Faux Daddy Designs

Mirrored Ceiling Medallion

2010-08-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

We are in the process of transforming our daughter's room from "princess castle retreat" to "Hollywood Glam Fashion Designer Den". When I say, "we" I mean Brooks does all the physical dirty work and I do all the shopping, design and fun stuff. The princess room had this daisy fan with gold ceiling and twinkle dragon fly lights. For the re-design we opted for a crystal chandelier for that sparkly Hollywood Glam style. I found a 1950's crystal chandelier on Craig's list for $130 smackers. What a deal! I went online looking for a mirrored ceiling medallion that would reflect the light and cast a glow around the room. I was very disappointed in what was available online. Just about the only thing I could find was this beauty from Horchow. But, it was way out of our price range. Since we are bonafide DIY'ers, I was on a quest to find a more budget friendly option. Around the same time, as luck would have it, Design Sponge ran this story on DIY mirrored boxes. Eureka! I had a light bulb moment. With a little ingenuity, I could transform the mirrored candle plates into my own mirrored medallion. And, when I say, "make my own mirrored medallion", I mean I could shop for the stuff and Brooks could wave his magic wand and make it appear. So, I made a trip to Hobby Lobby. They happened to be having their famous half off sale. So I got all the mirrors for $32. They came with those awful stickers right smack in the middle of the plates. I found out if you heat the stickers with the hair dryer, they peel off much easier. Next, we figured out our pattern and Brooks stuck them up with a tube of liquid nails.

Here is the end result.

I think it turned out pretty "Hollywood Fabulous" for under $35. Stay tuned for more updates of our Hollywood Glam makeover.

Concrete Counter Top Magic

2010-02-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

OK, so maybe concrete isn't really magic. But it sure can make ugly Formica counter tops disappear. We use a concrete overlay product that can be applied to virtually any surface like laminate, tile, wood, fireplace surrounds and Formica. It can be used on floors, shower and tub surrounds and of course, counter tops. It is an environmentally friendly product because it is Low V.O.C. But even more earth friendly is the fact that you don't have to tear out the old counter tops and tile. When you use a concrete micro topping in your kitchen or bath remodel you will be recycling your existing surfaces and keeping them out of the land fill. Who knows, you might even get a thank you letter from Al Gore.

Here is a before picture of a project we just finished. The homeowners had Formica counter tops that were in terrible shape.

The trim was peeling off and there were cracks and holes.

They wanted to have the counter tops replaced because they were selling the home. Today's home buyers have been indoctrinated through HGTV. Every home buyer in this area expects to see granite or stone counter tops in kitchens. We were able to simulate a limestone texture in a solid durable finish for a fraction of the price of granite.This concrete micro topping can be faux finished in limitless ways. Like the industrial acid stain look? We can do that. How about granite, marble or travertine? We can do that too.

This finishing solution is perfect for home sellers looking to upgrade, home buyers looking to remodel, and the discriminating home owner who wants something completely original and custom. And although we can't guarantee that Al Gore will actually send you a thank you letter, we do know that the Earth will thank you.

Painted Mural Alternatives

2010-02-01T08:30:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned last month we are very excited to be working with William Bell, our new business partner at Bell and Tucker. We had the pleasure of working together on this beautiful Tattoowall ceiling installation, the first one in Tennessee! This product has really integrated art and technology.

Here is a picture of the ceiling prior.

This was done about 3 years ago. The former artist tried to work with a square image and make it fit into a circle. To make it work, they had to hand paint two of the cherubs into the finish. This ceiling probably took weeks to complete at a considerable cost to the homeowner. We were able to finish this entire area in one afternoon plus a few hours of touch up painting. Here are a few in progress pictures.

Ceiling primed and ready for image

Applying the first image.

Smoothing out the wrinkles.

Image revealed.

Applying another panel.

The finished result speaks for itself.

We hope to see many more of these Tattoowall projects in our future. Special thanks to Gaia Calcaterra of Architexture for helping to insure a flawless installation. Oh, and if you are in the market for a painted mural. We do that too.

Painted Lampshade Makeover

2010-01-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

I was so pleased with the way our fabric covered lampshade turned out. I asked in my last post if I should have Brooks stencil on the front of the lamp. Everyone agreed that we needed to "go for it" and add a stenciled design. I was looking for an old Paris grain/feed sack style. I found this image on line and printed it out.

Brooks taped it to the lampshade

He used a ballpoint pen to outline the image through the paper directly onto the lampshade.

Here you can see the faint outline.

Then he took fabric paint and followed the lines he created. Then he painted the scroll work and the "flower market" free hand. This is how it looks on the buffet. I LOVE IT!!! It is exactly what I was going for. A whole new look for this lampshade was achieved for $16. Can't beat that with a stick. What do you think?

Fabric covered Lampshade Makeover

2010-01-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

I have a new obsession, it's called the drum shade. So I have this super fabulous lamp. My parents bought it for my birthday. I thought it would look great on the distressed buffet that Brooks painted for me for my birthday. The problem is, the modern style of the lamp didn't jive with the distressed look of the buffet. As a matter of fact, I couldn't get comfortable with making the buffet fit into the rest of the room either. So, I stretched my boundaries a little bit and sought some professional help. I saw a post by hugely talented photo stylist, Annette Joseph. She was offering help to readers of her blog. She requested that you send in a photo of the troubled area and she would offer her suggestions. I totally took her up on her free PROFESSIONAL advice. Here is a link to the blog post and her advice.

So, she said I needed a new lamp or lampshade. I couldn't agree more, but since I really loved the one I had I went out in search of a new shade. I looked in multiple stores, and everywhere I could think of on line. I couldn't find anything remotely close to what she suggested. So, I got the idea that I would cover the one I had. I found a couple of on line articles about the subject. I kind of merged their advice and came up with my own take on how to cover a lampshade. So here goes.

Step one. Enlist the help of someone way more artsy and crafty than yourself. I screw up every project I set out to complete and Brooks always has to rescue me. I got smart on this one and enlisted his help at the start.

Step two. Choose a light weight fabric that will let the light shine through. I chose a light weight loosely woven burlap type material.

Step three. Oddly enough our lampshade had a top on it. Cut a piece of fabric to fit the top. Glue it with fabric glue.

Step four. Cut the fabric all in one continuous piece to fit around the shade. Use fabric glue and glue around the top and bottom rim. Roll and press fabric around the shade. Do not use hot glue for this because you will be able to see the beads when the light shines through.

Step five. Let the glue dry and then trim the top and bottom with grosgrain ribbon. Let dry.

Step six. Since our shade had the weird top I felt like it needed more trim. I found some upholstery strip tacks in the garage left over from a previous project. I used hot glue on these since I didn't think fabric glue would hold. Here I am using a sophisticated piece of equipment to put a little pressure on the tacks to make sure they adhere to the lampshade.

That's it. Project complete. Next, Annette had recommended that I set up a tray of glasses and stuff to make it look like a bar. So, I had a few bottles of Pellegrino that I put on a tray with a few wine glasses. I was pretty excited about how it turned out. Thanks so much Annette for the great advice. I am thinking about having Brooks stencil something on the front of the lampshade like this:

What do you guys think? Too much? Overkill? I'd love to have some input.

Ten Decor Makeover Ideas for the New Year

2009-12-30T20:11:00.000-08:00

I have some type of internal alarm clock that starts talking to me this time of year. It says, "It's time for a make over project. What's it going to be?" This time last year we decided to replace our ceiling fan in the den.
While we were at it and since we already had the 18 ft scaffolding, why not paint the ceiling? And since I have a professional faux painter at my beck and call (don't tell him I said that, I'll deny it) I thought, why not put a little texture on that back wall? Two years ago we knocked down a wall in our bedroom and made our formal living room an office. LOVE IT! I work in here (escape in here) every single day. Three years ago we repainted the kitchen including all the white laminate cabinets. See a pattern here? I have a project in mind for this year, but it doesn't involve painting. I want to organize my pantry. I told you it was a mess. Somehow, I have a feeling paint will be involved. Check out what happened when he was supposed to be cleaning out the garage? He painted the deep freeze

the door that goes into the house

and the cabinets

IN THE GARAGE!!!!

So, this time of year I thought if some of you would like to join me on the makeover journey I'd give you some food for thought. Here are ten easily doable makeover ideas to kick off your New Year.

1) Rearrange your furniture. It will make you feel like you've got a whole new room for zero dollars invested.

2) Go through your house and evaluate your window coverings. Curtains really warm up a room. While you are at it make sure you hang your curtains as high as you can get them to create the illusion of big windows and high ceilings. They should have at least a one inch break on the floor as well. Curtains that are too short are a decor faux pas.

3) Take a look at your cabinets. Cabinets can be jazzed up with new hardware. If that doesn't do it for you consider having them painted and glazed. You'll have a whole new look with out a huge investment.

4) Speaking of kitchen projects, resurface your laminate or tile counter tops with a concrete micro topping. It's about 1/3 of the cost of granite.

5) Replace that huge ugly mirror that runs the length of the vanity. You know the one I'm talking about and "No" this is not a mirror in my house. I found it on the internet.You can replace it with two smaller framed mirrors and add a huge style statement.

6) If you have any 80's brass light fixtures in your house make a commitment to change those out over the next year. Buy one new fixture (usually under $40 at Home Depot) each time you can afford it.

7) Take a look around your house and identify space you never use and create a new purpose for it. Many people who never use their dining rooms are turning them into libraries or reading nooks. You could turn an office into a scrap booking room or a spare bedroom into an office. If space in your house is at a premium like it is in mine make sure you are getting the benefit of every square inch.

8) Buy a few rugs and pillows. Talk about an instant face lift.

9) Create an outdoor living area.

10) Paint a room or rooms. Consider a faux treatment to add a little pizazz. Did you really think I could give you ten makeover ideas with out mentioning painting a room? Give me some credit for getting all the way to 10 without mentioning paint. O.K., technically I mentioned it in #3 but that doesn't count because that's painting cabinets not walls.

Hope this inspires you to get moving on your decor projects. Wish me luck on the pantry.

The Singing Cowboy Faux Painter

2009-12-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

I spent the last week knee deep in an online romance about the Pioneer Woman and her one true love, the Marlboro Man. If you haven't read this and you are a hopeless romantic like me, I recommend you start here. Make sure you have the time to devote to it before you start because I can guarantee you will get sucked in just like I did. Reading her story about how they met reminded me of my own story of how I met Brooks, aka Faux Daddy. I'd like to share a little of that with you.

It was January 21, 1996. I was working for a radio station group in Louisville, KY. Our station was sponsoring a band competition at a local night club. It was a fancy schmansy event with girls in evening gowns and guys in tuxes. Bob Cat Goldwaith was the Emcee. A few of us from the station decided at the last minute to go and just wear jeans and try to blend into the crowd. The band contestants had to submit a music video to enter the contest. Our local cable network ran the videos and viewers called in to vote on their favorites. The top vote getters in each category were invited to the awards show to perform. When I saw Brooks perform that night I thought to myself, "That guy is going to be a star. I have to meet him". I had met and had my picture made with tons of music stars over the years that I had worked in radio. I was thinking, "Wouldn't it be fun to have my picture with a big star before he was discovered?" I asked our promotion's director to introduce us and she took this picture.

How many people have a picture with their husband from the night they met? I'm pretty proud of it.

Brooks' band was up for "Best Country Video", "Best Song", and "Best Overall Video". He won all three categories. I'm going to try and find the video and have it converted to a digital file so I can upload that too. The song was called "Under the Old Oak Tree".

So, at the end of the night Brooks asked for my phone number. I always wondered if it was because he thought I had some connections with the music biz since I worked for a radio station. As he would quickly find out, I had zero connections. But, he did call me the next day and the next and so on and so on. We were pretty much inseparable after that first night. After about a year my radio stations were bought out and I wanted to move out of the market. My dream was to move to Nashville to work for the BIG 98 WSIX. I landed a job at sister station 107.5 THE RIVER and soon began selling advertising for both stations. Within a year we were married and Brooks joined me in Nashville. Here is a picture of him singing to me at our wedding. He sang True Companion by Marc Cohn. I was crying so hard that I ruined all my makeup. I couldn't catch my breath to say my vows.

So flash forward 12 years and two kids with special needs later. Brooks made a go of it for over 10 years singing in bars and private parties, playing writers nights and trying to get songs published. Here is a song he wrote for me that will give you an idea of why I married him and why I can never stay mad at him. Click on the play button.

Nashville is a tough town to break into. Brooks' singing these days is limited to the choir at church and we are O.K. with that. We have always known that God gave Brooks a special talent and we have tried our best to follow HIS will for our lives. Right now singing in church is where he is supposed to be.

Announcing a New Partnership

2009-12-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to announce a partnership with another local faux artisan, William Bell. William is equal parts crazy artist and master of all things faux. He actually loves the term crazy artist. He is hip and edgy and well respected in the area. He is actually the "go to guy" in the area for a unique finish that you can't get anywhere else. He has over 30 years experience in faux finishing. He has done work for Hollywood producers, country music stars, local celebrities and NFL players. He is innovative, funny and charming. He makes the ladies swoon and the men laugh. We are thankful that he "saw something in Brooks". He said he reminded him of a younger version of himself. He is at an age where he wants to think about slowing down a bit. He said the art community has been good to him and he wants to pass on his knowledge to the next generation. He hand selected Brooks to be the recipient of 30 years of product and application knowledge. We are eternally grateful. We look for big things from our new partnership. For more information on the new partnership check out our new website here. Although William is innovative in his art, he needs me to get him up to speed with the documentation of his work on line. I am scouring his past projects for photos we can use on our new site. Below are a few photos of some of his work. This is a ceiling that won him an award at the Hunt Club Parade of Homes in Gallatin, TN. This room won Best Faux Finish at the Make a Wish Holiday Home Show in Arrington, TN. This is a powder bath that won Best Faux Finish in the Annandale Parade of Homes. Did I mention that William has won an award for, "Best Faux Finish" in every Parade of Homes Show he has ever entered? That's over 20 shows here in the Nashville, TN area.

Finished Product- Holiday Home Show

2009-12-12T16:57:00.001-08:00

In case you didn't get to stop by the recent Make a Wish Holiday Home Show, I thought you might like to take a peek at our work. As I have written about in the past we are extremely honored to have been able to provide faux finishes in one of the homes. We worked with builder, Bob Sloan and designer, Donna Henninger to create a real show stopper. Below are the rooms we worked on. First up is the dining room with a faux leopard ceiling with a banded metallic border. Also in the dining room is a black gilded niche. Next is the den where Brooks applied anagylptic wallpaper that was finished in a warm copper metallic. He also completed a faux limestone fireplace. In the study he did a stippled glazed treatment on the walls and an upholstered leather ceiling. Upstairs, he did a mural on canvas and a horizontal stripe of white board paint called, IdeaPaint. You can write on it with dry erase markers and it wipes right off. Brooks won awards for the "Best Make a Wish Room" and the "Best Child's Room" for this room.

Revive a room with Repurposed Style

2009-11-30T18:56:00.000-08:00

I'm just back from the preview party at the Make a Wish Home Show and I have a new love. His name is Branan White, and he is an interior designer. Have you ever walked into a home and felt like it perfectly represented your design personality? Branan was able to crawl into my decor dreams and make them come true without ever having laid eyes on me. A master of fusion design, he is known for pairing 18th and 19th Century French and English antiques with repurposed and upcycled industrial pieces. I would like to highlight some of my favorites from the MAW Show and let him inspire you to practice "upcycling" in your own home. Please excuse the picture quality. Although I can't live without my iphone, it does have it's limits.

Holiday Wreath from the 1950's made from the pages of a Christmas Book.

Close up shot

I absolutely adore these chairs.

They combine several of my favorite things, burlap, french design and flair and an aged glazed finish.

Check out this stove hood.

It is made of old tin ceiling tiles and a salvaged beam. While you're at it check out the brick back splash with the oozing mortar. It pulls the look together.

How about this for a pantry door?

It's an old barn door put on sliding rail tracks. Great for a style statement and a good space saver. I'd love to try this look in my master bath. Our door opens in and leaves no room at all.

How about snuggling up for a snooze in this bed?

Let's take a closer look at this headboard.

It's upcycled tin tiles and antique balusters.

Here's a stylish living room vignette. I love the square Louis Vuitton ottoman with the red coral and the animal prints mixed with the vintage tapestry pillows. That ottoman is for sale for $2500. That's a steal for Louis Vuitton.

Don't think I'm not going to put a fringe skirt like this on every chair I own.

This is a bar area complete with vintage seltzer bottles.

Simply stunning the way the green globes pick up the green of the weathered cabinet.

Aerial view of the study.

Again, the use of animal prints mixed with the vintage furniture and original artwork.

Lest you think I have gone off the deep end with my ode to Branan White, I am not alone in my admiration of his style. He was voted, "Best Interior Designer" for the Make a Wish Holiday Home Show. Here he is holding a guitar that will be auctioned for Make a Wish signed by Julianne Hough.

There is a store in Nashville called Preservation Station, it is a great place to look for the architectural pieces. If you know of a good place to shop for these pieces, leave me a comment. I am on a mission to incorporate some Branan White style into my own home.

IdeaPaint Project

2009-11-26T21:28:00.000-08:00

I first learned about IdeaPaint from a post on Twitter. Twitter is a great place to stay on top of the latest trends in the painting industry. I follow lots of other faux artists, interior designers, design publications and industry related products. You can follow me on Twitter here. Take a look at who I am following and start following them. They should start following you back and before you know it you will have your own little community of inspiration and information. I am a painting and design junkie, so whenever I can read an article or blog about something new and innovative I am all over it. Such is the case with IdeaPaint. I saw a post with this video of IdeaPaint being used at the Dwell on Design convention and I was hooked. I knew I wanted to try this out, but it would have to be for the right project. We found just the right project with the Make a Wish Holiday Home Show.

We were asked to help design a room that would be a tribute to a child's Make a Wish. Chase Donnell was a local boy who made the news for giving away his Wish. He realized it wouldn't do him much good to take a shopping spree and he was too sick for a trip. He asked Make a Wish to give the gym at his school a complete makeover including new sports equipment and fresh paint. The media caught word of his selfless wish and Chase's story was broadcast on several local news stations. Here is a story News Channel 5 did on Chase.

Chase was a huge Nashville Predator's Fan. While undergoing treatment at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital for Burkitt's Lymphoma he had an opportunity to meet and develop friendships with many of the Predator's players. Chase believed that "Too Too power" (from player, Jordin TooToo) would help give him the strength to fight his cancer. Chase passed away in March 2008 before he was able to see another of his wishes come true. He had hoped to sit on the Predator's bench during a home game. The Predator's paid tribute to Chase during a home game last year by placing an honorary jersey on the bench.

Our Make a Wish room has a mural on canvas Brooks created that places Chase on the Predator's bench in between his favorite players. Chase's association with the Predators lives on by giving back to the Make a Wish organization. The Predator's donate frequent flier miles to Make a Wish so that they can continue to fill the wishes of the sick children of our community.We have the News Channel 5 story playing on a loop to tell Chase's story to everyone who tours the house. We used the IdeaPaint to paint a horizontal stripe around the room. Brooks wrote key "Chase phrases" around the room to help better convey his story to the show house visitors. Our design for Chase's room won "Best Make a Wish Room" and "Best Children's Room". Here is Brooks accepting his award along with builder, Bob Sloan and designer, Donna Henninger.The next buyer of the house will be able to use it for a child's or teen bedroom with a big 24" stripe of dry erase board that goes all the way around the room. Who wouldn't love that?

Faux Limestone Fireplace

2009-11-23T16:57:00.000-08:00

I wish I had a dime for every house I have been in that has the same builder grade white painted fireplace. BORING. With just a little bit of glaze and a few embellishments tacked on you can create a smoking fireplace with or without a fire. This is an easy do it yourself project. I've written before about it here.

Another way to add some heat to your fireplace is by applying a plaster or concrete micro topping. I would suggest you leave this to a professional faux finisher. We use a product called E-crete. Here is a fireplace that we just finished that was fauxed to look like limestone. It started out as just a shell built from HardieBacker board. You can also put this over top of just about any surface or substrate including tile and wood. Brooks put on the E-crete and then aged it to look like limestone. For more information on E-crete talk to our friend Dirk at Finish FX. So the next time you are ready to add a little dazzle to your home, think about a fireplace makeover.

Inspiration around the Web

2009-11-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

I am addicted to faux painting and design blogs. I could disappear in them for hours. They are a great source of escape and inspiration for me. One of my new favorites is The Magic Brush. This is faux artisan, Jennifer Allwood's blog. She is very talented not only at painting, but also in expressing herself in her blog in a way that makes you feel like one of her girlfriends. I am in LOVE with lots of her work, but was particularly inspired by this cheetah print ceiling. Jennifer, is also willing to share her secrets. She posts step by step instructions for many of her projects. When I emailed her with questions about the cheetah ceiling she was more than willing to share her recipe and sources. Brooks just finished putting the finishing touches on his own cheetah ceiling thanks to the help and inspiration from Jennifer.

Another one of my favorite faux painting blogs is Fauxology by artisan, Regina Garay. Regina is a pioneer in the cyber world of faux painting. We have been friends on twitter for about a year now and I've got to tell you that Regina is the best cheerleader. She is always promoting other artists and bringing attention and recognition to their work. She is also very knowledgeable and helpful and always answers all my questions on blogging and painting. This is my favorite project by Garay Artisans. I want this on the stair well in my house.

A few of my favorite design inspiration sites are The Lettered Cottage Southern Hospitality Verdigris Vie and Cote de Texas. Drop a line and let me know some of your favorite blogs. I always have time to browse a few more.

Make Your Own Canvas

2009-11-11T05:08:00.000-08:00

Brooks is creating a mural on canvas for our Make a Wish room at the Make a Wish Holiday Home Show that is coming up in Arrington, TN. It is a very large canvas, 4ft x 6ft. Have you ever priced one of these things? Well, let me tell you they don't sell them anywhere locally. And to order one online and have it shipped is a fortune. So, for less than $100 Brooks built one from scratch. First I ordered about twice as much fabric as we needed from Indiana Coated Fabrics. Then, Brooks went to Lowe's and picked up some poplar 1x4's and some L brackets. He cut the wood to size and attached the corners with L brackets. Here you see him in our state of the art workshop, (aka our garage). Then he rolled out the fabric. Laid the frame over the fabric and fastened the fabric to the frame with staples.
Voila, a beautiful canvas just waiting for it's subject matter.
Here is the master at work. This is a particularly nice shot of our art studio (aka the upstairs landing).

Tattoowall

2009-10-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

Brooks came home from the IDAL (International Decorative Artisans League) convention in August very excited about a new product he had seen there. It is called Tattoowall by Architexture. It is an innovative product that combines artistry and technology to create murals, frescos and trompe l'oeil that can be applied in a matter of hours. Tattoowall can be applied on virtually any surface including walls, ceilings, domes or building exteriors. It can be created from any original image, or picture. They also have an extensive library of art images to chose from. The high resolution image is then sent to the factory in Italy where it is printed on special film and shipped to the client.

We were working on a mural project this summer at a restaurant that has several locations across the southeast. The client wants to eventually have us create murals in some of their other locations. Ideally, we could create a small canvas of our work or even take a high quality photo of the mural we completed and have it made into a Tattoowall product and apply the exact same image in every restaurant in a fraction of the time. The applied image can then be touched up, painted, gold leafed or glazed.

Our good friend and faux artisan, William Bell installed a Tattoowall this week and asked us if we would like to assist. Brooks and William worked together on several small cartouches. Cartouche before
Applying the image Securing the image Peeling back the paper Here it is. There is still some touch up work that will be done tomorrow to blend it in. They also installed a fresco in each corner of the room.
BeforeIn process Getting it just right
Peeling back the paper
Sweet Cherubs
Almost done. Needs to be blended into the ceiling with paint and plaster. Final Product
It's amazing to see the transformation that occurred in a few hours. Stay tuned for more posts on this amazing product and a special announcement next month about our business. There are good things happening.

Champagne Finish on a Tight Budget

2009-10-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

We are on a never ending quest to find dazzling finishes that will fit a variety of budgets. Many of the finishes in our portfolio are created using high quality proprietary products. Most of our clients are watching their money a little more closely than usual and have started asking for finishes with lower product costs. Brooks did a little experimenting in our dining room this week and came up with a pretty cool finish that he created by mixing about 4 different colors of regular latex paint.
Before After Before After I love it so much that I think I will pick 4 different colors for my daughter's bedroom. This finish could also work in a variety of interiors, it could be traditional, transitional, modern, old world, and contemporary. I also had to show you the medallion he made a while back. This is a piece of foam board that he finished to look like granite. He added a couple of art imprints of cherubs and a few more decorative touches and now it beautifully accents our light fixture. Wow, I really need a new camera. And, maybe we have a slight lighting issue in our dining room too. Maybe Santa will read this and bring me a new camera and a new light fixture for Christmas.

Office Makeover

2009-10-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

There is a dentist in our town who I felt like I knew long before I ever met her. Dr. Kellye Rice has a very successful practice in Franklin, TN. I had seen her picture for years in magazines, on television commercials and direct mail pieces. When I was finally introduced to her she was everything I thought she would be warm, cheerful, intelligent and thoughtful. Our task was to help her with an office makeover that would be an extension of herself. The office had not been updated since the 80's. We love when we can get our hands on a project like this. It makes for some really good before and after pictures. Before and after Brooks applied an Old World Tuscan villa treatment to the walls. He also painted the trim and door moldings a rich chocolate brown. He glazed and aged an existing cabinet and added an embedded design to the cabinet door. Dr. Rice put the icing on the cake by replacing the carpet with rich hardwoods and installing new granite counter tops. The end result is a relaxing comfortable reception area that is a welcoming spot for her patients. Photo credit for "after" shots goes to Nancy McNulty of McNulty Communications.

Painted Furniture

2009-10-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

Last year for the Home Decorating and Remodeling Show in Nashville, TN we had a huge booth space and were racking our brains for ideas to fill the space and showcase Brooks' beautiful paint treatments. We came up with the idea to paint some furniture. We found some pieces on Craig's list that we picked up very inexpensively and then gave them a makeover. The pieces he painted turned out to be the hit of the show. We gave away a dresser last year at the show. We also painted this table. This year Brooks painted another table and a buffet. I had been begging him to paint the buffet for my birthday and the Home Show was the perfect excuse for him to get it done. It now has a new home in my foyer. The table is still for sale. If you are interested, drop me a comment or an e-mail.

Well, we met so many wonderful people who stopped to admire the buffet. We also had about 100 people stop to tell us they had a buffet just like it. About half said, "I would never paint it. I can't believe you did that". The other half said, "I love it. Will you tell me how you did it?". So, for those who loved it, this one is for you. We started with the original stained furniture finish. We used a brush to paint it with a product called Set Coat Black by Faux FX. Next we applied a crackle medium to the top along with some smears of Vaseline in a random pattern all over the surface. Then we sprayed on a coat of Sherwin Williams 6758 Aquaduct. After the paint dried, we wiped off the Vaseline areas which took off the top layer of paint creating a distressed look. Lastly we took a fine grit sandpaper and distressed areas that would traditionally see a lot of wear. Then we finished it off with a top coat of a non yellowing polyurethane for protection. There you have it.

If you're not brave enough to attempt this DIY paint project yourself give us a call. We will be glad to help.

E-crete Concrete Ceiling

2009-09-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

We just finished a very cool ceiling. This client came to us wanting help for the raw concrete ceiling in her contemporary condo. Although she loved her urban retreat, she said when she got in bed each night she felt like she was "sleeping under a bridge" as she gazed up at her industrial raw concrete ceiling. It was E-crete to the rescue. Here are a few pictures of the transformation. E-crete is a very versatile product that is also perfect for counter tops. It goes right on top of laminate, tile or wood which means your existing counter tops won't end up in the landfill. It is also low VOC and a LEED certified product. You can get more information on it from our friend, Dirk here.

How to have a profitable Home Show Booth

2009-09-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

This is the second year that we have participated in the Nashville Home Decorating and Remodeling Show. We spent a ton of time, money and energy to pull off this event. We had a good show last year and left with several leads. We didn't end up closing ANY of them last year and this year I was determined to have a different approach. This is a VERY targeted show and a great place for us to meet potential clients. Everyone there is in the market to make changes to their homes. There are a couple of reasons I think we failed to generate any business last year. 1.) The show was in September and the economy tanked in October and everyone held on to their money. 2) I only took the names of people who were ready to work on a project right away and didn't have a way to keep in contact with people who might be in the market later.

This year I made some key changes. My biggest objective this year was to collect names and e-mail addresses for our e-mail newsletter. The way I did that was to ask people to sign up for our e-mail newsletter as an opportunity to win a "fireplace makeover".

I have blogged about a fireplace makeover before and it is my most read post, so I knew that would be a popular giveaway. We also had a distressed buffet that Brooks had painted in our booth. It got a ton of comments from the crowd. Everyone was asking what the process was to get the distressed look. I told everyone to sign up for our e-mail list and I would send out the formula and process for distressing the buffet in our newsletter. We got over 100 qualified people to sign up to receive our newsletter who are genuinely interested in faux. In addition, I also took down the names and contact information for people who were ready to book a consultation on the spot. We got about 15 booked at the show. We had face to face meetings with multiple builders, interior designers and remodelers. Of course we also passed out tons of business cards.

As for our actual booth, we had a huge space. We had 4 booths in the lobby of the convention center. We were in the center with no walls, so we had to get creative. Brooks built a double sided faux brick wall that we hung framed sample boards on. I got the frames at the Habitat for Humanity store for $2 a piece and he spray painted them gold. Brooks also painted a couple of big furniture pieces that were the "show stoppers". Everyone stopped to look at his hand painted scripture table and distressed buffet.

We got lots of table top easels and displayed different sample boards around the booth. We took off cabinet doors and painted doors throughout our house and also brought them into our display. Everyone loved the painted doors and it sparked lots of discussion with potential clients. To make it feel more homey we brought in rugs and lamps and accessories. Basically we emptied our entire house into our booth. We also created an iMovie of recent projects and ran it on a loop on a big screen t.v. at the front of the booth.

Overall, I think the time and effort was well worth the leads we got from the show. I'm praying that we will be able to close lots of business and create a tribe of people through our e-mail list that will be passionate supporters and recommend us to their friends.

Medieval Day at Walnut Grove

2009-09-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

The third graders celebrated their weeks of learning about Medieval times with a feast today. Zane and Zoey looked fabulous in their costumes. They each had baskets of goods to barter at the open market after the feast. Can't wait to see what they bring home. Here's video of this morning.

I am just learning how to use I Movie. Hopefully, I will learn how to fade the music. I'll get there. This is somewhat related to faux painting in that Brooks turned an Anniken Skywalker costume from last year into a quasi Knight costume. He spray painted the boots and lapels a shimmery silver and then drew the armor details and the crest on the front. Not bad for a recycled costume.

Lily's Garden in Williamson AM AND Williamson Herald

2009-08-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

Our work on the Lily's Garden Mural was featured today in two local papers, the Williamson AM and the Williamson Herald. You can read it here and here. You can read the story of how we got involved with this project here. I also have been playing around on my new computer and worked on another video of the project. Don't forget to check out Lily's Garden website here.

Chase Donnell Make a Wish Room

2009-08-19T18:05:00.001-07:00

We are thrilled to be participating in the upcoming Make a Wish Holiday Home Show at Kings Chapel in Arrington, TN, November 28-December 6th. This community is located in the beautiful wine country of Middle Tennessee close to Arrington Vineyards. We are excitedly putting together our design plans. We will be working with builder, Bob Sloan of Artistic Builders and designer, Donna Henninger of Brentwood Staging. God has greatly blessed our business this year and participating in this home tour is a huge opportunity for us. Make a Wish will receive the proceeds from the event. Each home in the tour will feature a "Make a Wish" room.

We will be dedicating our Make a Wish room to Chase Donnell, a local Murfreesboro boy who lost his battle with cancer last year. You can read his amazing story here. He had two wishes. One was to renovate his school gymnasium at Walter Hill School. This wish was filled by "Make a Wish". His last wish was to sit on the bench with the Nashville Predators during a home game. Sadly, he did not live to see his last wish granted. The Predator's did honor Chase by placing an honorary jersey on the bench two days after he passed away. We would like to pay tribute to Chase and his wishes in our Make a Wish room. We will post pictures of our project along the way. Here's a story that News Channel 5 did about Chase.

Back Yard Burgers Mural Project

2009-08-15T12:34:00.001-07:00

Brooks just finished a really cool mural project in Murfreesboro, TN at Back Yard Burgers restaurant. They were converting an existing Calypso Cafe (think Caribbean purple & yellow) into a casual family style restaurant. There was a great eat in area that was accented with 4 columns. They had the idea to transform the 4 columns into trees and to make the eat in area look like a backyard. We painted clouds on the ceiling and a mural on the back wall depicting a family enjoying their back yard. We are hoping that this will lead to additional projects as they update some of their older restaurants. If you are in the area, go and enjoy a burger and some atmosphere.

Faux Blogger List Inspired by "Julie & Julia"

2009-08-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

I went to see the movie Julie & Julia last night. It was a "laugh out loud" kind of movie. It was also a great movie for foodies and bloggers alike. I am both. I was very intrigued as a new blogger to watch Julie continue to blog even though she wasn't getting any feedback and had no idea if anyone was reading her blog. She eventually started getting reader comments and feedback that fueled her to keep on cooking and blogging. Even though I have analytics set up for this blog it only tells me how many people are coming and not "who" is coming. I started blogging with a couple of audiences in mind. I wanted to blog to showcase our works in progress and recently completed projects to potential clients. I also wanted to offer some advice and tips to people who wanted to try do it yourself projects. I have discovered a third audience as I have proceeded through the months. This audience is fellow faux artists. I find myself drawn to other artist's blogs for inspiration, to learn the newest techniques and frankly for a sense of community. Imagine my surprise when I was reading my favorite "faux blog", Fauxology, and discovered they had put up a link to my blog. I had a big smile on my face from ear to ear. I felt like we had arrived in the cyber world of faux.

I want to make this post a reference point for blogs by faux artisans around the web. I have started a small list below. Leave me a comment or send me an e-mail and I will add your blog to our list. And by all means, if you see an article or a picture on a blog that you think is cool, leave a comment. As I am sure you are aware artists thrive on praise. Give a little, get a little, that's all I'm saying. It's tough out there, let's stick together and support each other.

"If you're in a good profession it's hard to get bored, because you're never finished- there will always be work you haven't done" - Julia Child

Faux Blog List:

Marietta Mural & Design

Murals by Mindy

Murals & Faux Finishing

Mural Maker & More

Painter Girl

Painted Lady Rachel

Planet Stencil Library

Wall Street Faux Finishes

Venetian Plastering, Inc.

Venetian Plaster Finishes Vancouver

Virginia Fair Studios

E-Crete Decorative Concrete

2009-08-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

Brooks and I are so excited about some new techniques he learned last week at the International Decorative Artisans League conference in Memphis. Or as I called it his, "faux conference", which makes it sound like a fake conference which it is not, well I digress. Anyway, I'll be writing about some of the new treatments he has learned. Today I'd like to tell you about a product called E-Crete. Concrete finishes are all the rage across the country and especially where we live in Franklin, TN. The developers of E-crete have come up with a formula that is perfect for installation by decorative painters. We are now certified installers of E-CRETE decorative concrete. E-CRETE is a lightweight patented mix of marble and limestone combined with white Portland cement and polymer chemistry. The result is a versatile array of products that combine to offer a wide range of decorative finishing solutions for counter tops, floors, walls, ceilings, furniture, exterior patios and pool decks. The product is completely waterproof and can be used in place of tile in showers, tubs and back splashes. This environmentally friendly product is ZERO VOC and qualifies for LEED credits. You can resurface existing laminate, wood or tile counter tops for a fraction of the cost of granite or stone and keep your old counter tops out of the landfill. Don’t go to through the mess, expense and waste of removing old tile in your bathroom, we can install E-CRETE right over top of your existing tile surface. For more information you can check out the E-crete website here. Photos from Deco Illusions website.

Lily's Garden Video

2009-07-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

O.K., I'll admit Brooks is not the best videographer. But, hopefully you can get an idea of the before and after transformation. We are officially done. We are looking for volunteers to put on a clear coat to protect the work. If you would like to volunteer please drop us an e-mail or leave a comment. Thanks for following us on this journey. For more information on this project scroll down to our previous post titled, "Labor of Love". For more information on Lily and Lily's garden please check out www.caringbridge.org/visit/lilyhensiek or http://www.lilysgarden.org/

Lily's Garden Video Revised from Dana Tucker on Vimeo.

Here Is How to Contact Us

2009-06-26T06:24:00.000-07:00

Update: We are back on line and off Google's "naughty list". Our site is safe to visit. There is a link on the right if you want to check it out.

So, I found out yesterday that our main website for Faux Daddy Designs has been hacked. Some low life malicious hacker has accessed our site and downloaded some HTML code that can load some kind of bad stuff on your computer if you visit our site. So, until we can get it cleaned up and get off of Google's "naughty site list" I wanted to let you know how to contact us. You can call us at 615-599-1470 or e-mail us at bdtucker@comcast.net We shouldn't be down for long. I've got some great programmers working on it now. Thanks!

Dana

Walk This Way- Painted Floors

2009-06-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

Forgo the big expensive designer rugs and add some pizazz by painting your floor. You can even add impressive custom details as shown in this floor by renowned faux artisan, Gary Lord.

Painted floors when sealed with a good quality polyurethane hold up nicely under moderate traffic. They can be cleaned with mild cleaners and their charm and beauty will be admired for years to come. They even hold up nicely on a covered screened porch. Here are some more of our designs.

Refinishing a damaged floor can be expensive, messy and time consuming. Not to mention the contamination to the indoor air quality by sanding and using caustic chemicals. When considering options for your boring, scratched or damaged wood floor, don't forget to add paint to your list.

Open Sesame- Don't forget the doors

2009-06-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

I have to admit when Brooks started painting doors I was pretty impressed. I have never seen anyone do what he does to plain old builder grade doors. With a little imagination and a little ingenuity you can turn this:

Into This

I have also included a slide show for some more door inspiration.

Raised Plaster Stencils

2009-06-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

I have been spending time on some very cool blogs over the last week. I have been inspired by some very talented people and have started to list some of my favorites over on the right side of this blog. Make sure you check them out. If you like this blog, you'll love some of those. It's really very cool because I had never met anyone before that did the kinds of things that we do. Yes, I've met other faux painters, but I've never met anyone who used all the decorative accents that we use, or someone who turns pieces of found trash into beautiful treasures or someone who makes over a room on the cheap and then shouts it from the rooftops. I have opened up a whole new universe and I am addicted to the home decor blogoshpere.

So today I want to share with you a simple technique that adds a whole lot of pizazz to lots of different surfaces. Brooks calls the technique "embossed stencil", but I like the term "raised plaster stencil". We have these in between the molding in our dining room, in the corners of rooms, above doorways and light fixtures. I am also including one that Brooks did with an art imprint that he stenciled around a light fixture. If you click on the pictures you can view them larger and see the detail.

How to apply the raised plaster/embossed stencil:

Find a stencil you like. There are lots of good ones on line. We love Melanie Royals designs. Next you take a stencil adhesive and secure your stencil to the surface you want to apply it to. Then you take a Japanese scraper and apply the plaster through the stencil and smooth and even out the top layer. We like to use Pallet Deco, or Aqua stone as our plaster. We have also used drywall joint compound with much success and little expense. Then carefully lift the stencil and you are done. Let it dry at least 24 hours. Then you are ready to paint, gold leaf, age it, stain it or whatever your heart desires. I have included some photos. Have fun creating!

The Building Blocks of Business- Referrals

2009-06-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

There is a joke around our neighborhood that you do not hire a contractor for your house without first checking with us, the Tuckers. I have been in the advertising business in the Nashville area for over 12 years. In that time I have worked with every possible combination of small business owner from carpet cleaners to air conditioning companies, to restaurants and car dealers. I know the inside scoop on who does the best work, at the right price, on time and with a smile.

If you need an air conditioning service person you should call Craig Killebrew at 615-414-8816. He works by day for one of the big companies in town. He works nights and weekends to build his own service business. He is honest and full of integrity and always a great price. I respect the fact that he drives all the way home to drop off his day vehicle to pick up his personal vehicle to start his service calls for the evening. When I had to replace my unit last year he asked if he could have the old unit for spare parts to help some people that couldn't afford to replace their units. He could take parts from mine and put some band aids on their units to tide them over for a while. What a needed service he is providing.

I could go on and on about some of the great people I have worked with over the years. I place huge value on referrals, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank one of our clients for what is turning into a long list of referrals. Jeff and Annie Mochrie, owners of the Coffee Shop in Mt. Juliet, TN. They bought this place several months ago. It was formerly, Taylor Made Cafe. It is in a cute little house on Mt. Juliet Road. They wanted to make it stand out from the road and warm it up on the inside with some character. We think it turned out great and I am including some pictures. Since completing their project, Annie and Jeff have sent us several referrals that have turned into clients for us. We can't thank them enough. Did I mention this is a great spot for breakfast, lunch and a great cup of Joe without the attitude of some of those coffee chains. Even though we do lots of advertising and I am in the advertising business, nothing works better that a referral from a satisfied customer, period.

So, if you experience great service tell a couple of friends, twitter about it, tell a few strangers. You will be passing along blessings to both the businesses you refer and the people who call them. And by all means if you need a referral for someone in the Nashville area send me an e-mail. I have a list a mile long.

We love painting murals

2009-05-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

If you asked Brooks what his favorite subject matter to paint is he would tell you murals. And if the truth be told it was a mural that was the gateway into the faux painting business for us. When we were dating he would draw cartoons for me on cocktail napkins. I was definitely impressed and could tell he had some raw talent. His favorite recurring character was a cowboy smoking a cigarette. It became kind of his signature character like Charles Schultz's Snoopy. So fast forward, we had been married a couple of years and were expecting twins. When it came time to plan the nursery, Brooks decided he would paint a mural. We decided on a circus theme since we knew the next few years of our lives would be total chaos trying to care for two babies. I was a little apprehensive and secretly hoped that no one in the mural would be wearing a cowboy hat or smoking a cigarette.

Oh ye of little faith; I was completely surprised by the final product and I am including a picture of it here. This mural was the start of all things Faux Daddy. People who visited our house started asking if he could paint something for them, they started telling their friends and word got out. We are always happy when we get calls and referrals for murals. It reminds us of where it all began. Brooks recently completed some murals and I have included some pictures of those as well. And you'll be happy to know that no one is wearing a cowboy hat or smoking a cigarette.

Tribute to a life changing teacher

2009-05-21T06:37:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of school. This would normally be a day full of angst and anxiety for me. Our son, Zane has severe autism. He is non verbal and has many behaviors that would cause the most skilled and patient teacher to run for the hills. Today I feel compelled to tell everyone what a fabulous teacher my son Zane has had this year. He attends Walnut Grove Elementary in Franklin, TN and by the grace of God has had the best school year of his life under the guidance of Mrs. Karen Wight.

I should have known this would be an extraordinary year when I was told last year that there was a second grade teacher who had actually requested to have Zane in her class. At the time last year that she requested him he had some very severe behaviors including running out of the classroom into other classrooms and disturbing classes in progress. He would also throw himself in the floor and lay there knowing that the teachers were not allowed to pick him up. Because he could not sit in his seat for more than two minutes he spent most of his day in the special ed classroom. He had no consistent method of communication. Although I was relieved that a teacher had requested him, I was hesitant because I didn't think she knew what was in store for her in the coming year.

Throughout the course of this year and the intervention of Karen Wight my son now spends most of his day in the regular classroom. He can sit in his seat for extended periods of time. He can actively participate in class through modifications put in place by Mrs. Wight. He is typing spontaneously thoughts on the computer. For the first time he is able to express some independent thoughts. She regularly takes him on walks around the school to visit other teacher's classrooms which has eliminated the running and the throwing himself in the floor. This teacher who had a classroom of 21 kids saw my son as a person not as a child with autism. She saw that he was capable of learning and she didn't stop until she found a way to make him show her what he was learning.

She was a great communicator and for the first time in Zane's academic life I actually knew what he was accomplishing on a daily basis. I cherished her e-mails and have them saved in a file. She was also journaling about her year with Zane. It is my hope that one day we can co-author a book on how to love and educate a child with autism. Here are some experts from her e-mails:

"On one last happy note, Zane and I were talking/playing on the rug today. We were goofing around with the word walls and he was spelling his name. I was lifting him up to spell Tucker and he had the sweetest smile. When we finished I told him that I knew today was a rough day for him and that tomorrow would be better. He instantly said "Yes." When I told him that I knew he was a smart little boy and that I hope tomorrow there would be better choices, he said yes again on his own. These are the moments that make it all worthwhile!"

"He had a fantastic day today! He was so focused and worked so well with me. I don’t know where to start because so many good things happened today. We worked together in math especially and he did so well. We spent a little time on money and he knows how much each coin is. He isn’t to the point of being able to add the coins up in his head that I can tell, but it’s a matter of time. He did do some two digit addition and got it right every time. Amazing. We read together for fun and he answered questions."

"As I’ve said all year, I feel that Zane has made me a better teacher by pushing me and I’m so grateful for that. It’s been an honor to have him in my class this year! "
Karen

So, usually around this time of year as I said I would be very anxious about the summer and also about getting a new teacher for next year who would have to take several months to get up to speed on Zane and his learning style. This year I received the most unexpected blessing. Mrs. Wight has made arrangements to move up to third grade and she is taking the whole class with her. She has also offered to work with Zane on her own time this summer to make sure he doesn't lose any of his skills he has acquired this year. She says that this is the most caring and compassionate class that she has ever had. I say it is due to her leadership and example and I am unbelievably moved by her decision to move to third grade and give these children another year of herself. The lives of these children and their families will be forever changed.

Raising a child with severe autism along with his sister who has mild autism is the hardest thing we have ever been tasked with. Our faith and God's divine intervention are the only things that are seeing us through this journey full of bumps, struggles and disappointments. My mom reminded me this morning that God has given us a chance through Zane to be extraordinary. If we didn't have life with autism we would just be ordinary. The Lord knows how often I get on my knees and pray for "ordinary". I am sent reminders on a daily basis that God has his hand in this and he will see us through. He is also working through us to change the lives of people who come into contact with us along the way and we are humbled.

Paint your laminate cabinets

2009-05-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

No, you are not stuck with white laminate cabinets. When we moved into our house almost 8 years ago I wanted an all white kitchen. This was very much the trend back then. Homes were advertised as having "white kitchens". We moved from a very dark, boxy, log cabin. Everything in the cabin was wood or brown. So, when we were looking for a new house I was dead set on an open floor plan and a "white kitchen". I got my wish. After 6 years of living with my "white kitchen" I was ready for a little drama, a little warmth and intrigue. I scoured home design magazines and watched HGTV looking for inspiration. I settled upon a tobacco stain look for my kitchen cabinets. Paint products have come a long way in the last couple of years. Everyone told me that you couldn't paint over laminate cabinets. I am here to tell you that you can paint them and that with a little elbow grease or the right painting contractor you can have a whole new look and feel to your kitchen without a huge investment.

The first step is to thoroughly clean the cabinets with a degreaser. Years of cooking in the kitchen can build up layers of grease on your cabinets. You need to clean that off or the paint wont stick. Remove and label your doors so you know where to put them back when you are finished. Next you apply a really good primer. There is a product called Prime Etch that is a saviour for laminate cabinets. Next apply your base coat. Then apply some tobacco stain glaze in the corners and grooves of the cabinets. Let dry and apply a top layer protective coat like a non yellowing polyurethane. Make sure not to skip this last step. Kitchen cabinets take a lot of abuse. To ensure that they stay looking fabulous for years to come make sure you give them that final layer of protection. This project will cost about $500 if you do it yourself. If you hire a faux painting contractor the price will start at about $2500 depending on the number of cabinets in your kitchen. So for about a fifth of the cost of new cabinets you can transform your kitchen. Don't forget to change out the cabinet hardware for a complete up to date look.

Bringing the Ocean Home

2009-05-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

My family should relocate to the ocean. To be more specific, Seagrove Beach, on Highway 30A in Florida is our happy place. We discovered this little gem of an escape about 7 years ago before the twins' second birthday. It is a little piece of heaven that is unspoiled by high rises and tourists. It is a place where my slightly dysfunctional family can blend into the environment and enjoy the outdoors without the skeptical eye of the commercial vacationer. Zane tends to make a lot of noise, run away from us and eat a little sand. We can achieve a semblance of privacy and security on this stretch of beach that has been unattainable to us on any other type of vacation. It was this beach where we ventured out to our first dinner in a restaurant as a family. This beach where we allowed him to roam further than 5 feet away from us without worrying whether or not he would come back. And this beach where he willingly wore his first Halloween costume and attended his first Halloween party.

There are a lot of firsts for my family at this beach. It always feels like we belong there every year when we venture back. I always want to bring a piece of the beach home with me when we go. I have collected shells and local art that I have incorporated into the decor of our home to remind me of our happy place. Now, I want to share with you my new favorite room in my house. Brooks has created a "beach room" in our house to extend that happy feeling year round. I hope you will be inspired and get some ideas you can incorporate into your own "happy place". Better yet, come for a visit and we will put you up in ours.

Scripture Decor for your home

2009-04-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

It started simply enough. As parents of two children with autism, we have relied heavily on several scripture passages to see us through the rough patches. Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." I wanted to display that scripture in my home so that it would be a daily reminder of God's divine plan for our lives. I found a website http://www.wisedecor.com/ that sold the vinyl letters that you apply to your walls. I loved the look so much that I ordered a second set to go above our front door. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Phil 4:13

We get lots of comments from people who visit our home. Everyone from friends, pizza delivery folks, home repair people to the occasional Jehovah's Witness visitor knows we are Christ Followers as soon as they enter our home. It has been a great conversation starter with total strangers. Along the way we have broadened our scripture decor, as I call it to include ceilings and furniture. Brooks now hand letters all of his work and each scripture is carefully selected to remind us to keep the faith.

People are always asking us if they can bring their wife, husband, brother, sister, friend, etc... to see our house. We have gotten such positive reactions from everyone that we would like to open our doors and invite people to come in to be inspired. We are hosting an open house on April 25th & 26th from 3p-7p. We are only 2 miles from downtown Franklin, so if you are planning on going to the Main Street Festival, stop by on your way home. Send us an e-mail to bdtucker@comcast.net and we will send you directions.

Fireplace Makeover

2009-03-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

When we moved into our house 7 years ago it was a blank canvas. Everything in it was basic builder grade white and beige. We are not a vanilla family. Our first order of business was to start bringing some color and texture into our home. Our fireplace is a perfect example. Many people settle for life around a cold plain white fireplace because they don't know what to do with it. As you can see from the picture our fireplace had the added bonus of the groovy brass inlays. We came up with a simple solution that anyone could do as a weekend project. The first thing we did was strip the groovy brass inlays. They peeled right off. Next, we cleaned the surface with a non toxic cleaner. Then, we painted the insert black to cover the areas that had the brass. After that we glued on some decorative scrolls using constuction adhesive. Then we used a good quality non toxic primer on the surfaces to be painted including the tile on the floor. Since we didn't know how to tile, we went in search of inexpensive alternatives.

What we came up with were tin tiles from http://www.americantinceilings.com/ We cut them to size using tin snips and used construction adhesive and glued them right on top of the white tiles. Next we painted the fireplace a solid base color. We then took a second darker color and dry brushed some color and wiped it off until we got just the right color. We added a glaze to the tin tiles to make them look aged. Lastly, we painted the floor tiles a terra cotta color to match the kitchen tile, let it dry and finished with a good quality top coat. The end result WE warmed up the fireplace instead of vice versa. All for under $150. For more design inspiration check out the gallery and portfolio pages of our website at http://www.fauxdaddydesigns.com/