Category: Decorative Finishes

Venetian Plaster Interior — Banff: Phase 2

By on January 10, 2011 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Decorative Finishes, feature, Full Interior Projects, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver

It’s great to be back in Banff!

The progress from other trades has been awesome! I’ve come back to see the millwork going up on our lime plaster ceilings in the dining room, and the drywall’s being installed throughout the home.

With such a positive start for the new year, we’ll have a super-productive month.

Having lost some time to travel early this week, we’ll be working straight through the weekend. We’ll be focusing on the kitchen, which means Venetian plastering the ceilings so we can finally take on the walls.

After arriving in town, we spent the week preparing all these areas for the next seven days of work. That meant we had to prime all the walls and ceilings, and float some walls to get them perfect and level so they’ll the right canvas for our work.

Old-school methods like floating walls don’t get a lot of talk on the home reno shows on TV, but they can really make the difference in the level of craftsmanship seen in work like ours.

Remember, we’re working with natural products like wood, and one warped 2×4 can mean a world of trouble for more than one trade on a job like this. Using today’s tools and yesterday’s know-how, our finishing techniques transform trouble spots that could make an elaborate plastering job like this seem less than perfect.

Sometimes, it’s what you don’t see at the end of the job that makes the difference between good work and great work.

Here’s the dining room. I can’t wait to see this room get further along!

The design is just amazing, and look at all the windows. I’m in love with the look of this space and keep trying to imagine the final result. With all the lines, the angles, the textures, the light, I know it will be stunning.

Below is a detailed shot of the first floor’s drop ceiling.

The architecture here blows me away, I can’t get enough of it! It demands that we spend way more time on the finishing work, sure, and our necks and shoulders are cramping up with the strain and effort it takes, but that’s the way it goes.

It’s honestly a privilege to work on such a high level of craftsmanship, in such an amazing natural setting, and if it takes an ice bag or two, that’s okay.

These ceilings are something else, aren’t they?

I think the slight sheen and subtle rustic texture bounce the light nicely while adding lots of character. What about you? Can you see this in a space for your project?

Can you imagine enjoying an Irish coffee, reading a mystery book, and the glow of a roaring fire casting shadows on this pitted ceiling? If you’re a designer, would your clients enjoy this?

Here’s a ceiling shot taken before the drywall was installed. You can really see the jagged edges and the revealed planks underneath.

Our work is literally cut out for us!

This is the biggest wall in the house, area-wise — and the tallest. We have an amazing design happening for this, which is carved in, with half-inch reveals. You don’t get to see how cool it looks until next week’s blog posting, though.

If you’re enjoying Week One of the exciting second phase of this big project in Banff, Alberta, then stick around for more excitement — now that almost all the prepping is done, you can expect to see change happening quickly and dramatically.

Stay tuned!

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2011,
Darrell Morrison

Venetian Plaster Interior Banff, Alberta Week 1

By on November 19, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Carrara Marmorino, Decorative Finishes, feature, home, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Tadelakt, Tadelakt full interiors, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver

I remember my parents telling me their stories about how hard life was “back in the day,” when they’d have to slog through heavy snow, up snowy hills, all while braving the freezing weather. Now that I’m working in Banff, I can finally tell my daughter the same kinds of stories.

Except that my stories will involve my struggles this week — hauling some 2,650 pounds of Italian lime plaster up a snowy, icy hill, down some stairs to the lower level’s entrance, and all in chilly -14 degrees Celsius weather.

Yep, just another wintery day’s work in Banff, Alberta.

Laying down the base coat

There’s a reason they call short people “vertically challenged,” and my work in Venetian plaster and the constant need to do ceiling treatments means I’m proof of the “challenged” part.

Ladder, please!

I often need a little extra height, and that perfect height still means a world of work but a lot less pain!


Living and working in one of the mildest climates in Canada means I’ve never experienced the difficulties of building in high-altitude severe winter climate like that found here in Banff.

I’m enjoying seeing how different practices are needed for success here, and I’m super-impressed with how the builder deals with nature’s wrath, tenting exterior areas so the work on the home’s landscaping can continue throughout the season.


This is the exciting part, for me! Just last week, the main floor had barely any drywall hung. That was then and this is now! The build team has really pulled together, everyone’s always on the move, and they’re working as a team to get ‘er done. There’s a lot of good nature on the build site, with everyone being very friendly and communicating clearly, all things that are very important to me in a work environment.

It feels wrong to post without sharing another photo of the area. Here’s the town as we head to our lodgings after a day at the job site.

Banff is such a lovely place. I have so much more of it to experience while I’m here, and that’s really exciting. It’s not just a mountain town, it’s a winter wonderland, and it’s feeling like an epic journey’s just getting started. Thanks for following the experience!

Cheers,

Darrell Morrison

This Week’s Banff Trivia:

 

Geologists report that the Rocky Mountains that make up Banff National Park are 45 to 120 million years old. In just the national park alone, one can find more than 1,000 glaciers — but only if they wear really, really rugged hiking boots!

Massive Tadelakt Fireplace Resurfacing

By on October 5, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Custom Fire Places, Decorative Finishes, feature, home, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Tadelakt, Tadelakt full interiors, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver

Now you’ll see I don’t exaggerate. I said this Tadelakt fireplace was massive? It was HUGE!

Stretching 16 feet across and with a towering peak of 11 feet, you can see why such a dominant feature made nailing the perfect colour the most important step in planning. But, hey, it’s always about “the perfect colour”.

Remember, I’ll always be happy to mix tints as often as it’s needed to make sure it’s a colour you’ll love living with well into the future.

Back to the massive fireplace: When you take a built-in entertainment centre/room feature and want to turn it into something bold and grand, while still adding value to your home, natural lime-based Venetian plaster is definitely the way to go. Remember that, it’s not just a cosmetic change — it’s adding value with beauty.

But, here, take a look for yourself.

“After”:

“Before”:

Here’s the soon-to-be Tadelakt fireplace. Mean, green… and wow! Could be a show-stopper if it’s finished right… but that’s why they hired me, because my company only does it “right”.

Our first step was building up the mantle for added size and drama, by using a 16-foot piece of 2×6 and some crown moulding. Et voila! There’s some beautiful architectural detail.

After finished beefing-up the mantle and the build was done, it was
time to figure out the posts for the bulk of the Tadelakt fireplace
application. This transformation really took it to the next level of
super-cool, don’t you think?

Look closely. Do you see both the bulk and pure “flow” those legs added? We felt it gave exactly the character needed to make this fireplace a feature to envy in an already-upscale neighbourhood.

Next came the real treat — doing the actual Tadelakt lime-plaster application. That’s when I get to feel like we’re putting icing on a cake. This, though, was a tricky cake.

You know me, I love a challenge. Personally, this profile was like nothing I had ever Venetian-plastered before. The detail, curves, and
difficulty reminded me of a lonely country road on a winter’s morning — a great pleasure to be on, but taking it slowly and carefully would
be essential, while knowing that patience would be rewarded with beauty.

Do you see how I used an orange mesh for tying the pieces together? This step is a massive pain, and really not a fun part of the project, but when it comes to a curved profile and the added degree of artistic difficulty that comes with it, that grief is worth the effort just for the extra years of architectural integrity it gives the project. It’s like your mom always told you, “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” That’s how I operate, too.



Now the project is complete and the space has taken on a whole new look. It’s no longer a built-in piece of drywall, but a long-lasting element for the room, and a focus of the home that can be built upon for years. This fireplace will surely remain a strong selling point for as long as the home stands, because we built it to last.

I’m glad you popped in for a look at my recent work. Thanks for reading!

Cheers,
Darrell.

What Is Silver Leaf

By on August 6, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Decorative Finishes, Guilding Vancouver, Silver Leaf Vancouver, video

So, maybe you’re wondering: What is “silver leaf”? How does it get applied? And what are “gilding” and “size”? While I won’t be giving you any of my trade secrets that make me so good at what I do, I’m sure you’ll learn a few useful tips in this video.

The technique of “gilding”, or applying silver or gold leaf to objects, walls, and wood, has been used since the time of Ancient Rome, more than 2,500 years. Today, it’s used both to create a modern design feel or to bring the “old world” home again.

Have you ever used silver leaf or had an artisan work with it on one of your projects? Let me know about your experience with what I think is a classy, hand-crafted finish that never gets old.

Here, watch me apply a few leaves, then remove the excess. Keep an eye on the technique.

Enjoy,
Darrell Morrison.

Venetian Plaster Ceilings: Red and Orange

By on August 1, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Decorative Finishes, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver, video

Here’s a teaser video of my current project — some of the Venetian plaster we’ve completed so far in this home, using distressed red & orange Intonachino, with a raw umber glaze that I finished off with a highly-polished wax.

Tuscan Venetian Plaster Video

By on July 28, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Decorative Finishes, Full Interior Projects, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver, video

This clip shows you some of the fine details featured in my Venetian plaster style. In this architectural space, it was all about “Tuscan”.
To get that classic feel, we used Stucco Italiano, Intonachino, and Tadelakt. We’re industry specialists in these authentic lime plaster finishes, and I feel this video shows you exactly why. Enjoy!

Moving On Up — Tuscan Lime Plaster’s Main Floor is Complete

By on July 17, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Decorative Finishes, home, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver

Since early June, I’ve been working on this large full-interior lime plaster project. By “large,” I mean a whopping 10,000 square feet.

For me, I find it really amazing to see all the progress as I watch the Venetian plaster come together, and I thought I’d share some photos of the process so far, since I think you’ll like it.

This really is a massive project and something like this needs a lot of careful work even before it begins. With 10,000 square feet to dress up, it took a lot of colour-picking with the clients. We had eight colour changes and it was quite the struggle to nail the exact texture, but we stuck to the discussion until everyone was happy — something I don’t take lightly. I’m always up for making sure my clients have what they want on the palette before we get going. Isn’t that the whole point of the work? The client?

To start the project, I finished the ceilings off with Stucco Italiano’s Intonachino X-Fine because, with it, I could create the perfect amount of distressing in the texture.

We got the ceilings done before a final colour had been chosen for the walls. Was that a dilemma? Yup, you bet it was. We started on the walls anyhow, and the whole project slowed to a crawl because we could only basecoat the walls while I continued working towards the orangey-gold tones the client was after.

I find one of the tough things for clients is how to visualize the way things will look in the end. I’m an artist, I can visualize, but I understand why they can’t. Thankfully, technology’s starting to really make life simpler that way. I recently picked up an Apple iPad and loved how easy it made the client’s colour decision after I used it to highlight a few scenarios.

With my iPad, I pulled up some photos of both projects and concepts I thought would work well in this client’s space. I used it to show how using two colours can add a great deal of interest and movement on the walls. Doing all of this on a jobsite on a Sunday was a great deal of fun for me. I showed the client on the iPad, then jumped right into mixing a sample and showing the client how it all comes together in reality, right then and there.

With the iPad showing a wider vision and my skills showing the up-close in-person look, the colour and finish got approved, and here I am, already done with the main floor!

Here are some of the pictures of what’s happened so far, and I hope you enjoy them as much as the client does.

Darrell Gets A New Toy

By on June 16, 2010 in American Clay, Architectural Wall Finishes, Bathrooms, blog, Carrara Marmorino, clay plaster, Custom Fire Places, Decorative Finishes, Golden Metallic Plaster, Guilding Vancouver, Interior Painting, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Tadelakt, Tadelakt full interiors, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Quarterly, Venetian Plaster Vancouver, Wood Graining Vancouver, Wood Staining & Clear Coating

Recently, I finally got the tool I’ve been wanting to add to my company’s arsenal — a 12-colour carousel tinting machine.

You’re likely saying “A what?”

When I Say “Any Colour”, I mean It More Than Ever

For years, I’ve been creating custom colours. Many times, I’ve been unsuccessful because of technicalities, like not having proper colours available to me or a way to distribute them evenly or quickly among all the products I needed to mix to get the job done and done well.

Stuck working with these technicalities, a lot of my colours were found in one part of the colour spectrum — browns or tans, and even beiges now and then.

With the size of new lime-plaster interior projects and the new direction I’d like to take my Venetian plaster work in, I knew the time was right to get this tool that would make the difference in meeting my standards on a large scale.

As an example, I’m currently working on a 10,000 square-foot Intonachino lime-plaster interior. With so much surface to cover, the client is having a hard time choosing the perfect colour. We’re close, so they now only want slight shifts in shade and/or hue. (How are “shade” and “hue” different? Learn more by following this link.)

Picky? Not at all. Like me, they know job satisfaction is all about the details.

I’ve now taken great care to create 20 different colours for this project. That’s a bit of an extreme for any project, maybe, but you have to live with the colour long after I’m gone, and we need to get it right. I won’t get upset or rush you for a colour at the beginning of a project, because preparation and work can begin while we take the time to do the right things to help you come to a decision you literally can live with.

This tint machine makes my life easier and helps me live up to my dedication to getting you a a truly livable colour for your environment. Now, at any point in time, I can change a colour’s direction. You want a 25% lighter shade? Okay, not a problem. We don’t need a paint-shop pro or a chemist to guess it out. Let’s get that done ourselves — between you and me, and save ourselves a lot of headache and reduce wasted materials in the process.

Breaking It Down:

◦                                  Whatever your favourite material — Tadelakt, Intonachino, Carrara or Classic — I have full control over the colour and tint of the end-product.

◦                                  Your money gets saved because I’m not wasting materials or gambling on a factory’s ability to get those pallets of lime plaster tinted just the right way.

You want it lighter? Darker? I can change that on a dime now, so you get what you want when you want it. Hue by hue, shade by shade, we’ll nail the colour of your dreams.

Tuscan Influenced Venetian Plaster Interior

By on May 29, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Decorative Finishes, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Textured Plaster, Uncategorized, Venetian Plaster Vancouver

On June 1st, I begin a great project — a 10,000 square-foot (Venetian) lime plaster interior. This project calls for a smoother finish with minimal texture, a “Tuscan” influence.

To get that look, I’ll be using Stucco Italiano Intonachino.

For an accent in the basement level, I’ll be creating a woodgrain finish (also known as faux bois) for all the crown moulding.

This home has a view to die for and architecture I’m excited to be taking to another level with my finishing techniques. I’m scheduled to reach final completion in early August.

With a Tuscan/Mediterranean feel throughout this home, getting the perfect colour so a client can be comfortable with their final decision is a tough task, but it’s got to be perfect — just look at the stunning architecture! Anything less than perfect would be a crime.

You might wonder how a “young” guy like me in this industry is landing big projects like these large interior Venetian plaster jobs, but I think my work speaks for itself — and it should, anyone’s should. I love the work I do, I do it the best way I can, I use the best materials that are available to me, try to deliver the best customer service, and have finished work that blows expectations away.

Whether it’s in my work’s detail or in the way I work for my clients, I know it’s the little things that make the difference. My guys and I are tidy and clean, flexible, and we all know how to work well with other trades.

Isn’t that how it should be?

Enjoy the read and the photos.

Cheers

Darrell Morrison

Italian Lime Plaster Interior

By on May 4, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Decorative Finishes, home, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Tadelakt, Tadelakt full interiors, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver

The last few months, I’ve been working on a Tuscan lime plaster interior in a beautiful custom home tucked away in Burnaby.

 

I’ve gotta say, the architecture blows me away. It’s my first plaster project in the area, and the home definitely ranks in the top 5 fave homes I’ve worked on. With curved walls, dominant archways, stunning distressed-wood doors, what didn’t I love?

I was brought in to install a 4,000 square-foot Venetian Plaster effect. I’m nearing the 70% completion mark. Things will move along really quickly in the next few weeks, though.

 

Here’s a breakdown of what’s going on.

 

The materials of choice this time are Stucco Italiano and Intonachino lime plaster.

I choose to seal my Venetian plaster projects with penetrating sealer. This helps to repel moisture and oil. If you’re getting a great finish, shouldn’t it be protected for you to enjoy for decades? Yeah, I think so too.

 

Once the sealer dries, I’ll go over it with golden heavy-bodied glaze tinted to a light raw umber.

 

If I don’t do this overglazing step, the Tuscan plaster style looks too new and fresh — like the photo on the top left shows.

While I believe in sealing all my plaster, it’s really necessary if glazing Tuscan lime plaster. Why? It’s thirsty like you wouldn’t believe. If it’s not sealed before glazing, a catastrophe can happen. The raw umber glaze would stain the surface beyond repair — blotchy and horrible. The wall would need redoing from start to finish, and who wants that? I’ll get it right the first time.

 

This is also where being super-prepared before getting started means everything. If that glaze hits an unsealed wall next to the project, it could be a domino effect of colour catastrophes, so care always needs to be taken.

 

Check out these snapshots of some of last week’s great work. Catch you next time.

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