I have been fortunate enough to have been working in this home, on and off, for over a year now. Built in 1929 on the shores of Lake Sunapee and designed by architect Prentice Sanger this home is quintessential lakeside lodge living and the new owners have been respectfully updating the home and grounds with my friend and designer Cicely of Cicely Beston Interior Design..
On-site day one with the trim in place, unstained, and the walls primed. The approved sample board shows the quiet golden ochre plaster finish with the raised colorful designs that will be worked on over the next week.
As has happened more and more- Especially due to 2020 Covid- I work remotely with clients for many months sending pictures and samples boards back and forth, talking on the phone, and finalizing a plan so that arrival on-site is productive, efficient, and safe.
The image above of the space in progress helped me think about scale of the designs. Also, I know the house well enough by now to understand the gestalt and direction the owners wished to pursue. The sample below was one of three “to scale” samples sent and approved- This allows me to mix my “mud” and cut stencils before arriving on site.
This technique has been something I have worked on for years and learned much from my original teacher and business partner Christy Diniz Liffmann in Baton Rouge and also Denise Welch-May in Vermont who did a variation of the finish using stencils for furniture designs. Combining the wall and furniture techniques this was the first opportunity to scale up the process and work on a whole room-
The woodworking and metal details in this home are incredible! The set the precedent for what Cicely and I considered for design in the space.
A view from above the Large two story Grand Living Room- Old school Lake lodge feel.
The fireplace hood I completed on my first time here. Working with J.A. Metaklcraft we made the fireplace “fit".
A dark green/gray primer and plaster base coat are then worked over with three colors to create a beautifully aged plaster wall that is then embellished with overcalled stencils that I have hand drawn + cut in the studio. I create 3-5 sets of the stencils as the corners and odd junctions of beams, wall, and trim will need some cut to fit out the space correctly.
For this room I am using a red base that is stenciled on carefully. I don’t lay things out but let the room speak to me to create a flow and composition that is NOT wallpaper. This creates a one of a kind finish that will never be seen anywhere else. The most difficult part is to clean and dry the stencils as I work.
I then hand paint the designs with the colors Cicely and I have carefully chosen- Then lightly sanding back to reveal some of the the red beneath making for an incredibly depth and sense of history.
I lay out the design organically using a red plaster mixed to imitate a red bole traditionally used for gold leaf.
Handpainting the design takes time and patience and much thought about color composition. I relate to this to textile design in my mind as I am working.
A sense of flow and whimsy is kept in mind- I was thinking of a “Garden Party” feel as you walk into the home and then through to the great room with sweeping views of Lake Sunapee and Mount Sunapee ! I was very happy with Cicely’s lighting secretion as it tied into the organic design and also the period of the home.
I carefully taped the woodwork as it has not been stained yet. I normally am the last person on the project but timing did not allow that this time. A bit more time consuming but worth the effort and respect for the painter/stainer who will CAREFULLY work behind my work.
After a light sanding of the hand painted layer the walls are sealed and allowed too dry for 24 hours before a very sheer umber glaze is applied that lightly ages and ties the feel to the woodwork. The goal is to embed the work in the space so that it feels as if it was always here, not a 2021 addition. I will say that I am anxious about the staining of the lower woodwork and will update this when complete and I get to go back for pictures. In all I am very happy with the finished product and had a great farewell talk with the clients as I finished packing for my journey back to Maine-
Once the glaze is applied I pull back the blue+gtreen tape and do small brush touch-ups as there are always some surprises behind the tape and in the tight corners, but again this is all part of the process.