Italian RENAISSANCE VILLA
For this project, designed by Tucker & Marks, a renovation of an Italian Renaissance-style villa, we painted 3 ceilings- the dining room, morning room, and kitchen.
Dedicated to evoking a sense of antiquity and craftsmanship, we worked with a variety of decorative painting methods. Each ceiling served as a template, carefully crafted to capture the essence of a bygone era. The seamless integration of various techniques, from trompe l’oeil grisaille to hand-painted friezes and stencils, collectively contributes to an ambiance that transports one to the grandeur of the Italian Renaissance.
DINING ROOM CEILING
Exquisite in its homage to the Italian Renaissance, this dining room with its newly constructed ceiling and beams underwent a transformative journey. We began by applying a foundation of plaster to both the walnut boards and to the beams. The walnut boards were then painted and distressed. For the beams, we meticulously applied intricate stencils in several layers and finishing touches were hand painted resulting in a harmonious blend of precision and artistry. We incorporated faux marble inlays and delicate strokes of gold leaf before applying an antiquing glaze for a truly time-worn aesthetic.
MORNING ROOM CEILING FRIEZE
Paying homage to Jules Edmond Charles Lachaise's 1860 drawing, the morning room ceiling features a painted frieze with a trompe l’oeil grisaille. The elaborate frieze design was hand painted on canvas in the workshop and then carefully transported and installed on the ceiling, where the finishing touches were applied by hand. The whole ceiling was then glazed and antiqued. The design seamlessly integrates with the colors of the custom embroidered curtains and the early twentieth century Persian Tabriz rug enhancing the overall charm and historical allure of this morning room.
KITCHEN COFFERED CEILING
The incorporation of deep coffers and hand-applied stenciled details in the kitchen ceiling create a sense of depth and movement. We applied a thick ropey paint to create an uneven textured surface. Upon this surface we then applied several layers of stencils in multiple colors and the final treatment was an antiquing glaze. The crown molding was painted in a faux-bois to match the oak cabinets.
DINING ROOM CEILING
The finished product.
The ceiling was plastered, multiple layers of stencils were meticulously applied, and then we hand painted the details including faux marble and delicate gold leaf touches.
We finally applied an antiquing glaze for a beautiful authentic aged look.
These two photos of the dining room ceiling show the finished project, with the clients furniture installed.
Here we see the ceiling before we started to work on it.
The original ceiling was composed of new walnut boards and paint grade beams, which we had to plaster to achieve a surface on which to apply the stencils.
At the lower right in the photo is a mock-up sample of the finished product for the client to review.
After applying multiple stencils, the team hand painted the ornamentation including the faux marble inlays and delicate gold leaf.
Starting off in the shop, we researched and made samples for the client to review and approve.
These are the initial drawings of the design for the ceiling.
MORNING ROOM CEILING FRIEZE
This photo shows the finished Morning Room with the clients furniture installed.
The frieze with the trompe l’oeil grisaille was hand painted on canvas in the workshop then carefully installed on the ceiling.
After applying finishing touches by hand, we followed up with glazing and antiquing on the frieze, the crown molding, and the woodwork.
At the left is another image of morning room with the clients furniture installed. Above is a detail of the ceiling frieze with the trompe l’oeil grisaille and the crown molding.
Here we see the ceiling and the plaster crown molding before we started to work on it. A true blank canvas for the detailed work to be come.
These photos show the work in progress.
To the left is a photo showing the detail of the frieze and trompe l’oeil grisaille.
To the right we see the team finishing the hand painted details.
The photo on the left shows the frieze being painted on canvas in the workshop.
The photo on the right shows a detail of the trompe l’oeil grisaille process.
The drawing for the ceiling design.
The drawing, printed to scale and laid out in the Morning Room for
design review.
KITCHEN COFFERED CEILING
The kitchen with the clients furniture installed.
The ceiling coffers and stenciled pattern create a depth and richness to this room. After applying several layers of stencils we finished the details by hand and applied an antiquing glaze. The crown moldings were painted in a faux-bois to match the existing oak cabinets.
This detailed photo of the Kitchen Ceiling shows the hand applied stencils with subsequent antiquing glaze and the crown molding that we painted in faux-bois to match the oak cabinets.
These photos show more detail of the kitchen ceiling.
Drawing detail of the kitchen ceiling showing the stencil patterns.
Drawing overview of the kitchen ceiling.