fauxplusdesign

Countdown to Leesburg, or, It's My Turn to Play with Annie!

Most of you who read this post need no explanation about the title.

Those of you who have been living under a rock need to know about Annie Sloan and her Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. The best paint in the world. Girls paint, but boys can use it too! Often imitated but never duplicated.

I am looking around my studio for a painted piece to offer for the vignette displays in Leesburg on Annie's American tour, March 31st.

Oh my. What is Annie worthy? Not too big (to fit in the van.) Not too small (and potentially overlooked.) Just right.

I am pushing the deadline here, dwelling on the just-rightness of what is Annie-worthy, as she will be viewing our pieces showcased only in Leesburg!

I just figured it out. Maybe having my eyes dilated by the eye doctor this morning did it. The world was so bright for a few hours that it was painful to look. Just look. So I just thought.

Annie will touch and feel. Enjoy the coloration. The technique. How the piece spoke to the Chalk Paint and the end result.

But what I do know about Annie from near and afar is that she will look through the piece, into the heart and soul of the painter. And know that the process and execution, the thought and love that went into the piece was more than the sum of furniture, chalk paint and wax.

Amen.

The seats in Leesburg are almost gone!

This opportunity may not come again soon,

so register today at the link above!

A Painter Paints for Herself, or, Black Friday in the Studio!

Everyone but everyone was out shopping.

But me.

I was alone in the 600,000 square foot, 100-year-old Mill where I paint day in and day out for my amazing clients.

I'll admit that sometimes I get jealous of those clients.

 

They get the best of me and my work and I just wanted to finish a little project for our living room.

 

A really tiny table that has needed some ooomph for years.

 

Did it!

Well, I did it will a little help from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

 

If you are passionate about doing paint projects yourself, visit my website at ilovefaux.com where you can learn about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and the amazing and addictive workshops I offer!

 

All you need is a little inspiration - a color, a picture, or even a single pillow!

 

Let's paint!

   For more info be sure to visit AnnieSloan.com and AnnieSloanUnfolded.com

 

 

Studio redesign redux, or, here I go again!

There is one thing my dearest friends know about me. I love change.

Design change is uplifting, exciting, motivating and transforming.

Three years ago as I planned my new studio design, I was on the way to Marrakech, so, it became distinctively Moroccan, featuring treasures from my faux adventure there. Citrus-colored rugs and warm layers of color.

Check out the old design here.

Now? Well, see for yourself! I believe I have morphed.

 





 


 



Now it's sort of crusty industrial.

I like it here so much, I want to work 24/7...

 

A Passion for the Pantheon, or, My Sunday Memories of Rome.

As I finalize preparations to leave for Barcelona next month on my next faux/work/travel adventure with Melanie Royals and some dear friends and friends not-yet-met, I spent the day savoring our trip to Rome and Florence last October.

One of our last stops was at the Pantheon.

Ancient. Breathtaking. Mysterious. Inspiring.

I am a very fortunate fauxwoman indeed to experience the wonders of this world with so many gifted finishers from across the USA.

Not a day passes without visions of our projects, our mouth-watering meals, our laughter and our joy of discovery. 

I will truely miss one of my frequent travel roomies, Barb Skivington. You will be with me every step, every moment!

Redesigning my studio, or, fun with old stuff!

I've been at my current studio location in a 1898 restored flannel mill for three years now. My Morrocan-inspired decor in cheery bright oranges and greens and yellows made me love showing up to work.

But I do love change. Just when I'm too busy to think about a project, I always jump in head first.

So I went to my favorite High Point Furniture Market vendor and scored lots of industrial-crusty-funky new treasures. As designer-friend Sandra and I were unloading our haul, I was selling the old treasures right and left.

Yesterday, while hubby made the coolest ever metal rolling walls, I finished this project:

 
THE NEW DESIGN CONFERENCE AREA:

My old rolling table found at a used fixture store, plus new metal stools.

I COMBINED:

An old piece of frosty glass, plus a new stencil from Royal Design Studio, and some leftover Annie Sloan paint:

Love it!

Stay tuned for a little more studio magic...

DESIGN SOURCES:

Stencil: Royal Design Studio

Paint: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Paint Stockist: Faux Works Studio

Introducing DION HAYES DESIGN STUDIO, or, Here I Come High Point Furniture Market!

 
A spectacular trip to Umbria with Gary Lord and Melanie Royals.

A dusty pile of recycled tempered glass.

A custom-designed wall mount - and my new line of glass art line is born!

Enter my amazing sister-in-law Patricia Chrisley and her fabulous company, P. Chrisley International, and look out world, here we come!

DION HAYES DESIGN STUDIO for P. Chrisley International.

TO THE TRADE at Hamilton Square.

Please stop by during Market, April 2 through 7!

Many designs to choose from. With semi-precious stones and coins, and without.

Interchangeable designs which include the wall mount,

hanging hardware and directions for hanging.

SWEET.

 

Coming soon on facebook

The Ultimate Italianate Man Cave, or, Wine, Booze, and Cigars...

Every once in a while I find extraordinary clients.

They have class and style.

They know what they want and they let me be me.

I have worked in this fabulous 1920s restored Italianate home on an ongoing basis since 2005.

Over the past couple of years we have showly brought the basement to life for the very manly Rodney  - he throws many fine evenings here for his friends!

And, I hear the very lovely Denise gets to play here too on occasion...

The stairs to freedom.

 

A throne fit for a king...

 

And his own shower! No need to leave for days.

 

A very cozy corner for very deep conversation. Complete with custom seven-foot cigar art!

 

And yet another custom design to disguise the business end of the basement.

Another smoking corner.

  
The perfect guy arena for challenges and throwing some punches.

 

 
And who could forget my favorite little princesses!

 

DESIGN SOURCE:

Modello Designs - "Loose Screws" Modello

Frankenstein on the beach, or, one too many cocktails...

Mix gently:

Two creative sisters-in-law.

One gorgeous remote Puerto Rican beach.

One questionable amount of frosty adult beverages and lots of time on our hands.

PLUS

Unlimited sources of inspiring goofy materials.

What do you get? Just look...(giggle, hiccup...)

Con-chia Coconutta

Chia-Chia Rodriquez

Mrs. ("come up and see me sometime") Frankenstein

See what a little vacation time will do to a faux finisher with nothing to finish?

 

A Fab Florence Design Studio, or, I Want It All!

I fell more in love with design in Florence.

Our hotel in the Oltrarno artist district was just seconds away from the Porto Romano and the Riccardo Barthel studio. Every time we passed by we stuck our noses to the display windows and dreamed and drooled.

Until they had to invite us in.

The experience viewing room after fabulous room was, well, right up there with the wine, food and gelato. We'll never forget this feast for our designer's eyes.

 

 

HMMMM....

WHAT must Melanie Royals be thinking?

A new stencil perhaps for Royal Designs? Why, I think yes.

Check out her newest designs here.

The Contessa and the Palazzo Tour, or, Shut My Mouth I Think I'm Drooling

Picture this:

It's a crisp October day in Florence, Italy. Gentle breezes blow over the Arno River, just near the famed Ponte Veccio bridge. You're walking into a magnificent stone breezeway on a picturesque side street...

...stepping back in time to meet famed Contessa Corsini who is leading your tour through her magnificent Palazzo. Why yes, the very same Contessa who allowed your group of adventurous finishers to create magical projects in her Castello near Rome.

Oh forget it, cut to pictures, who needs words...

I did not dream this.

Though I did quit shooting pictures.

My brain could not absorb more beauty.

Room after spectacular room.

Lauren Gaines was there.

She'll vouch for me.