Budget Conscious Archives - Leichsenring Studios

Paint is the best medicine

by Sharon Leichsenring· August 02, 2021· in Artisan Finish, Artwork, Budget Conscious, Lettering, Murals, Scrollwork, Video·

I’ve told you all, dear readers, that I am beyond fortunate to have found the field in which I work. Very seldom are my days not creative and filled with challenges that stretch me as an artist. And then along my path comes this hallway! It’s well appointed with molding, easy on the eye colors and flooring. But it’s a residence. And it’s boring, though my clients are anything but. So what to do? It’s not really a place for a mural, it’s a walk through. The answer had to be contemporary, colorful and could we add fun?? Oh yeah, indeed we could. It’s times when I know I going to go quite a way out of the box that I like to make a 3D model to show my client the design. And I might add, I just love making them. Here’s the finished model in actual color and scale. At home in the studio, I started the makeover for the mirror. Sharing a little trick here with any DIYers out there. Using playing cards is a great way to protect from paint getting either on the mirror or under the edge of the mirror, where it shows. The trick […]
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It seems I have painted a lot of furniture

by Sharon Leichsenring· July 01, 2021· in Budget Conscious, Chinoisierie, Fretwork, Furniture, Gold Leaf/Silver Leaf, Lettering, Murals, Scrollwork, Textured Finishes, Trompe L'oeil·

When I’ve been asked, do I “do” furniture, I mostly think, a little, now and then. But as samples started for yet another piece, I realized, I “do” quite a bit of furniture.Sometimes it’s truly a cost effective method to transform an existing piece to fit into perhaps new or recently redesigned surroundings. Sometimes it’s to add that all important dash of whimsy or elegance-both staples in my repertoire- to a new or old piece.So here we go…A coffee table was treated to a tissue finish for texture and bold zebra striped graphics A very traditional piece got an art deco uplift in black and metallic gold, brush applied. Another traditional piece got star treatment with stried plaster, tissue, metallic paint and glaze with razor sharp accents in black enamel This bathroom vanity had wicker painted in trompe l’oeil. You can see my source inspiration on the printed paper on the lower shelf. It looks so real. These two pieces were lovely when first purchased but the wood finish no longer fit the space. Painted in a deep burgundy, depth added with black wax and just the slightest tough of pewter metallic wax for accent. The buffet pictured here is […]
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Setting a new table

by Sharon Leichsenring· January 01, 2021· in Artwork, Budget Conscious, Furniture·

If ever there were a year that needs a new look, it’s surely 2021. The inspiration for this table makeover started from designer Dyane Prezioso in the diamond shapes in one of my favorite Cappiello vintage posters for Isolabello. She saw harlequins and that initiated the design. As soon as I started some rough sketches, I saw that the hard diamond edges needed some softening and if adding some type of a scroll is an option, I’m in my happy place. The table was sanded, primed and painted in great gray color from Benjamin Moore. The paint is a satin finish from their Advance cabinetry paint, a perfect choice for tables and chairs. Here’s a closeup of a detail, and then the full tablet top. The large diamonds were stried in several shades of gray and a creamy white. The scrolls added a perfect balance of whimsy and movement. Dyane’s fabric choice for the chair seats is spot on. Take a look at how perfectly the monotone palette of the table serves as such a great backdrop for the creativity of my client. Hard to believe it’s the same table. Paint, one of my arsenal of tools in making 2021 […]
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Calling All Colors

by Sharon Leichsenring· May 01, 2019· in Artwork, Budget Conscious, Childrens, Murals, Trees·

A call from Ridgefield, CT designer Eileen Segalman (whose wonderful work can be seen at www.eileensegalmaninteriors.com) always means something exciting is heading in my direction. This recent project was no exception. We visited the office of Pediatric Associates of Western Connecticut in Danbury, CT. I was taken at once by the vitality of the front welcome desk area. Architecturally crafted trees with dimensional canopies promised a happy visit to this practice. I was impressed by the staff, the physical surroundings and most importantly, the warm and at the same time, professional atmosphere. On to site one. The waiting room had one of the wonderful trees already in place, a welcoming fish tank and vinyl animal graphics on two of the walls. What is was missing was a big shot of color. (OK, I promise no more poor puns.) Here is the waiting room before, and a view of the existing decals. My task, to finish the third wall in a manner that complimented the existing artwork but at the time to add vibrancy. Here is my sketch. I painted the new animals as silhouettes and kept the other elements as solid blocks of color. Mission accomplished. Here’s the new wall. […]
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Here a robin, there a bluebird

by Sharon Leichsenring· January 01, 2019· in Artwork, Bathrooms/Powder Room, Birds, Budget Conscious, Ceiling, Chinoisierie, Floral, Video·

I keep calling it a lovely powder room,but actually, it is a full bathroom. As the shower area was completely tiled and not part of my project area, it’s remains one of my favorite powder rooms. The why of that is easy; it required no construction and relied simply on paint to get a dramatic transformation and embraced all of the owner’s favorite things. Best of all, it employed a brilliant twist on the part of the designer, Eileen Segalman. Pure genius on her part. To get to know more about her, find her at www.eileensegalmaninteriors.com More about the twist later. This is the powder room I first met. A lot going on, a dated color and nothing to invite you into the space. The first thing Eileen recommended was a new color for the walls. She chose Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments. I suggested painting the ceiling the same color. Transformational, giving the room a very spa feel. Never be afraid to paint the ceiling the same color in a small space. It does NOT make the room feel smaller or the ceiling closer. In fact, it does just the opposite and leaves the four walls and ceiling as a […]
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Two sides of texture

by Sharon Leichsenring· December 01, 2018· in Artisan Finish, Budget Conscious, Commercial Space, Furniture, Textured Finishes, Trompe L'oeil·

Wall finishes have come such a long way since DIY sponge kits. Let’s take a look at two approaches to using texture. Recently, Bella’s Café in New Haven underwent major renovations when the original café was expanded by taking over the newly available space next door. Dramatic warm colors were chosen for the multi-layered plaster finish on the walls. The color started with depth , a mesmerizing merlot, followed by a rich carmine, and finished with a cinnamon hue. The plaster is infused with mica powder. The layers alternate from smooth troweling to lacelike texture. Here’s the wall to check out. The banquettes were covered in a deep oxblood color, which prompted the trim color I chose. The excitement came when I spotted these shutters on a fun hunting trip with Rose, the owner. I was tasked with matching the worn colors on new wood needed to hang the shutters. I took a cue from the shutter colors and instead of flat black on the ceiling, it’s a dark gray with a definite deep blue green cast. Take a breather from these highly charged color choices, and see the ship lapped wall opposite the banquettes has a textured salt […]
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A Little Goes A Long Way!

by Sharon Leichsenring· November 01, 2018· in Artisan Finish, Artwork, Brick Treatments, Budget Conscious, Ceiling, Childrens, Fireplace, Headboards, Scrollwork, Trompe L'oeil·

One of the biggest misconceptions that people make about decorative painting is that it’s only something for mansions. That artists like myself are only interested in big, lengthy (read expensive) projects in high end properties. I’d like to use this newsletter to illustrate just how wrong that notion is. Many of these are smaller scaled design solutions that took only a day or two to complete. This first example is a simple, glazed finish for this kitchen in Darien, Connecticut. I didn’t want to compete with the gorgeous jaw-dropping countertops, so the glaze served as a perfect transition from the intricate patterning found in the stone. The grey has just a hint of plum that matches the same overtone in the cabinetry. Next, the windows flanking the fireplace in scenic Seymour, CT framed a view too pretty to block with window treatments. Instead, I used the lovely flowered branches and bird motifs found in the sofa fabric to marry the walls to the rest of the room. And when it comes to window treatments, simple panels soar to the next level with the addition of a painted border. Both of these designs were driven from the fabric patterns. The focal […]
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All in a day’s work

by Sharon Leichsenring· July 06, 2014· in Budget Conscious, Ceiling, Fireplace, Trompe L'oeil·

It’s summer, and the livin’ is easy. So is work when simple projects go exactly as planned. Here are two of my current favorites. The first was a request for a simple medallion to enhance the breakfast area in this transitional style home. Here’s the sketch I started with. It is sweet music to my ears when the client already knows “design” language. She said, “I love how this drawing speaks to the round and square elements in the space.” And indeed it did. I made a quarter pattern to get the design up on the ceiling quickly. And without further ado, and happy smiles all around, the completed trompe l’oeil (fool the eye) medallion, an exercise in painting highlights and shadows. Here is a close up view. The second project was a distressed finish on a fireplace. I’ll show you the finish shot first so you’ll get my color choices. I had shown the owners several options, the alternative being the safer, simple beige route. I was so happy my clients trusted my vision and went with this sample. The fireplace was prepped and painted for me when I started. Kudos to Professional Painting by Dino Tetu (203-258-9818) for […]
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Sharon’s Medicine For Cabin Fever

by Sharon Leichsenring· February 02, 2014· in Artwork, Bas Relief, Budget Conscious, Headboards, Kitchen·

It’s still January and I’m taking advantage of the snowstorm that has cancelled work for the next few days. But being trapped inside can give you a bit of cabin fever. Are there some areas in your ‘cabin’ that are simply making you crazy. It’s a boring area, perhaps, or it just needs that little something but you can’t put your finger on it. And in the back of your head you’re thinking I probably can’t afford it. So here are a few solutions, with their costs. This project was a small add-on. I was already working in another room of the house. The bathroom was having some beautifully designed tile installed, making the plain white vanity suffer in comparison. Here, I painted a simple motif derived from the tile design onto the two cabinet doors. Cost: $225. Visual value? A home run. This second example is a headboard painted directly on the wall. Not only does it do what it needed to do-supply the missing furniture-but it’s fun to boot. Cost $600. What a great way to get a custom bedroom that exactly fits the space and personality of room. I also find myself […]
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