This is an 8 foot by 8.5 foot canvas mural with a West Indies meets Tuscan feel for a formal dining room setting. Sheila has come up with a unique installation method for this mural so it did not need to be wallpapered to the wall. The client will be able to remove it easily in 15 minutes or less if the time comes. Both wall paint and good acrylic paint are used on her murals. It was sealed with 3 coats of a clear sealant for protection. Any mural done on canvas can be shipped and includes easy installation instructions.

This kitchen looks really high end now and with some future stainless steel appliances it will be the talk of the neighborhood.

We decided that the grain wasn’t the issue with these solid oak doors and the darker color does bring out the grain beautifully. The problem with this space was about 5 different colored stained surfaces from solid wood to laminate – so the challenge was to get everything to match. There is little to no difference between surfaces now.

Here is a before picture:

This was a lengthy and tedious project ( 10 work days) that costs a lot less then replacing the cabinets. It took 3 separate overlays of my own stain color mix once all the surfaces were prepped properly. Prepping a kitchen, or any cabinets for that matter, that have been varnished takes some work – 2.5 days to be exact to just get it ready for the staining process.

All my faux or stained cabinets are sealed with 3 coats of a non-yellowing sealant so there should be many years of good looks. I guarantee my kitchens for 18 months because everyone has a different life style; however, I have kitchens that are over 5 years old without any problems. And the best part is I work with low VOC products so there is little to no odors to deal with in the home. And living in Phoenix with 100+ temps you can bet we had the air conditioning cranked!

This is a soft stunning finish that is neutral, but has depth due to the plasters luminosity and transparency. It usually takes a minimum of 4 or 5 sheer layers to accomplish the depth of color. It actually has 3 colors, however, the photo really doesn’t reflect that. This plaster comes in various colors, it can be tinted or the plasters can be intermixed to get new color relationships besides this one which is in soft beige tones. This plaster can be crackled with overlays of glazes or waxes for yet another effect. I have used this finish in very contemporary homes as this one and in a more European designed setting. I see this finish as timeless and will go with a change of furniture in years to come.

Sheila Eastman  ~ www.zartiststudio.com

My client wanted to show the feeling of an Italian still life and yet see some of the countryside. The painting will be placed on a fan cover over a stove. It will have a plaster faux finish on the sides of the fan. Some of the plaster will spill over the edges of the painting. An aging glaze is an option once it is up, to make it have more personality like discovering an old painting when remodeling like in the movie Under the Tuscan Sun.

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