Is It Real or Is It Faux

Is It Real Or Is It Faux?

Many people have been emailing and asking me about the faux treatments I have had done in some of my clients homes. So I thought this was a great topic to talk about in my blog.

I am a huge fan of faux painting techniques. Faux painters are artist. A good faux artist can make a treatment come alive. Nothing softens and enriches a wall like a rich, warm faux wall treatment. There are hundreds of possible combinations and new techniques and materials are being discovered everyday. Most faux treatment copy nature in one form or another. This may be from the natural pattern of veins in marble, the rich patina of a stone or rock to the natural aging process of tiles, copper, brass and bronze.

Faux (pronounced "foe") is a French word for false or fake.

Faux finishing has been used for many years. From Ancient Egypt's cave painting, however, what we generally think of as a faux finish in decorative arts began with plaster and stucco in Mesopotamia some 5000 years ago. Faux became hugely popular in the form of faux marble, faux wood and Trompe L'oeil murals.

I am very intrigued with French Design. One of the things that inspires me about French design is the use of worn, aged, distressed and painted furniture and walls. I guess this is why I like to use faux treatments. Many of the designs that I have used in my clients homes are recreated from French design books that I have collected.

The most important challenge in doing a faux treatment is to find an artist, a good faux painter. The beauty of the final result is all in the hand and creativity of the painter. Two artist can do the same treatment and both treatments will look different. You are only limited by the creativity of the faux artist. You want to make sure the artist is creative and willing to think outside the box.

The cabinets were stock stained light oak. Kimberly Brandon from Color Your Home refinished the cabinets in a black distressed finish. What is new become old. Aging finishes gives texture and interest.

This is an unexpected faux finish. The floor is this basement is concrete. The concrete was faux finished with different colors of stain, then a coat of poly was applied over the stain..

Ceilings are my favorite places to use faux treatments. Ceilings always seem to get forgotten when people decorate. My motto is bring the eye up to the unexpected. All of the above ceiling treatments were created by Faux Maison, Flowery Branch, GA. http://www.fauxmaison.com/
Faux treatments on the ceiling create an added dimension to the room. The right treatment can add interest and texture and the softness of certain treatments can be the backdrop to beautiful stencil treatments. To me it is like I am hanging a one of a kind piece of artwork on the ceiling.

A few more ideas for using faux treatments: Have a small are of the wall fauxed and trim it with stock trim, then you have a one of a kind painting. Have your favorite saying painted on your kitchen wall or bedroom wall. This is a great idea for a nursery. Have a mural painted of your favorite vacation spot painted on a wall. Accent a niche with a metallic faux finish. Metallic finishes are a great way to add sparkle and shine.
I am also a big fan of shimmer stone. It is a faux finish products that creates a muted shine and sparkle. Ask your faux artist about this product, it comes in a lot of colors and I just love it done on a ceiling.

I hope I have inspired you to try a faux treatment. Consider faux treatments as artwork. The sky is the limit and you can create a one of a kind inspiration in your home. Call me if you would like some ideas or would like additional information.