pieces in homes that we work in and that clients love to share the provenance of their magnificent treasures. Art-historians have a way of finding each other and feeding each others souls.
Working on a referral from Michael Landrum, our favorite architect out of Houston and my high school classmate (please check out his website-amazing!), we created a hand painted "wallpaper-like" mural for our client.
The research is always the most fun-finding out what the client likes in terms of images and design. The trumpet vine spoke to her as did small birds with a monochromatic background. Trumpet vines are abundant around our studio.
Hummingbirds were then a must to fill in empty spaces.
Once we chose the birds, the tracing began.
Then the filling in.
The final look is so charming.
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Love tassels like we do? Be the first to purchase our new "Lambrequin" stencil. We designed this stencil for a new construction in the Hill Country. After seeing homes that had rounded rooms needing softening, we came up with this delightful stencil that also works well with straight lines.
I took this photo while in Versailles participating and painting in the Salon (International Conference of Decorative Painters-a by invitation only annual meeting of the best of the best decorative artists in the US) of the guard gates at Versailles. The colors and patina have always inspired me. While searching for inspiration for this room at Cordillera Ranch close to Boerne, I knew we found our answer.
Versailles Salon
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