Murals by Los Angeles Muralist Gabrielle » Faux finishes

Refinishing Wood

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:46:48 +0000

Detail view of a wooden column with carvings which I refinished. The wooden columns were weathered and the paint was faded to a minimum, so the original hand painted look was completely gone before I was asked to refinish them.

See the whole view of the column

French Decorative Painting

admin — Mon, 23 May 2011 21:30:22 +0000

Faux Finished niche with decorative painting

What do you do with niches?
You can just paint them. You can faux finish them or use Venetian Plaster.

Or have them hand painted with some ornamental/decorative painting on a faux finished background.

: Two hand painted niches for a Bel Air residence

Free Estimate? Send an email here

Wooden Columns Refinishing

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:33:08 +0000

Restoration of hand carved columns

To refinish these columns was a challenge indeed! The color of the four hand carved columns along a wonderful sparkling swimming pool of the Mulholland residence were brown and there was hardly any color left. Wind, sun and rain had caused the paint to fade away over the years.

The home owners contacted me and asked me to refinish the columns. And as you can see on the picture, I found my way to the beautul carvings.

Suddenly you could see some contrast and the real beauty of the columns.

See the details! It was amazing how they looked after I sealed them with a varnish.

Call (818) 470 2932 if you have furniture or a wall which needs a new look.

refinished column detail

How to make more out of a bathroom

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 17:49:03 +0000

Bathroom Faux finishes

It was my peasure to help my client to complete the bathroom in her charming Pasadena home.

For the walls and ceiling we were chosing a faux finish of French Country style – a style which was dominating the whole home. It could be seen in the custom tiles, the cabinets and sinks.
I faux finished the doors and window frames in using first a dark brown as base coat, then a glaze mixed out of the actual wall color with some brown. At the end I distressed the wood and used some brown for the edges and lines.

See more pictures of this beautiful bathroom here

How to refinish the hallway railing

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:08:19 +0000

: Faux Finish for Hallway Railings

Is your home all white? In the 70s it was very trendy to paint everyting in the house white – the walls, the bathrooms, the railings, the windows – just everything.

I figured it is a lack of contrast, right? So where do you start in changing it? Sure you can paint the walls and the trims. But what about the railings and doors and windows?

I was hired to refinish the hallway railing in a “white house” and suggested an espresso brown for the railing.

First you would sand the wood and paint it with a primer. When it is dry you add the first color: a chocolate brown. Let it dry. Mix the glaze, it needs to be one tone darker. Add the glaze and let it dry. Mix another glaze and add some water to it, it should not be very thick. Use the glaze until all white spots are gone but the wooden structure would shine through. Finally seal it. Does this sound complicated? I hope not. You always have the chance to contact me, in case you have a “white house” and need some contrast. Happy painting.

Wall Cabinet Shabby Chic

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:15:02 +0000

Wall Cabinet inside - Wall Cabinet distressed, French Antique Style

Wall Cabinet distressed, French Antique Style

I bought this cabinet with at least 5 layers of paint on it. Everywhere there was a thick crust on old and new paint. So I sanded and sanded and sanded. Finally after many hours of sanding it started to look good. One layer of thin paint and another one with glaze, made the difference.

If you have a cabinet you want to refinish call 818-470 2932.
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Italian Landscape Mural in Old World style

admin — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:04:14 +0000

: Pomegranate tree

This pomegranate tree is part of a big mural in the hallway of a Bel Air residence.

It was done completely in Old World style, featuring an Italian landscape, trees, cypresses, lemons, grapes and flowers.

The background is like a faux finish, subtle colors and fading. It reminds of the Da Vinci times when the world was calmer and more relaxed.

Call for an estimate 818 470 2932 – located in Los Angeles, CA

Hallway Faux finish – Espresso brown railing

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:41:06 +0000

: faux finished hallway railing

This railing was white as almost everything in this home.

To add some contrast my client and I decided to faux finish the railing and give it a warm espresso brown. This was a great idea. The hallway looks completely different now! It is very stylish!
If you are thinking of remodelling your hallway but don’t want to buy a new railing, this is the alternative.

It is less expensive, not messy at all and can be done in a short time. No annoying construction delays and errors – it will be a smooth transition.

Call 818 470 2932 for a free estimate.