Long island faux finishing trends

In the last year I have been incorporating a lot of bling into my finishes. What I mean by bling, is the use of jewels, crystals and stones. The use of these elements adds a dimension to the finish that is luxurious, opulent and a ton of fun. The majority of these finishes have been done on ceilings, which makes sense because the jewels can not be touched. Lowers the risk of loosening them. I have used large gems, and a wide range of crystals. The array of jewels to be found are endless, and incorporating them into a faux finish, or stencil job is another creative way to create a design in a clients home that is unique, beautiful and very distinctive. To view the latest coffered ceiling using jewels and gems please visit my Facebook page.

A new home completed in Rockville Center features custom murals, stenciling, gold leaf, copper leaf, Venetian plasters and an abundance of fabulous furnishings. We designed the fantastic finishes in conjunction with the talented designers at Desalvo interiors. The foyer features copper leaf and tissue in the dome, a Lusterstone plaster with all over stencil adorns the coffers. We did a soft wash on the walls and tied it all together with gold accents on railings around the lovely circular staircase.

Long Island and Art seem to go hand in hand. The bountiful assortment of artists, mediums, and galleries are a blessing to all of the artists that live on the island. Recently I have had the pleasure and creative excitement of being involved in a truly exhilarating experience. Live Art Fusion. This new and happening event takes place every Wednesday night at the supercool 841 lounge in Huntington. The set up is 10 to 14 artists set up an easel and paint live while a jazz band plays ultra cool sounds for 2 sets. The artists are on rotation, there are about 40 of us and we all have different styles, mediums and finished paintings in about 45-60 minutes! Some of the artists paint the band, some florals, some abstract there is something for every taste. The bands rotate also which make for a unique experience each week. The 841 lounge has a great atmosphere, and a very good tapas menu, so you can feed all,your senses while enjoying a seat on a relaxing super , comfortable couch to literally take it all in. This is an ongoing event, to find out more visit Live Art Fusion on Facebook. Hope to see you there!

Live Creating Yourself.: Jenna Lyons Home for Sale

Live Creating Yourself.: Jenna Lyons Home for Sale. Another mention of this lovely home and beautifully decorated interiors. Photos by Melanie Acevedo. Art work in child's room by Arlene Mcloughlin i am finding links all over the place for this work! Which brings me to the question , shouldn't artists be made aware when thier work is being published? It was purely by chance that I was made aware of this exposure my work has gotten from Pinterest. Myself and the interior decorator were never mentioned or even told our work would be so widely distributed. Better late than never that I would find such fabulous photos and mentions from Domino , and Livingect. Magazines to videos on Oprah! The Internet is a great tool for sharing and this proves, that once it is out there it never goes away.

Habitually Chic®: Jenna Lyons Home: The Complete View

Habitually Chic®: Jenna Lyons Home: The Complete View. Some greats photos of a project Dale and I worked on a few years ago in Park Slope Beooklyn. The nursery with yellow striped ceiling is our handi work, the whole apartment is magnificent! We had no idea at the time who we were working for, we were working with the Interior Decorator. Now we are excited to see our work has been published numerous times as well as featured on Oprah. Thank goodness for the Internet! Pictures and info are here forever!

Mercedes Benz Mural Project

Recently I was commissioned by the Mercedes Benz dealership in Massapequa to add some excitement to their client boutique. The boutique not only is a place where people can buy the latest Mercedes a high traffic area where billing is done, appointments are made and general traffic is kind of high. The inspiration for the murals came for two areas, one was a timeline of the car, which many people , myself inclusive find very interesting. To see how the style and shape has changed over the last hundred years is fascinating. I painted 13 models for the timeline on pellon and installed these paintings in a border design around the perimeter of the showroom. The larger murals are of the "founding" historical figures of Mercedes Benz, these murals measure 54"x 82" and were painted on canvas and installed. The murals include six portraits painted in sepia tone, which gives a nice "aged" . Following each portrait is a short paragraph explaining each figures signifigance to the Mercedes Benz company. The murals give customers a little bit of history as well as something nice to look at while in the boutique.

Undersea Marine Life Mural in Whitestone N.Y

I have a wonderful client in Malba , New York, a little "hub" if you will of the lovely Whitestone , Queens. This area is beautiful, overlooking the Whitestone Bridge filled filled with fantastic old Tudors, Colonials as well as massive new stucco and brick mini mansions.I am very familiar with the area as I have been coming here since I was a baby , my "Nana" lived there as well as my entire family has migrated back there now. I met this client about a year ago and developed a very nice relationship with her. My first job for her was a Faux Finish in her kitchen that has since snow balled into a finish or mural in every room of her home. When she started chemotherapy about a year ago I decided to surprise her and do her bedroom for her while whe was in the hospital. When she came home she was very pleased and has since called me back to do 3 more bedrooms. The room I am focusing on here is the boys room. I did a panoramic undersea mural depicting mammals, fish and marine plants, the mural posed a few challenges as it is on a deep slant, and all over head. The finished mural creates a soothing environment fro a kids room and adds color and interest to a large area of ceiling space.

A fine Faux Finish in Brookville NY

Finally finished photos of the Brookville Mansion featuring 13 rooms of faux finishes, murals, venetian plaster and gold leaf. Please watch the attached video to see a virtual home tour of this magnificent home located in the heart of the Gold Coast of Long Island.

Designer Showcase 2011

The 2011 Designer showcase featuring fantastic design trends, interior decorating and artists, is opening Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Chestnut Manor in Brookville. The mansion is filled with great design ideas, artwork, and beautiful wall treatments. All proceeds are non profit and benefit the Millneck school for the deaf. I am very happy to be amongst the vast amount of talented professionals participating this year. My areas are the first floor powder room which I transformed into an ultra feminine panoramic escape, and the back first level stairwell, that leads up to the athletic wing of the house. If you are in the area, and would like to spend a pleasant afternoon perusing the mansion or, if you are decorating your own home and need ideas and professionals to help you stop by and you will be very glad you did!

A busy summer!

This summer has been perhaps one of the best we have ever enjoyed here on Long Island. The weather has been fantastic, hot, sunny and mostly dry. The beaches here have been crowded and beautiful! A summer to enjoy and take in the many exciting sites here on the island. We have enjoyed the many delights the Great South bay has to offer, from boating and jet skiing to a terrific meal at the Singletons seafood shack at Tobay. Painting during these hot summer months can be very inspiring taking in the vast amount of beaches, boardwalks and beautiful scenery at the beaches. We have done some plien air painting as well as taking some fabulous sunset shots from our very own John Burns Park. One of the best days we enjoyed this summer was a nostalgic visit to Lido beach, i remember taking the free beach bus there as a kid, and the fun times my friends and i had there were all but stored away in my memory. I met my brother's family there one Sunday 2 weeks ago, we enjoyed the beach, and the "mushrooms" and after had a great dinner at Jordan lobster farms. They have newly expanded the out door dining area, a very affordable and delicious way to enjoy the sea;s king of the dinner plate! No trip to Lide is complete with out a cone from Marvel, in business since long before I was a kid, this place never gets old, and the ice cream just tastes better!