Wallscapers

We just received some GREAT news … Bryce, our LLS Boy of the Year will be attending our event with his family! Please read Bryce’s story below.

Please show your support by purchasing tickets (http://www.mwoy.org/pages/nc/triangle13/wthecure) to help raise money to find a cure for children like Bryce.

There will be beer tasting, finger foods, and silent auction in a fun country western atmosphere.  Maybe you can win the piece of art we donated. It is a texture piece layered with gold leaf and then patina processed using a sulfur mineral. Then it is painted and coated with a special type epoxy to give it more depth and dimension and  to protect the finish.

2013 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Boy of the Year Bryce Washington

Bryce has been self motivated and very determined to do his best and succeed in all that he does since the day he was born. He is not one to let someone or something get the best of him and those characteristics have proven essential during the last 10 months.

In the fall of 2011 at the age of 10, Bryce began having some vague shoulder pain. The pediatrician was stumped and orthopedists were unable to identify an underlying cause. None of the blood work, MRIs, or x-rays showed anything. As parents, we knew “something” was wrong, but what could it be? His physician decided to admit him to the hospital for a “thorough and comprehensive” workup on April 2, 2012. On April 3, an oncologist reviewed Bryce?s history and decided to perform a bone marrow biopsy to take the diagnosis of a possible malignancy “off of the table”.

Our lives were forever changed on April 4, 2012 when our worst fears, the fears that we had not allowed ourselves to consider seriously, were confirmed when Bryce was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia . Our baby boy had cancer. Initially, we didn’t cry, although we have since shed gallons. We just looked at each other. Never had we felt so completely defeated.

He began intense chemotherapy immediately – on his brother?s 12th birthday. He responded very well to treatment and was in remission within the first 28 days. He is now receiving chemotherapy orally at home and by IV or injection to his spinal canal monthly at the clinic. This regimen will continue until July 2015.

It is because of continued research over the years that Bryce is doing so well today. On behalf of our family, we thank you for taking time from your busy schedules to support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society so that someday leukemia will be a thing of the past. No child should have to endure such a horrible disease.

The original story can be found here.

I received a call from a designer asking if I could help her out with a small project. She was working with a parochial school helping them put together a chapel for the school. Most of the work was being done with left over bits and pieces from other projects and donations. The designer wanted me to do a finish on the wall that would complement the polished stone box with metal doors, the “Tabernacle”.

After looking at the pictures the designer sent me I decided to go by the Chapel and check out the surroundings so that I could get a feel for the entire room. After looking at the colors of tile, stone, marble and wood accents, I felt that the best way to tie everything together would be to do a deep toned Venetian plaster finish. I went to work and started tinting the plasters in some deep tones of brown, grays, and beige. Several attempts later I created a three color sample board that complemented the polish stone so well that it looks like it was there from the beginning. It was a really great to have the kids and faculty come by and look in as the work was in progress.  At the end everyone loved the finish and the designer referred me to another church to marbleize their columns.

I completed a Venetian plaster wall finish in a stunning Estate Home for a family when they presented a unique opportunity to me. Allison, the homeowner, came across a special find one day at a Market. When she showed me next was very old, and very distressed coat of arms that looked like it had been through a war!

Allison went on to explain that the Crest she found had a striking resemblance to a Crest that was in her mother’s family. Her mom had shared a picture of this Crest with her recently explaining how it reminded her of their family heritage. Finding this striking resemblance Allison knew she had to restore it to its original form. Presented with this honorable task I gladly accepted the challenge!

The coat of arms had holes, dings, and gouges along the edges like it had been through a horrific battle. I began the tedious process of repairing and replacing broken off pieces of the once handsome Crest.

Once the repairs were done and the coat of arms was primed, I used a combination of techniques. I began with a metallic silver base; the semitransparent jewel tone accents use the glow of the silver to give the piece the look fit for royalty. The final bit of detail was made by adding aging glaze to give it the correct time period while making it an interesting composition for the newly restored coat of arms.

Allison was overcome with emotion when I unveiled the completely restored Crest and it now serves and protects her family where it can once again be admired.

It’s that time of year again when the nights are cooler, days are shorter, and kids are back in school. The time of year when people spend more time in their homes and get the itch to start fixing up and making changes inside. The time of year for the Southern Ideal Home show where hundreds of home improvement businesses and vendors gather to show case their latest creative talents and goods. Every year for the past 6 years Wallscapers has participated with Alliance of Interior Designers. AID host year an attic sale and sell their discounted merchandise and furniture were a portion of the proceeds gets donated to Habit for the Humanity. Three years ago they decide to try something new were they can show case their talent and show the guest their design skills by having a table scape contest. The designers do this by decorating a table and then have the people vote for their favorite one. This year they asked me to participate in the contest so the visitors can see some of the resources they have available to them.

I had three days to come up with an idea that would show the meat and potatoes of my business, gather all the materials, build it and install it at the show. Not a simple task, but with help of my wife Regina, we seemed to pull it off. Being active in the home improvement business for over 26 years and working with sometimes impossible deadlines to meet, we put our two talents together and spear headed the challenge to get it done. We saw the opportunity to show a large audience a small portion of the endless possibilities available to them in a two foot by four square table top. Our theme was a taste of Tuscany where we represented the look of an Italian café.

The menu board listed:
Warm Portabella Cream Cabinet
Blue Crab Medley Cabinet
Old World Tuscany Wall
Mocha Espresso Granicrete Countertop

This was the way we represented our home accents creatively.

Have you ever bought something based on a photo of the item and it not looks at all like the photo representation. Maybe the process did not work out the way they instructed. Are we expecting too much from the do it yourself products on the market?

I was called recently to rescue a homeowner that attempted to transform their counters into a beautiful looking granite finish. The photo on the box looked amazing, the instructions didn’t seem that difficult, and the cost of the kit was cheap enough to give it a try. They spent 2 full days prepping the area and following the steps on the kit to end up with counters that looked nothing like the photo on the kit.

I went to their home with my Granicrete samples that I had created myself. They selected the perfect look for their kitchen and I gave them a quote to resurface the tops and backsplash for less than Granite, an install with no tearing up of the kitchen. The manufacturer only sells the product to authorized installers since they want to make sure it is used correctly so they can warranty their materials.

The final outcome was a very satisfied customer with a custom colored unique countertop finish that went perfectly with their tile backsplash. It cost them a little more time and money to learn that it does pay to spend a little more money on your home improvement projects and have them come out right.

New construction projects do not always go as planned. We found this out after we created the cloud sky finish on a dining room ceiling and then were called back to do it again.

The original project went as planned with us following behind the trim and carpentry work that was installed to accent the ceiling with crown and dental molding.
The builder then had to replace 3/4’s of the ceiling sheetrock which meant we had another sky finish to create.

The always popular classic sky finish was the perfect accent for this large dining room ceiling. It added the perfect touch of timeless character which is why we were called back to do it again.

Jerry Tobin was recently asked by a colleague to make a donation for a silent auction to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Wake County Woman of the Year fundraising competition. Kathy Lynn Gariboldi of Reinvented Spaces was 1 of 14 candidates nominated Jerry immediately agreed to donate a piece of his abstract artwork for the silent auction.

We have grown to know Kathy Lynn in the past 5 years by working on projects in which she has incorporated the specialty finish accents of Wallscapers for many of her clients. The projects always exceeded the client’s expectations with comments of how well everything finally flowed and came together. This was an example of the true design talent shown by Kathy Lynn.

Jerry was compelled not only to help his colleague but also the LLS since he and his family had experienced a loss due to non- Hodgkin Lymphoma. His dad was diagnosed, went through chemotherapy, but was not able to recover from the disease due to his compromised immune system.

The LLS has over the years strived to improve the quality of life of patients and their families by expanding research, patient services, and public awareness of the blood cancer diseases. We want to share the history of the organization and their link. Please reach out and help support the LLS efforts.

from the www.lls.org website
Robert Roesler de Villiers, son of a well-to-do New York family, was only 16 when he quickly succumbed to leukemia in 1944. Five years later, frustrated by the lack of effective treatments for what was then considered a hopeless disease, parents Rudolph and Antoinette de Villiers started a fundraising and education organization in their son’s name.

Headquartered in a small Wall Street office, the Robert Roesler de Villiers Foundation had only a few volunteers and a tiny budget. The task was daunting. Most leukemia patients, especially children, died within three months. Even by the mid-1950s, when the first-generation chemotherapy drugs began appearing, the disease remained a stubborn challenge. The Foundation reported in its 1955 annual report: “As of this date, Leukemia is 100% fatal. This is almost a unique situation among the many diseases to which man is susceptible.”

Driven by the de Villiers’ nearly boundless belief that leukemia and other blood cancers were indeed curable, the Foundation grew steadily, opening its first chapters in the New York City area. The organization, after changing its name to The Leukemia Society, was renamed The Leukemia Society of America in the 1960s to communicate a broad, national reach.

We have worked with a lot of designers and homeowners that change the style and design of rooms in homes and offices. Often times their current furniture functions quite well but will not go with the new look they are after. That is when Wallscapers can step in and paint accent pieces with a unique custom look that will transform the old furniture into new like shown in these before and after photos.

Painting walls is one thing, but there are a few different measures you need to take in order to make sure your furniture painting project is successful.

• We suggest you start by creating a sample on a piece of wood prior to taking on an entire piece of furniture. This allows you to see how a glaze accent will change the look of your base coat if that is the finish you are looking to create.
• It is always best to prime all painting surfaces to prevent the existing stains from bleeding through.
  Primer should match the type of paint you have chosen. For furniture it’s best to use a satin or semi-gloss finish with an oil-based primer.
• We have found that oil based primers offer better stain blocking and great adhesion.
• Always paint from the top down and smooth paint drips as you go.

The photos we have included are from a client’s home where they renovated a back porch into a heated and air conditioned sun room. Their goal was to create the feeling of a bright and cheerful Florida room. Their existing furniture was very dark and needed a transformation.

They selected a light base color with a warm glaze accent which we have found to be a very popular finish. We did all the work from start to furniture grade lacquer finish. They were so happy with the results that they are now having a custom bar built for us to finish with the same technique and color.

Stay tuned for that next piece of furniture that we will be painting to go with this TV entertainment center.

Wouldn’t it be nice to change the dingy drab kitchen that was last decorated in the 70’s? No matter what your budget, you can make changes that will freshen it up and bring it into the 21st Century. As long as your floorplan works and the cabinets function you will be in good shape.

Replace the Cabinet Hardware:
Get rid of the old dingy worn out dated knobs and get some trendy brushed nickel, brushed chrome, or oil rubbed bronze. The cost can vary widely so count carefully and have a budget in mind before you head out to your local hardware store.

Add a Painted Finish to the Cabinets:
If your cabinets are starting to show signs of wear and need repainting or have an older stain finish that you want to upgrade to a more current look, be prepared for a time consuming project. Cabinets are not as easy to paint as walls and ceilings.

To really do a professional job you will need to remove the cabinet doors, hardware, and their hinges. It would also help if you could set up a work area with a work bench, empty boxes, or milk crates to allow for prepping and drying.

There are many do it yourself books and websites that can instruct you step by step or you can call Wallscapers to do it all for you.

Brighten Things Up With Lighting:
Replace the ugly mushroom looking and fluorescent light fixtures with decorative ones that coordinate with the new hardware. There are a huge variety of lighting options like ones that hug the ceiling or more modern track lighting set.

If you don’t want to do any of the work yourself then you should contact a reputable home improvement company that can show you pictures of completed projects and offer you suggestions on how to make the changes you are looking for in your home.

One of the largest visible surfaces in a room is the ceiling.  They are the perfect place to add an extra dimension of design to a room.  There are many ways to accent a ceiling.  Why not give your room a finishing touch.

We usually begin the discovery process by asking our client what look they are trying to achieve.  Often times it is dictated by the existing furniture and decorative accents already in the room.

Our client wanted us to add the look of a stamped tin ceiling using the color of their antique bronze light fixture.  We found paintable styrofoam ceiling tiles and added metallic paint accents to go with their Old World room design. (See photo)

To bring in the look of nature and the outdoors we can layer colors to look like a soft setting sky or one with drifting clouds.  Warmth and dimension can be added by installing faux wood beams in a rich cherry or dark mahogany stained finish.  Outwater Plastics has a great selection.

We can always suggest the perfect way to finish off your room by accenting the most visible surface, your ceiling.