The Art of Stenciling, I Presume?
Once upon a time, after the New Year of 2011 had begun, and before 2010 taxes were due, I had the opportunity to collaborate with an esteemed Client and associate, to add that “finishing touch” (actually, the window treatments came afterwards) to a very special Guest Bath.
This Bath was in the process of being transformed, from a place of day to day use by his son, now gone off to college, to a fresh and fun “new” space for his fiance, who tended towards a minimalist, Mid-Century, New York sensibility.
My awesome Client, himself a long-time Berkeley, CA resident, has an eclectic design sense, informed by extensive travels around the globe,
art collected at home and abroad,
and a love of bright color,
rug patterns,
and funky furniture.
Indeed, he has done much of the interior painting in his home himself.
We discussed that bathroom in question, and I took a look…
It was freshly painted, with colorful artwork, of course,
and the green tile had to be taken into consideration.
I chose three repeating stencil designs, and made Samples for my Client and his Intended to look at on site, in the room. Taking my cue from the tile, the artwork, the colors in the adjacent hallway and throughout the home, I used cerulean blue and deep forest green, nature colors that would contrast beautifully with the base coat, Benjamin Moore OC57, “White Heron”, give a clean fresh feel to the room, and support its function.
I also wanted the design to reflect both a feminine and masculine sensibility, and be able to marry both eclectic-world beat-funky tastes with minimalist-Mid-Century-streamlined preferences. Or, try, anyway.
I was thrilled that the Client chose a custom stencil that I had created from an existing source years ago, for a master bath suite in another and very different East Bay city. Happily, the design contained both geometric and organic elements, that created both a sense of movement and stability.
It was fun, it was crafty, it was elegant, yet funky, and the Client supported my idea of applying the paint color in a mottled, layered, and textural way. Best of all, in the words of my Client’s fiance, “It complete(d) the room!”. As I was concerned that she be as happy with the result as he, this comment was music to my ears.
The repeated design pulls out colors in the artwork,
and creates a bower for the painted lovers.
The blue and green hues set off the strong red accents prevalent throughout the home.
The stenciled effect is multiplied through reflection.
A spot application of invisible clear varnish protects the stenciled border from the effects of moisture.
With careful planning, enhanced by Client collaboration, even a room already containing strong elements of art and color can be “completed” through the well-placed pattern, whether hand-painted, stenciled, printed or plastered. That extra addition of artful love and care to a space can really “pull it together”, and bring it to the next level of design and artistry. A stenciled border can contain and express both feminine and masculine elements within its design. Eclectic-world beat-funky can marry minimalist-Mid-Century-streamlined. My Client/s, and our collaboration have proved that!
Have YOU ever “married” sensibilities, styles and approaches in Your projects?
If you feel so inspired, please share about it with us here. We love to hear from you.
Remember, we are all collaborating in this thing called Life, together. Cheers!
On Ocean…beguiling architecture can be seen…
complete with detail of tile, brick and terracotta.
To the side..wooden shutters and pattern upon pattern,
giving new meaning to “white picket fence”.
As one moves down the walkway from Ocean to beach….one sees more layers, of pattern and material, plants and metal. Santa Monica knows from gates…weathered, imposing, architectural, artsy.
At the bottom of the walkway, is another magnificent building that manages to combine quaintness and stateliness.
More texture. This side faces the beach.
Heading back up the walkway, towards Ocean Street again, one passes more brick, banked with foliage and flowers.
Palms, succulents, flowering plants and a mix of materials soften the concrete.
The walkway weaves its magic…feeling for all the world like a picturesque country lane…
Albeit one with some interesting signs, which betray its origins in the world’s entertainment capitol.
More gates, and a visual archway created.
These could be the gates to an Tuscan Villa, if one didn’t see the Pacific Ocean to the right, directly West.
True to ever artful Santa Monica, brick pattern and mosaic design add just enough visual interest to a garden wall to arrest and entice.
It is no accident that the mosaic design leads our eye to the gate, and what lays behind it.
I turn, to take in the Western view…from where I walked,
than back Eastward, to Ocean, where I am walking to.
Artissima - Blog of ArtiFactory Studio 