Tag: Venetian Plaster Interiors

Grandview Business Center, Venetian Plaster Interior

By on December 2, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, Bathrooms, blog, feature, Full Interior Projects, home, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver


Guess what I’ve always dreamed of scratching off my bucket-list? Plastering a high-end commercial building.

Soon, I’ll be scratching it off! (Or I can change the bucket list to “super-big high-end commercial building,” maybe. Then, after that, add “downtown”.)

Starting April, 2011, I’ll be starting an amazing adventure with my team as we begin a massive lime plastering project in the Grandview Business Centre in South Surrey, BC.

It’s a great building, an important part of the new “Morgan Crossing” district, which is an area that has just exploded over the last two years.

The mall, The Shops At Morgan Crossing, has great businesses like the Steve Nash Sports Club and a favourite of mine, because we all love a good wine: the “Everything Wine Store”.

Located so close to the mall, the Business Centre’s a great location for professionals looking to be accessible and convenient for clients.

All right, let’s talk project details.

The Builder Double V Construction will be creating the blank canvas for this amazing project.

We’ll be putting lime plaster in all the common spaces (including lobbies, corridors, and washrooms) on the Morgan Crossing Business Centre’s 1st, 3rd, and 4th floors.

We’ve chosen the palette already.

The corridors will be a slightly polished sandy/cream-coloured lime plaster with subtle pitting and black flecks.

Washrooms will be treated with a cement-based plaster that incorporates subtle pitting, almost like a honed travertine, but seamless and free of any joints.

The lobby ceiling will have a shiny finish that resembles the look of polished marble.

I can’t wait to see so much of my work in one place. A lot of what I work on is in private homes, but this will be a project that I can “visit” for years to come — and close to home, too.

Stay tuned while I prepare for this awesome undertaking, because I plan to share the journey with you by blogging the process in words and video while things come to life.

Cheers,

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!

Italian Lime Plaster Interior In Banff, Alberta

By on November 12, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Carrara Marmorino, home, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Tadelakt full interiors, Textured Plaster

Early last Monday afternoon, I drove past a sign reading “Welcome to Banff, Alberta.”

Over the next three months, I’ll be working on an amazing, extremely customized home that backs onto Banff’s beautiful Bow River.

Along with everything else that blows me away about this house is the fact that I think it has the most stunning millwork I’ve ever encountered anywhere. Entering this amazing home felt like I’d just walked into some mind-blowing 5-star hotel in, well… Banff.

To add to the dramatic millwork and scenic setting, I’ll be using rich, deep earth-tone colours that complement the amazing nature all around us here in these legendary mountains. The plaster will be a 4-coat slightly-pitted Intonachino lime plaster finish.

The Canadian Rockies, where Banff is found, is known for its stone, exposed rockface, forests, and generally rugged terrain. I think this Italian lime plaster will really rock the Rockies, and it’ll be a commanding, dramatic feature in this impressive home as it stretches throughout the place, on all three levels.

I know this mountain town will be an amazing and inspiring place to work during the winter months. Come spring, if the owner converts the place into a “mountain stronghold,” it’ll be a beautiful place to hole up and easily forget about the rest of the world.

 

Banff is the highest town in Canada, sitting at an elevation of more than 4,500 feet (about 1,380 metres), nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. It was declared Canada’s first national park in 1885, and today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a protected area of more than 7,700 square miles.

The Bow River, which this home backs onto, originates from the Bow Glacier and Bow Lake. It flows for 587 kilometres, joins with the Oldman River to become the larger South Saskatchewan River, and eventually spills into Canada’s famous Hudson’s Bay, halfway across the country.

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

Venetian Plaster Bathroom White Rock: Carrara Marmorino

By on April 23, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, Bathrooms, blog, Carrara Marmorino, Decorative Finishes, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver

Over the past week, I had the opportunity to work on the new Bosa building in White Rock, BC, with one of my favourite designers — a big fan of my style of Venetian Plaster. She’s always pushing me to try new things and stretch my creativity, so it’s a great working experience to be around her.


When meeting a new client and designer, the most important part of the meeting is being able to absorb their ideas and use that as inspiration for creating a unique design that’ll reflect the best of everything they want.


I think I pulled that off, and it’s even reflected in the materials we used.


For this project, I used Carrara Marmorino. It’s different because of its small granules, which allows it to polish to a beautiful satin finish. For added durability and a beautiful finish, I sealed the surface with natural beeswax.

Tuscan Lime Plaster Interior Rough ‘N’ Rustic

By on March 21, 2010 in Architectural Wall Finishes, blog, Carrara Marmorino, Decorative Finishes, Intonachino Lime Plaster, Lime Plaster, Polished Plaster, Tadelakt, Tadelakt full interiors, Textured Plaster, Venetian Plaster Vancouver

In recent weeks, I’ve been lucky enough to be working in a lovely Greco-Roman home in Burnaby, BC.


It’s an awesome home, clearly designed for entertaining guests.


Well, when I first got out to the jobsite, the drywall wasn’t even installed. I’m a visual guy, but, for me, it’s difficult to get a sense of a home with all those studs and joists running up and down and everywhere. But, after awhile, I figured the home out, and I’m glad the project’s moving along.


We’re into the process now. Here, I was commissioned to install a distressed lime plaster finish, using something called Intonachino (in-tone-a-kino).


It kind of looks like it has a slight tint of yellow, but when paired up with the floor, it presents as a sand-beige. When I finish the project off, I’ll glaze the plaster with raw umber, adding a little character and an old, aged sense to the walls.

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