Decorative Painting Examples and Terminology PART II

When decorating your home, you inevitably face the dilemma of what to put on your walls. Plain color? Wallpaper? How about doing some decorative painting that incorporates the use of a “stencil” or “chinoiserie”? The first installment of this post discussed the terms “faux finish, decorative painting, murals, gilding and trompe l’oeil”. Go back one post if you want to check that one out. In this post, I will be presenting definitions and examples of stenciling and chinoiserie. I have so much great stuff to share, I decided to save ornamentation and grottesca for the next post in the series, so stay tuned!

beautiful chinoiserie style ceiling created using Cutting Edge Stencils

STENCILING: 

Stenciling is a form of decorative painting that incorporates the use of plastic, mylar, cardboard or some other thin material to create a shape and mask certain areas of a painted area to form a specific shape. Modern stencils have come a long way from what they once were! The possibilities are almost endless to the different looks you can create using stencils in new and creative ways. Your only limit is your imagination. Stencils can be hand-cut using a sharp blade or stencil cutter, or they can be custom ordered from one of the many stencil manufacturers on the market. There is also a plethera of options of pre-cut stencils available today that have wonderful designs and style options from which to choose. Some of my favorite stencil resources are Royal Design Studio, Wallovers, the Mad Stencilist, the Stencil Library, Faux Design Studio, Faux by Kathy, and Cutting Edge Stencils. If you are specifically looking for help with designing a custom stencil for your project, I recommend the Mad Stencilist or Royal Design Studio (or their single use stencil branch called Modello Designs) A single use stencil, also know as a modello, is one that is cut in three layers and provides the ability to stencil without the use of stencil adhesives or “bridges” or gaps in the stencil design, which is particularly useful on ceilings or when doing intricate stencil designs. Stenciling has played a major role in the world of decorative painting for years,  but has never been utilized as effectively and beautifully as it is today. Stencils of all sizes are being used by decorative artisans in innovative and gorgeous wall, ceiling and floor applications like never before.

This subtle example of stenciling was created using hand cut stencils, metallic paints, and wax.

concrete floor decorated with skimstone and  a stencil from Modello Designs

I created this ceiling mural with the help of stencils custom cut at the Mad Stencilist.

Whether using a simple stencil for some accented areas on your wall, or doing something more elaborate that resembles wallpaper, stenciling can be a beautiful and contemporary way to decorate your interiors.

beautiful stencil example by Sheri Zeman of Faux Design Studio in Addison, IL

I love this industrial chic look created with “Roundabout” at wallovers.com

CHINOISERIE: pronounced, “[sheen-wah-zuh-ree, -wah-zuh-ree; Fr. shee-nwaz^uh-ree] is a style of decorative painting dating back to the seventeenth century which reflects Chinese artistic influences. It is often characterized by fanciful imagery of Chinese landscapes and birds. The style of chinoiserie is used to adorn not only walls, but also many other decorative items such as porcelain, folding screens, furniture, and fabric. The style peaked in the 18th century when it was incorporated into the current Rococo style by artist Francois Boucher.  There are many sources for hand painted chinoiserie style wallpaper such as deGournay, Paul Montgomery Studio, and Gracie. Many decorative painters offer customized versions of their own “chinoiserie” style finishes.

A gilt chinoiserie screen

a beautiful example of chinoiserie by Francois Boucher

beautiful hand painted silk wallpaper from deGournay

chinoiserie style bed from Anthropologie

antique red chinoiserie panels found on Etsy.com

There are so many beautiful examples of stenciling and chinoiserie, I could go on for days!! Check back for more in upcoming posts.

My favorite Decorating Trends of 2011-2012

As a decorative artist and lover of design, I try to stay on top of decorating trends and keep images and ideas that are fresh and exciting at the top of my head to use as inspiration for upcoming projects. As we come to the end of 2011 and start to look ahead to the coming year, I feel like it’s a good time to review some of my favorite design trends, interior and otherwise, and to look forward to see what will be popular in the coming months and plan accordingly.

One big look that has really made an impact across the board is the “Industrial Chic” look. Fueled by Restoration Hardware‘s gorgeous new line of furniture and accessories, this handsome and interesting style is full of rich textures, colors, and lines. It is distinguished by repurposed “industrial” items like gears and metals, vintage signs and clocks, and anything with time-worn patina and hardware. This look is a particular favorite of mine. Shows like American Pickers and Picker Sisters have added to the industrial chic craze.

a page from the latest Restoration Hardware catalog

industrial side tables

warm and exciting, cool and chic!

The next trend I love is the “Soft Modern” decorating style. This look blends traditional, modern, eclectic and contemporary pieces within a neutral color palette. It’s a style that is pleasing to most people and is easy to live with. It’s a hybrid of styles that is very warm and inviting while still being “sleek” and contemporary.

This modern bedroom is so serene

I love the retro wall

"roundabout" stencil by "wallovers" looks a lot like the wall in the previous pic

I don't typically think of modern as having so many interesting textures! It's gorgeous.

One color trend that has been hard to miss and can be seen across all decorating styles is the use of gray. Monochromatic gray rooms can look chic and elegant or vintage and shabby chic. I like both of these looks very much and love the freedom it allows homeowners to move accessories around their homes.

elegant gray zebra stripe stencil

The warm gray chinoisserie on the walls and ceiling are stunning and classic

Expect gray to stick around in the coming year. Yellow and “greige” a green/beige hybrid are expected to be popular, while purple and brown are out.
Finally, I love the use of burlap and other rich textures. I used unprimed linen sewn to another canvas for a custom piece of artwork for a customer this past year and was really pleased with the result. According to Beasley and Henley Interior Design, the hot look in furnishings is “Paris Flea Market meets Driftwood Salvage” Think reclaimed, rustic, vintage. Again, Restoration Hardware’s influence here can’t be denied.I particularly love the combination of old and reclaimed with classic and refined.

burlap fabric, reclaimed wood and hardware, vintage accessories

love the mix of burlap and french design on these chairs shown on apartmenttherapy.com!

detail of "burlap" canvas I created earlier this year

Clearly, there is an abundance of material to use as inspiration for new finishes in the coming year…stay tuned:)