Salon Style

After a raucously fun Labor Day weekend on Nantucket, we are back, refreshed, and  enjoying today’s Wall Pin Wednesday. We hope you are, too! The last two week’s contributions proved to be quite diverse. From vintage suzani panels, to Venetian Plaster, to walls studded with golden sea-urchin like protrusions, to classic white bead-board, we traversed the interior design wall treatment gamut. See all of the pins here.

As a result, the round-up this week is completely biased. I won’t lie. Gallery or salon style walls were not only amongst our favorites, but made the tops of the lists for many of our interior designer and blogger friends as well. This is surely in part because salon style walls are an art form unto themselves. They are also really challenging to pull off well. Walls of framed or unframed art, photographs, and objects grouped together offer a chance to personalize a space; display a collection;  add texture, color, or theme; or all of the above. While this look may not be for everybody, from a design perspective, what’s not to love?

“Good Bones” and an inspired salon style wall featuring a colloection of nude studies in William Frawley’s Manhattan apartment. via Elle Decor and repinned via Lynda Quintero-Davids.

Another view of William Frawley’s NYC apartment with a collection of nude studies hung over a pair of 1970s English club chairs. via Elle Decor

This classic Ralph Lauren style includes a cluster of of black and white photos on alligator textured walls. Martini anyone? via Courtney Price Design

A Midcentury Modern interior by Kelly Wearstler Design includes a gallery wall to great effect.- via ELLE DECOR and repinned via Lisa League

Lighter in both character and style, this grouping on beige and white stripes is offers both character and contrast. via NYCLQ

Designer Amanda Lindroth’s house in Lyford Cay. Along with her fresh aesthetic came this “fabulous wall of seemingly casually assembled art.” via Quintessence  |  House Beautiful

As this collection of interiors shows, the possibilities are endless when including salon style walls. Now that you’ve seen some Wall Pin Wednesday favorites, what are yours?

There’s a whole lotta GLAMOUR going on!

As we thought might happen, trends are emerging in the collaborative Wall Pin Wednesday board and the accompanying discussion on Twitter. The most obvious, for well, obvious reasons, is graphic, eye-catching wallpapers. It makes a perfect backdrop for interesting, über glamorous interiors and has quite a legacy of doing so. Of course, the venerable Dorothy Draper and her legendary designs for the Greenbrier come to mind!

Case in point: Berdorf Goodman did a “cover story” for June 2012 at the Greenbrier, decorated by Dorothy Draper. It’s iconic palm wallpaper paves the way for the entire editorial, populated with labels that make up the who’s who of glamorous fashion. The model is wearing Oscar de la Renta. Photograph by Arnaud Pyvka.

From the 2011 Kip’s Bay Decorator Showhouse comes this brushy, seemingly hand-painted wallpaper in bubble gum pink on white. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the Marilyn Minter photograph glimpsed in the gilded mirror! Interior Design by Cayley Barrett. Photo by Isa Salazar. Originally via Lonny, submitted via Lisa League aka @agirlandamac for #WallPinWednesday.

At this point, I’d like to take a moment to lament. We ALWAYS want to give credit for any images we post here. My detective work is sometimes easy, but many times not. Our goal is not only to give credit where we found the image, but also to it’s creator, photographer, designer, and to the manufacturer of the product(s) depicted. If at any time, you can identify something we haven’t been able to, please leave a comment. To that end, if anyone can tell me what the above wallpaper is, I’d be thrilled.

We’re not sure you can do a post on glamorously colorful wallpaper and NOT include Kelly Wearstler. This Washington state home designed by Wearstler was featured in Elle Decor. Every single room is a delight in wall candy, and this de Gournay wallpapered sitting room radiating in mid-century glamour, is no exception. Photo by Mikkel Vang. via Lisa League aka @agirlandamac for #WallPinWednesday.

What is black and white and glamorous all over? This entryway vignette in Interior Designer Meredith Heron‘s home. Originally via HGTV Canada and ecstatically repinned for #WallPinWednesday from the Pinterest board “Walls I Love” by Customized Walls.

No, this isn’t wallpaper. But it’s beyond glamorous, eye-catching, and creative. These zebra print upholstered and studded doors were designed by Interior Designer Miles Redd. via Courtney Price Design for #WallPinWednesday

We couldn’t leave it at that! We had to find the rest of the room flanked by these marvelous doors, especially when we learned that they belonged to the living room of Miles Redd! From a wonderful post and interview with the designer via New York Social Diary.

There are many more inspiring interior design images on the #WallPinWednesday board including some from Noir Blanc Design, Feia Construction, Royal Design Studio, Mark Johnson FAIA, Julia Mack Design, Avente Tile, and some stunning antiqued mirror panels by Garay Artisans via Fauxology, see them all HERE.

We’d love to have you join in on the visual conversation that is #WallPinWednesday! Your contributions are what makes it so much fun and oh so fabulous! So, join the party that celebrates outstanding walls in interior design!

The Round Up

Last week we launched #WallPinWednesday to great success! It was thrilling to see all of the fabulous contributions that fellow interior design lovers made to the collaborative inspiration board and to be a part of the conversations that ensued! Thank you to all who contributed everything from tile, lacquer, paint, color, to wallpaper, and of course, inspired interior design.

As promised, here is a round-up of some highlights from last week’s Wall Pin Wednesday. There are too many to share all of them here, even though we’d love to! To see the all of the images, CLICK HERE.

From Barbara Segal aka @NoirBlancDesign via the Pursuitist a Valencia hotel “fusing historical legacy and modern design” that is beyond exquisite. Fragments of ancient walls, gothic arches, and 19th century palace remains are all integrated into its design. Read the entire post here. It’s worth it, we promise.

Simply awe inspiring, as it’s meant to be. This cathedral glows in walls of cobalt blue stained glass. If anyone knows where this is, we’d love to know! Submitted by Feia Construction, LLC for #WallPinWednesday

Our contribution was the master bedroom by the very talented designer Robert Passal in the 2012 Hampton Designer Showhouse via Quintessence blog (please see Q’s post for more on this truly fabulous space.) The luscious wall finish was inspired by the colors of a bouquet and executed by artist Tracy Hines.

The graphic wallpaper sets the stage in this interior by Kelley Carter in Lonny Magazine May 2012. Photography by Patrick Cline. via Customized Walls for #WallPinWednesday.

This pink on pink interior may be too much for some, but you can’t deny its power! The wildly glamorous, intensely colorful G Hotel in Galway was designed by Philip Treacy. via Interior Designer Sarah Sarna for Wall Pin Wednesday.

A washy, muted watercolor mural featured in the post 5 Resurrected Old-World Interior Design Trends was submitted from Lisa League aka @agirlandamac for #WallPinWednesday. (Originally featured on House To Home > Mural by Surface View | Photograph by Emma Lee)

I think the Portuguese tile in the Casa da Música in Sala Barroca speaks for itself! Re-pinned from Lee Nicholson aka @FilmoreClark for #WallPinWednesday. Via http://fomosveromundo.wordpress.com

In a Northern California Home by Michelle Kaufmann Studio a bath features contrasting silver and green tile enclave topped off with a perfect soaking tub. Photo by John Swain. Submitted by Mark Johnson FAIA for #WallPinWednesday

We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow for another #WallPinWednedsay!

Wall Pin Wednesday

We were recently inspired by one of our favorite chats on Twitter, Interior Designer Chat. Well, truth be told that’s not unusual! But during this particular session the topic was Pinterest, and the discussion, as always, was fast, furious, and fun. Pinterest, if you are unfamiliar, is a fairly new social media site that allows users to collect, “pin”, and share images on “boards”. It basically takes the place of a scrapbook, mood board or inspiration board. The Interior Design community is rightfully quite smitten with Pinterest. It’s a fantastic tool, and especially so for creative and visually based businesses.

The conversation, moderated by the founder of the chat, the lovely Barbara Segal of Noir Blanc Design, was steered toward the idea of collaborative Pinterest boards. At this point, Clever Storage, a clever kitchen storage design company, chimed in that they had started something called #DesignPinThurs or in non-tweet parlance Design Pin Thursday. Basically people can pin a design themed image, give it the hashtag #DesignPinThurs, tweet it, and voila, they will re-pin it onto a collaborative inspiration board.

We LOVED this idea so much that Wall Pin Wednesday was born and christened with the hashtag #WallPinWednesday. It works like this- tweet an interior design or architectural pin that boasts fabulous walls with the hashtag #WallPinWednesday, and we will re-pin as many as we can to a devoted collaborative board on Pinterest. Whether wallpaper, murals, fabric, mosaics, tile, glass, plaster finishes, distressed walls, paint, wood: as long as it is wonderfully wall related, it is #WallPinWednesday worthy. You can also follow the action on Twitter by searching for the hashtag #WallPinWednesday.

We realize that Twitter is not for everyone, and well, frankly, the lingo to the uninitiated can be confusing.  But never fear, there will be eye candy in Wall Pin Wednesday for you as well. Simply check out the resulting board every week to see what people are pinning. Or you can check in here for round-up posts of the top Wall Pin Wednesday pins!

Here are a few fabulous interiors with noteworthy walls that we’ve found on or shared on Pinterest.

Using creative color blocking to define the dimensions of a space. Originally via Desire To Inspire via Skona Hem.

Luxury on the wild side with leopard walls. Pinned via The Decorista.

Miles Redd does walls like no other. The dark teal lacquer of this sitting room coupled with pops of orange and turquoise is just one the elements that make it truly spectacular. Re-pinned via ABC Dragoo.

A gorgeously framed hallway vignette is perfection in white. Re-pinned via Elizabeth de Montfort Walker.

Jeffrey Bilhuber’s Manhattan boudoir luxuriates in custom de Gournay wallpaper with golden gestural strokes by artist Nancy Lorenz. Re-pinned via Webster & Company. Originally from ELLE Decor, May 2007, Photographer William Waldron.

We look forward to seeing your pins for #WallPinWednesday, and remember, we will be posting Round-Ups of the top Wall Pin Wednesday images right here!

To see the inspiring Pinterest boards of Interior Designer Chat, click here.

You can also check us out on Pinterest, where we pin our (and your) inspirations and obsessions.

Sam Simon: Making Magical

Gentleman, artist, and designer, Sam Simon doing what he does best.

After far too long away from the blog, we make our return with one of our favorite discoveries through Twitter, Sam Simon. Not only is Sam a fine fellow and a fabulous follow, he is also a very talented artist working out of NYC creating custom murals and artwork with a focus on children’s themes. His past clients include trend-setters like Betsey Johnson, Versace, ABC Carpet and Home, Macy’s, the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, and many happy homeowners. As Sam puts it, his goal is to create “work that hangs on your wall as long as you like- but hangs in your heart forever.”

We asked Sam to tell us a bit about the artistic process behind this charming boys’ bedroom mural. The project presented a few design dilemmas, not the least of which was the changing needs of growing boys. Without further ado, here’s Sam Simon-

“This is a shared space for two young boys in a very modern home in Manhattan’s Flatiron District.  The ceilings are soaring, yet the room’s footprint was not. The challenge was to create a beautiful mural piece that would allow for the furniture placement to change as the children grew older. (Currently, there is a crib on the opposite wall, in time another twin bed will be added under the taxi.) I also wanted the space to feel fun and alive- without being overwhelming or garish.  To achieve this I stuck to a relatively tight color palate of blues, browns and touches of red and yellow.  Keeping all of the focal points above average headboard height allows the clients to move furniture elements as the boys grow and their needs change.

 

A shared bedroom for two growing boys sports a custom Sam Simon mural. Photo: Mae Lee Hacking, co-founder of Here In This House

The over sized, washy block pattern looks super smart, and the horizontal lines give a “grounding point” for images like the dinosaur and vehicles. The washy texture that we achieve by mixing several values of the same hue softens the graphic nature of the piece.   Metallic white bands and silvery stars glimmer as you move around the room, and your perspective and relationship to ambient light changes.  It really looks magical at bedtime!

An over sized block pattern creates the horizontal lines that give a “grounding point for images like the dinosaur and vehicles.” Photo: Mae Lee Hacking, co-founder of Here In This House

Personalization is what I’m all about- everything from the 17 on the fire engine to the lower case “j” and “a” have significance to the patrons.  The letters for example signify the first initials of both boys’ names, and the number 17 signifies the local fire station.

Personalized details are an integral part of the design. Photo: Mae Lee Hacking, co-founder of Here In This House

Detail of wall mural design by Sam Simon. Photo: Mae Lee Hacking, co-founder of Here In This House

My goal is to appeal to both children and adults.  I also always want my work to look as good and clean from across the room or 1 foot away.  I have eyes like a hawk, and have been known to tighten up every line and corner until they look close to machine made.  The addition of tiny details are one of my trademarks- in this instance the passengers of the taxi-cab and fire engine.  I believe it is all about the details, that this is where the magic of fine craftsmanship lives.”

Here are a few more of our favorite projects by Sam-

A delightful animal filled mural in a bathroom by Sam Simon.

Love the polka dot wall with a custom painting by Sam coupled with nursery furniture by the fabulous New Traditionalists.

Painting with truck, boat, and car by Sam Simon.

A green nursery sprouts floral tree patterned walls painted and designed by Sam Simon.

The last line of Sam’s manifesto is “create your very own beautiful world, piece by piece, personal and precious.” Brushstroke by brushstroke, Sam is helping people do just that.

You can find Sam and many more of his magical creations at www.samsimonprojects.com. He can also be found spouting more manifesto worthy quips on Twitter as @1samsimon.

Music For Your Eyes: Fluted Walls

A few years ago we were installing a plaster wall finish for an interior design project by the venerable Jeffrey Bilhuber and fell in love with another wall- a fluted plaster stunner. It was the first time we had seen a fluted plaster wall, columns sure, but on a flat wall in a contemporary setting, never. We saw that flat, previously nondescript walls become architectural design statements when fluted. Tactilely inviting, optically captivating, and a bit mysterious, at a distance fluted walls could be mistaken for stripes, their trendy, two dimensional cousin, but fluted walls have a visual depth, a play of light and shadow, and a historical reference all their own.

We’ve always wondered when the idea of fluting walls would take off. And then, an eclectic, colorful New York apartment designed by Miles Redd featured recently in House Beautiful caught our eyes. Miles Redd’s designs often are eye catching, but the living room caused a double take; it has a beautifully applied plaster fluted wall treatment running right up the walls and over the ceiling. That got us to thinking- how many other designers are now using this ancient architectural element as a wall treatment? We couldn’t find many, but thought we’d share what we did find, along with a few casual shots we took of that Bilhuber project years ago…

The first fluted plaster wall finish we’d ever seen in a New York living room designed by Jeffrey Bilhuber. Photo by SuperStrata.

Up close and personal, the unfinished plaster brings a subtle texture. The texture and depth of the finish is further enhanced as the light plays off the ridges of the fluting. Photo by SuperStrata.

The living room by Miles Redd that sent us on our quest for fluting! The walls and ceiling received a continuous surface finish created by applying plaster to the walls and fluting it while still wet with specially made tools. Photo by James Merrell via House Beautiful.

The light, ruffled aqua drapes lend a delicate air to this sitting area designed by Miles Redd. Notice the fluted wall treatment does not continue over the ceiling, but rather meets it in a soft caress. Photo by James Merrell via House Beautiful.

A fluted reading corner by Miles Redd. Photo by James Merrell via House Beautiful.

The fluting on the ceiling, seen here reflected in the mirrored wall, adds texture and movement. Interior design by Miles Redd. Photo by James Merrell via House Beautiful.

We love this warm and sensual fluted walnut paneling in an interior designed by Fox-Nahem. Photo by Elizabeth Felicella via Fox-Nahem.

Photo by Elizabeth Felicella via Fox-Nahem.

Photo by Elizabeth Felicella via Fox-Nahem.

A Chicago dining room by Parisian designer Jean-Louis Deniot with fantastic plaster fluted walls by the Luczak Brothers. Can’t you just see these walls perfectly juxtaposed with minimal and mid-century design as well? Photo by Miguel Flores-Vianna via Architectural Digest.

This elegant, rustic room by McAlpine Tankersly gets the traditional gone modern treatment in the form of a fluted half wall. Photo via Limestone and Boxwoods.

Maybe not such a new idea? An illustration of an Art-Deco era grand “stair hall” designed by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann with a fluted wall on the ground level. Image via Bradbury & Bradbury.

Venetian Plaster: Those In The Know Don’t Faux

Custom Authentic Polished Venetian Plaster by SuperStrata for Nicole Fuller Interiors.

In the last few decades the polished Italian limestone plaster as luminous as a pearl has come to be known as Venetian Plaster. Driving its immense popularity is its undeniable beauty, but behind the accent walls there is a storm brewing.

The tempest on the horizon of the design world could very well end the rein of Venetian Plaster as a “timeless” and “classic” wall treatment; the proliferation of badly done fakes by untrained “professionals” and “certified” painting contractors could render this once legendary finish a mere trend. In fact, many so-called “Venetian Plasters” that are installed today are the equivalent of buying Louis Vuitton bags on Canal St: they aren’t real; they aren’t natural; they aren’t quality; and they look like plastic!

True Venetian Plaster and its resplendent aesthetic qualities can only be accomplished with real limestone plaster and great artisanal technique. Authentic Venetian Plaster is made of slaked lime, marble dust, and water. As the plaster cures, it reabsorbs carbon dioxide from the air and returns to a stone state, strong and radiant with the depth of color and translucence of the natural stone that it is comprised of, limestone and marble.

Custom authentic, polished Venetian Plaster walls with little color mottling in a modern mezzanine rivals lacquer for the title of queen of sheen. With the added bonus of being eco-friendly, the all natural plaster finish wins the crown every time. Interior design by Nicole Fuller Interiors. Walls by SuperStrata.

Now you can buy a can of something labeled “Venetian Plaster” at Home Depot, but what is in the can is not Venetian Plaster. The proliferation of these canned imposters full of ethylene glycol, vinyl acetates, acrylics, and resins have turned these so-called Venetian Plasters into a cheap and shoddy commodity, chemically incapable of the depth of color, the play with light, and the longevity that the real thing naturally boasts.

A true Venetian Plaster in a soothing natural tone lends tranquility and a spa-like quality to this master bath. Interior Design by Nicole Fuller Interiors. Wall Finish by SuperStrata.

As pretty as a pearl, a classic wall treatment when paired with non-traditional fixtures and contemporary art make this bath stylish, luxurious, and grounded. Interior Design by Nicole Fuller Interiors. Walls by SuperStrata.

The high shine qualities of the Venetian Plaster wall finish are topped by a ceiling aglow with Marmorino plaster  with Mica flakes. Interior Design by Nicole Fuller Interiors. Walls and Ceiling Treatments by SuperStrata.

When installed as it was meant to be, with real materials, expertise, and craftsmanship, authentic Venetian Plaster is absolutely gorgeous, but when applied by untrained labor and contractors, the result is often inferior. This is doubly so when inauthentic and second-rate materials are employed to save on labor and cost. The old motto “you get what you pay for” is alive and well in the wall finishing business. Add the environmental benefits of using authentic limestone plasters to the equation, and the real thing always comes out on top.

Benefits of real Limestone Plaster:

• Authentic limestone plasters are natural & GREEN
• Mold resistant– less allergens
• Natural temperature regulator
• Low VOCs– no harmful vapors or chemicals
• Made of plentiful natural resources
• Truly time tested- Used for thousands of years
• Highly customizable
• Capable of innovative visual effects and patterns
• Aesthetically superior to synthetics

Book Recommendation: The World of Muriel Brandolini Interiors

The World of Muriel Brandolini Interiors

The World of Muriel Brandolini Interiors By Muriel Brandolini with Amy Tai and Principle Photography by Pieter Estersohn

The first of our book recommendations, The World of Muriel Brandolini Interiors, was recently given to our creative director as a birthday gift. While familiar with interior designer Muriel Bandolini’s work, we had not had the pleasure of perusing this well written, beautifully photographed, and truly inspiring book. We quickly realized that it would make the top of our recommendation list; it is not only filled with jaw dropping interiors that infuse bold juxtapositions of color, texture, pattern, and periods, just what Muriel is famous for, but it highlights the sumptuous walls that set her unconventionally elegant stages.

An upstairs bedroom in Brandolini's Long Island home's guest house. The space feels welcoming and secluded with walls and ceiling of matching patterned fabric. The bright magenta high gloss wooden floor plays off the walls and lends a glamorous edge.

In fact, creative and distinctive walls are at the very core of Muriel’s practice. As Wendy Goodman, the Design Editor of New York magazine, tells us in the introduction, Muriel “blazed the trail” in 1993 with her very own home. It seems the family was subletting an apartment that while perfect in so many other ways unfortunately boasted faux marble painted walls that did not suit her vision for the space. Worse, the walls could not be painted over according to the rental agreement. Never one to be put off, Muriel found an ingenious solution and  “high-tailed it down to the garment district, where she purchased colorful fabric scraps and then made them into patchwork wall hangings and curtains. The result took your breath away; she had set her course, transforming the apartment into a magical galley, a ship afloat in her unique bohemian glamour and offbeat sense of elegance.”

On the Park in New York City, this bedroom has walls covered with squares of straw randomly rotated and adorned with handmade baskets from the Amazon.

Page after page illustrates Muriel’s unique style and flair for creating walls that are so much more than a backdrop. Never one to use wallpaper- she finds it “cold”- she embraces fabric instead and much of it is custom and embroidered or beaded. She has been known to use clients’ lives as inspirations for these creations, with words as pattern that are derived directly from their experiences.

1960's plaid chairs from Italy embrace a steel table by Piet Hein Eek in this refreshing kitchen. The walls wear Holland & Sherry felt that is beaded with patterned happy "pills", each bearing a word from Lou Reed's "Perfect Day". More like a perfect kitchen!

Detail of bespoke felt wall covering hand beaded in Vietnam.

In the book, Muriel’s musings on her relationships with her clients, her inspirations, life, and creative practice are ingeniously interspersed with clients’ reflections of the process.  The presentation of the designer’s thoughts followed directly by her clients’, is such an apt metaphor for the work and process, and more importantly for the final outcome. Each informs the other: client and visionary, lives lived and lives envisioned. Layer upon layer, a rich amalgam is revealed.

On the left, a wall covering with words from the owner's life are embroided onto a warm gray felt. On the right: an office with a hand-beaded circle design wall panel.

The well used chalkboard wall in this playful kitchen is the perfect juxtaposition for the 1950's chandeliers, custom stainless steel island, and Gino Carallo dining chairs.

A chair by Brandolini is accompanied by a "ring" coffee table by City Joinery. The walls in this home were "built to a size that would match the wall coverings" creating a seamless visual experience.

Signature style: custom beaded fabric bejewels this entry's walls with the lyrics from her clients' favorite Rolling Stones song.

In a room meant for "both play and study" the designer along with Cameron Prather created a striped wall treatment consisting of padded felt rows. She calls them "sausage walls". We call them fantastic!

All interiors/images from The World of Muriel Brandolini Interiors By Muriel Brandolini with Amy Tai and Principle Photography by Pieter Estersohn

______________________________________________________________

At SuperStrata we are all about great walls: yours, ours, and their’s; so while we create cutting edge plaster and paint wall finishes, this is the place where we champion the amazing walls that we find around us.

Walls Surround Us

Walls are shelter. Walls are privacy. Walls keep things in and keep things out. We are surrounded by them, and when we are lucky, kept safe and warm by them. Walls are ubiquitous yet sometimes they are cursorily styled, not as an afterthought, but almost as a non-thought, something to merely hang a picture on. Other times they are works of art themselves, outstanding jewels that are perfectly suited to their environments.  This blog is dedicated to those outstanding walls that surround us.

Chronicling our obsession, Walls Surround You profiles all things wall: plaster finishes, paint, design, tile, wallpaper, and of course, the fabulous producers, designers, architects, and decorators that create them. We will feature guest blog posts mixed in with our original content, projects, commentary, book reviews, and trend spotting. We are so excited to have you join us on our journey and to share our passion for the walls that surround us!

Without further ado, let’s jump right in!

Wharton Esherton’s uniquely artistic home.  Photo by Leslie Williamson from the book Handcrafted Modern

A rough hewn plaster wall, resplendent with history supports a split spiral staircase from the 1939 World’s fair in artist Wharton Esherton’s home and studio in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. There has been a surge of worn walls lately in the blogasphere, but this one in combination with the warmth of the idiosyncratic staircase and large wooden beam with a chair on top, is one of the most earnest we’ve seen. From a wonderful book that we recommend for design (and wall) inspiration, Handcrafted Modern: At Home With Mid-Century Designers by Leslie Williamson.

Fabric covered wall with matching settee. Interior Design by Nicole Fuller Interiors. Photo via Nicole Fuller Interiors.

We had to include this entryway turned interior landscape by the former design duo Vessper Wilde. The settee is upholstered to blend into the fabric-covered wall almost seamlessly, creating the most glamorous camouflage we’ve ever seen. The oh so glam vignette is symmetrically flanked by hanging beaded glass light fixtures and walls of iridescent abalone shell tile. As a counterpoint, the soft, shag rug warms things up; plus, it’s the perfect contrast for the outcropping of black glass occasional tables that reflect the pattern of the fabric.

Forest motif custom handmade plaster panels line the top of wood paneled walls.  Photo ©SuperStrata

It is not everyday we get to stretch our legs and work on a project like this one. Sketched, hand-carved,  and then cast by SuperStrata artisans, the detailed, custom plaster panels that abut the solid cherry wood walls were designed to bring the surrounding outdoors inside.  Exposed beams, wood mantel, inviting furniture, antique church pew: together all of the elements create a comfortably elegant gathering spot.

Detail of custom plaster panel with trees in upstate New York. Photo ©SuperStrata

Photo ©Jonas Everets

This photo was taken on vacation years ago in Mexico. We’ve long forgotten what town it was in, but we’ve never forgotten this work of traditional Mexican artistry. Unfortunately, we can’t give you too much detail, but we can share its visual splendor with you. We’re imagining the geometric rosette design as a painted contemporary wall treatment.

Lime wash and Marmorino. Interior Design  by Christian Liaigre in Alta Gracia, Spain. Photo from Liaigre by Christian Liaigre, Thomas Luntz, Jean-Philippe Piter and Eric Morin

We love Liaigre! What’s not to love? He is so gifted, and we definitely appreciate his talent with walls. Not only two-toned, these walls are two-textured. Buffeting a warm toned limestone and marble dust plaster finish, Marmorino, or “little marble” in Italian, with a cool white lime paint in all of its gritty, brushy beauty is a textural feast for the eyes. Featuring this project and many more with walls that will make you swoon, Liaigre by Christian Liaigre is another must read for interior design devotees.

Detail of the brush strokes in an eco-friendly lime paint finish by famed Interior Designer Christian Liaigre in Alta Gracia Spain. Photo by Jean-Philippe Piter

Bausman window display by Interior Designer Oliver Furth. Photo via Oliver Furth

Los Angeles Interior Designer Oliver Furth created this interior, actually a window display, for Bausman’s LA showroom, in honor of Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. We’ve included it in our inaugural post for its brilliant use of old blueprints as wall coverings. Given the subject and the context, the blueprints make for a smart show, but in combination with the oversized sexy, organic shaped desk, colorfully contrasting chair, stark black and white art work, and a light fixture mobile composed of architectural photographs, we think it’s downright outstanding. Now, where to find enough blueprints do our own offices…

One of our Venetian Plasters in a high shine yellow warms a mezzanine hallway. Interior Design by Vessper Wilde. Photo © SuperStrata

Not your average Venetian Plaster, this fresh, custom yellow finish was executed without the mottling that many Venetian Plasters have; perfectly smooth, it has all the sheen and double the glory. It reminds us of that other high shine treatment, lacquer. However, unlike lacquer,  an authentic limestone plaster wall treatment is eco-friendly, which makes us love it even more.

Dune, seen here in cast concrete, is a shaped tile by Stephen Lindsay. Photo via UrbanProduct

Dune, by Stephen Lindsay, is a contemporary shaped tile available in wood, concrete, and plaster. Abutting a bright white traditional wainscoting, the contrast of the organic inspired tiles is striking.  We are currently obsessed with tile designs that have a modulated surface, but we won’t get on our soap box yet, we have plenty of time for that!

Speaking of time, choosing the images for our inaugural post was daunting- there is so much we wanted to share with you! In the end, all are outstanding examples of their individual styles. We’d love to know what you think!

In the mean time, some Deconstructed Elegance

 

Thank you for stopping by!

Coming soon…

As we put the finishing touches on our inaugural WSY post, you can sign up to receive Walls Surround You by email or follow us on Twitter, so you’ll be the first to know when it’s up.

You can also check out a guest blog post that we did for Fauxology, a wonderful blog on decorative wall treatments, featuring one of our favorite projects.

Deconstructed Elegance

“We were so excited to be asked by the lovely and talented Regina Garay to contribute to Fauxology, one of our favorite blogs! Our answer was an immediate and resounding “Yes!” What to actually focus on was another matter. The world of decorative wall finishes is an exciting, multi-faceted place. In the end, we decided to write about a project where we got to do what we love: collaborate.” read more…

Interior designer Nicole Fuller's NYC apartment is an elegant "masterpiece". A custom lime paint finish in the living room is a collaboration between the talented designer and SuperStrata. See more pictures, including the custom beeswax wall drawing in the master bedroom, and read about the process in our guest post on Fauxology. Photo via LivingEtc

About Fauxology

Fauxology is a fantastic resource for wall and interior design inspiration. Begun by Regina Garay of Garay Artisans in 2007 to chronicle  the love affair between Interior Design and painting, pattern, and finishes, it’s a must read. We can’t thank Regina enough for featuring us! We are honored to be included in her romance!