When Marble Just Isn't Enough

Up, up the curved staircase we went, the client leading the way with a measured gait, followed by my wife (noted interior designer, Barbara Woolf) with me bringing up the rear. We were headed for the space on the second floor landing of a home we had been working on for sometime which would hopefully be utilized as the client’s office. A place for the computer, family photos and things of that nature.

Most all of the furniture used throughout the home had up until this point been custom designed by me and so I already knew that no ordinary run-of-the-mill desk set-up would do. No, this area would call for something especially charming and lovely to look at as our client was of a most gentle nature and disposition – a lover of flowers and impressionist art – which, by the way, filled most every room of her spacious home.

This area, one in which she planned to spend her quiet time, would need to be especially soothing and beautiful. Pretty flowers we decided between us would be the theme – one that reappeared throughout the home in the art as well as the furnishings. Only this time we would utilize a trellis suspended from the ceiling as a way to seductively dangle any number of gorgeous lavender silk flowers! The desk and side cabinet would feature a glazed base coat of the loveliest yellow and then hand painted with flowers that would simulate and expand the foliage up above.

The client was already a big fan of hand painting on furniture as we had utilized this type of finish on several other pieces in the master and guest rooms. But our greatest claim to fame was a console in the formal living room, a brilliant example of intarsia (a highly developed form of marquetry first produced in Italy during the Renaissance period). Where the artisans of old used inlaid variously colored woods, our brilliant local artist achieved an even greater effect with her paints! Naturally occurring stone could never produce such a glorious look. This could only be attained through the genius and talent of man guided by divine inspiration. (Or in this case, woman!)

In our use of hand painted furniture for this client, Barbara and I were carrying on a craft that few people realize has such a long and brilliant history reaching back to the use of resin lacquer in ancient China almost 3500 years ago! It is thought that Marco Polo brought the news of the highly developed state of Chinese lacquer to Italy as early as 1283 A.D. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by this bit of research as the only report I ever heard about regarding Mr. Polo and his adventures was that he was the individual responsible for bringing Chinese noodles to Italy which we’ve come to know as pasta!

But seriously, I have turned any number of times in my own design business to local artists both here and in Los Angeles to create a look for a piece of furniture that either couldn’t be produced with the use of natural stone such as marble or granite or couldn’t possibly reach the excitement level I was seeking.
For example, I could have utilized an amazing piece of marble for the top of a silver-leaf table, but I chose to go with the artistry of a brilliant painter and the results didn’t disappoint. The same held true for one of my pivoting side tables finished in gold leaf and topped off with a painted fantasy top. In this case, real stone would have been impractical due to its weight and so once again the artist’s brush saved the day.

A client recently ordered one of my up/down television cabinets for her bedroom with the stipulation that it would have to appear as a chest of drawers and be beautiful and graceful in her room. Once again, art came to the rescue where stone could never have tread.

And finally, for me one of the most splendid of all hand painted creations that I was happily called upon to execute, was a vanity table for a lady’s dressing room, a client who worshipped at beauty’s door and loved anything “over the top!” The piece had a light celadon base color with beautiful, delicate garlands and the most heavenly irises adorning its sides and top finished with the words “to Iris with love” as it was a gift from her adoring man to his ladylove, Iris.

I encourage you to consider hand painted furniture when just that special touch is needed to bring grace and charm or the unusual to a design project. However, there is one caveat that I urge you to always keep in mind. It’s a golden rule that every seasoned designer knows all too well: you’re only as good as your supplier! Find the right artist for the best results.