Fireplace Archives - Leichsenring Studios

I’m in a Brick State of Mind

by Sharon Leichsenring· September 01, 2021· in Artisan Finish, Brick Treatments, Fireplace·

The only thing that has finally stopped surprising me in the roster of types of work I do is the vast differences of tasks I’m called on to do as a decorative painter. From the intensity of designing tightly composed murals, to free fall painting clouds and onto the hardier workload of plaster textures, I have learned to shift my focus from all, and concentrate on the task at hand. And right now, it’s bricks. Bricks, bricks and more bricks. And what to do. So let’s just get this technique out of the way. Whitewash. Diluted paint (just thinned with water). Apply and rub off. Many thin coats til you get the look you want. I must confess, I’ve never actually EVER used white paint to white wash. I like a dirty gray or taupe. Use white on red brick and there’s no getting around the pink overtone. Here’s a section in progress. There’s little use discussing it. I’m not a great fan. I still see pink. Not as bad diluted with a dirty color white, but it’s there. Pink. So time to move on to some fun stuff. You want to change the look of that brick you just […]
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Sometimes Less is More

by Sharon Leichsenring· November 01, 2020· in Brick Treatments, Fireplace, Murals, Scrollwork·

As wonderful as it is to have a glorious, detailed mural on the work docket, there are many occasions where the solution is the more direct and simple. When done correctly, it is elegant. Being a decorative painter, there are just so many paint paths besides mural painting. Two such occasions presented themselves recently. In the first, interior designer Dyane Pjura ( Shadee Lady Interior Design and Custom Window treatments in Shelton) wanted to discuss her vision for a new look for her client’s foyer. She showed me the carpet sample that would be used as the runner on the stairs. She said: “I see scrolls. Big scrolls”. “Ok”, I replied. “Just how big?”. Pencil to paper shows the results. The largest scroll is almost 8 ½’ in diameter. The design was streamlined, one color only so the graphic had to carry the entire focus. No shadows to distract. Just scrolls. Big, glorious scrolls. Take a look. I could look at these for a long, long time. The second occasion had a completely different set of requirements. Though there is no average or typical client, when your client is an interior designer, you are looking at a project through an […]
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Garden Bedroom part 2

by Sharon Leichsenring· November 04, 2019· in Artisan Finish, Artwork, Ceiling, Fireplace, Floral, Murals·

Last month, I had just completed the garden mural in this master bedroom. Recently, I finished the rest of the room and wanted to share just how much was going on, and how it all came together. I am very protective of my clients, and in this case, even more so. This project started after the loss of my client’s beloved husband. However, it had been in the making before that. His opinions were noted, his choices honored. When we encountered a stutter in progress, we acknowledged his presence. We have laughed and cried in this room. The trim color was picked by him for the master bedroom suite. Benjamin Moore’s Simply White. It showed the moldings to their best. My job was to come in, then, with neutrals that’s could hold their own and pair with the Simply White. My best find in this project was a newer Ben Moore color, Ice Milk. It was used on the ceiling and then I mixed its match in Lusterstone. Ah, lusterstone, my favorite plaster, with its shimmer of mica. Perfect for the reflections the chandelier would spread. Before I share pictures of that, I need to backtrack and show how all […]
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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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Painting in Paradise

by Sharon Leichsenring· February 01, 2017· in Brick Treatments, Fireplace, Kitchen, Property Brothers, Video·

This year started out with true change of venue for me. When Patrick Briel of Tripka Design, Milford, CT (www.TripkaDesign.com), asked me if I’d be interested in finishing some kitchen cabinets, I had to admit it’s not on the top of my list of favorite things to do. Dramatic pause. He finishes the question. On Saint John in the Virgin Islands. Like he had to ask twice. So a few days ahead of the last snowstorm we had here in Connecticut, I arrived in St. John. My husband Hans jumped to the front of the volunteer line, the extra set of hands to flip doors and drawers (and take care of driving on the wrong side of the road!) The agreed finish was simple and subtle: a softened stria in gray to provide a neutral background to the clean lines of the kitchen design. I’ve got pictures of the work in progress. Take a look at the video so you can appreciate how beautiful my work place was. Turn my head in the next direction and I’d see this. One of the difficult parts of a job in that isolated a location is judging the time needed. We finished up with […]
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Coffered Ceilings on Property Brothers job

Thankful for the Side Dishes

by Sharon Leichsenring· November 17, 2015· in Artwork, Brick Treatments, Ceiling, Fireplace, Kitchen, Lettering, Signs·

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and once I got this title in my head, I couldn’t let the metaphor go. Certainly it is the turkey that is the centerpiece of the traditional celebration, but it is those side dishes that add the flavors and creativity. And so it is with my own portfolio. Yes, mural painting is the foundation of my work, but this month was a perfect example of those “side dishes” that don’t come around all that often, but when they do, what a treat! The first project was a brick wall in a red palette that was just completely unacceptable for the marvelous kitchen renovation. My client thought a simple whitewashing would tone the color down. I have her permission to show you her thought to see how it might look. It was ingenious. She used chalk, and literally colored the bricks to check out the effect. Not good. The result was dirty pink and coral tones. Below is the sample I created once the background had been painted. And here’s how lovely it looked when completed. Very believable and custom matched to her granite, flooring and cabinetry. I’ve also been doing quite a few canvas commissions. […]
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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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