Whats new from Black Crow Studios

While in High Point, NC last month I had the pleasure of catching up with Tracy Hiner, the artist behind Black Crow Studios, who told me about her latest projects.

Series 12

I love Tracy's work.  We often see it at CR Laine during market, and I have purchased some of her prints, and can't wait to use her wallpaper line in our design business.

Here is a sampling of the scale and impressive watercolor 'airy-ness' of her artwork.  First featured is her wallcovering line...

Robbert Passal, designer

Cuffhome Interiors, designer

Tobi Fairley, designer

Her art prints are brilliant and affordable:

Greystone

Teal and Violet

Her latest series is titled "Caliber" and involves immersing paint in large bodies of water and photographing the completely spontaneous affect that happens.  Tracy described the process as using large aquariums filled with water and literally dumping water based paint into the water for random and unpredictable affects.  At first I didn't know what the objects were amidst the clouds of paint.

In this Caliber series, she has taken dismantled gun and weapon parts that she secured from police departments who have taken these weapons from arrested criminals, and rendered them unusable, never to resurface again.  I love that she is making a statement about keeping these guns off the streets, and not putting them 'en totale', but using parts so that it remains an abstract quality in her work.  I think this is a brilliant artistic move, and quite unique.  

I can't wait to see what she creates next.  You can follow Tracy, and Black Crow Studios on Instagram and Pinterest.

This inspires me to make some more art, how about you?

THIS.

Tania Paper

Hot architectural details

A beautiful addition to any home is the application of millwork  trim and moulding panels on walls, ceilings and framing built-ins and kitchens.

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Our friend Christine Dovey of Bijou and Boheme is masterful at designing spaces with this premier touch. I sure could use her carpenter for a day, week or year! The next three images are her designs and is pretty much becoming her signature look.

I 've often dreamt of hand painting this look on a wall, but I  came across a great wallpaper alternative to this look from (the always fantastic) Anthropologie:

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There's no substitution for a high end look with real millwork, but this is an idea you might ponder.

Even small touches like this trim on closet doors makes a huge impact like in this bedroom makeover by our dear friend Pam, from Simple Details.

Have a great weekend, and stay warm!

New Wallcoverings

You know wallpaper is back, big time.  As enamored as I am by Black Crow Studios and handmade wallpapers new lines keep catching my eye, like these gorgeous papers from Calico Wallpaper.  Have you seen their Aurora Line?

....so subtle and beautiful, you couldn't achieve this with a paint brush.  How about this one entitled "Night", available in indigo, aubergine or slate?

Simply amazing. 

Cole and Sons

Wow!

Now this is eye-catching marketing, and all the things we love like furry feet! This Hicks Grand wallpaper from Cole and Sons is so bold and makes such a statement. If you can't commit to a whole room, an accent wall may do the trick!  

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This Fornasetti Malachite wallpaper is out of this world (and so is this vignette)!

Have you gotten into wallpaper lately? I did my powder room last October and I am dreaming of more.

Wallpaper Tutorial

I totally swore off all wallpaper about 10 years ago when I finally removed every shred of it in my home.  Well, as trends will have it, I am back in love with all the papers out there these days, and a little wiser about how to install it.

We won some wallpaper a few months back from Wallpaper Update from Jessie's blog: Mix and Chic and we are so happy to be seeing the paper up on the walls in my powder room!  Thank you again Jessie and Wallpaper Update!

They sent us additional rolls if we promised to blog about it!  We chose Alligator print LL29560:

I wanted to make sure I prepped the walls really well this time, so removal won't be such a headache.

These were my steps:

• Remove everything hanging on the walls and patch and repair all holes
• Remove light plates, registers and fan covers, and light fixtures.
• Prime the wall with leftover paint.  I did this since my faux textured walls were dark and this paper was light, and I had so many joint compound patches from repairs I had to prime.
• Apply Wall Size.  This aids in the adhesion of the paper and  should help in the removal.
• Get your supplies together: water tray, straightedge, level, pencil, smoothing brush, BRAND NEW single egde razors..lots of them (imperative!)

Prepare your area where you will wet the paper (I cleaned the garage floor and used it since it was close to this powder room.)

Here is a before picture of prepping the wall over my 90's faux finish! Thank God!

Here is the wall sizing I used. I rolled it on with a paint roller. This goes very fast!  You have to wait a few hours to begin papering.

Priming with leftover flat paint, then applying wall sizing. 

My helper tracked the sanding dust all over the kitchen and was watching me the whole time.

I drew a PLUM line with a level and straightedge so I had straight aligned sheets of wallpaper!

I measured my wall height and cut all my pieces of wallpaper allowing about 6 inches extra to manipulate it once it's on the walls.  Luckily this paper had a standard repeat and I didn't have to waist alot.

The paper is pre-pasted.  I often apply extra paste, but since I prepped my walls well it went straight into the soaking pan of water  for a few minutes then I bookended my paper and let it sit about 5 mins so that paste gets malleable.  "Bookending" is where you take one long length of paper, wet it and fold the ends over to meet in the middle and let it sit like that til ready.

Smooth with your hand, then a sponge, forcing the air bubbles and paste towards the outer edges.

 I trimmed the edges as I went, with a new single edge razor every few cuts and a straight edge.

I am so happy with how clean and bright it looks, especially from my gray laundry room!

I am waiting for fixtures I ordered, so the reveal will be coming soon!  

Have a great holiday weekend, friends!

WDC Field Trip

Bethany and I journeyed into DC last Friday to go to the Washington Design Center.  It was great meeting some of the company reps that we talk to on the phone.  The WDC is about an hour and a half from us and it is not opened on the weekends, so we don't just run down there to borrow swatches. I wish it were closer!

The great thing about the Design Center is the size of their samples. The fabrics and wallpapers are images you don't have to squint at.  They are amazing! We fell over dead over the Phillip Jeffries papers.

We have had a sample of this slate wallpaper at our studio, but seeing an entire wall papered in it was amazing!

Here are some more random shots of our day.

We had a ball doing our "market research" (a.k.a. any kind of shopping)!