I hope everyone has had a wonderful week!  It has been beautiful in Houston with springtime weather!!

I first worked on this home in 2006 for the Pink Ribbon Showcase Home. It has been fun working with the current owner over the years and incorporating her artful, whimsical style into this classical French-style home!!!

Even before you reach the entrance, you know this home is full of laughter and fun starting with the wonderful bronze sculpture of bunnies dancing in the courtyard!

In her entry, we painted a Swedish-inspired design over the plaster that we had originally applied for the Showcase Home, setting the room apart and giving an arrived presence to the space!

This is a shot of the original furnishings by designer Julia Blailock! See the doors to the right of the fireplace – that is where the new treatment starts!!!

We took the white painted doors, and refinished them in a pop of teal to look aged!  And now for the room they lead to…

Here’s the room as it appeared for the Showcase Home!! Designer Anne Lydick has a knack for making rooms feel elegant yet comfortable enough for entertaining friends and loved ones. Originally, we applied a hand-painted paneling directly over the sheetrock. When the new homeowner moved in after the show, we plastered over the paneled finish.

Though she still loved the plaster years later, she wanted a new look. In a room filled with eclectic pieces and colorful art, we decided to look up when making the change! I didn’t have a before pic with the white ceiling, but I did snap pic of the room depicting the first step of our treatment…..and what will it be???????

Gold leaf! We opted for Sherwin-Williams Poinsettia as the base for the gold so that tiny hairline glimpses of the red will show though. You see this a lot on antique gold leaf frames.  Gold leaf is difficult to apply, especially on a ceiling, because it comes in 4-by-4-inch sheets of thin paper which falls apart easily.

So on a ceiling this large, we lay out a grid pattern first so that the edges of the gold stay perfectly straight.

Then we just follow the line one row at a time. Poor Sarah and Alex!! They will have strong necks and arms when this beauty is done!!!

The finished product was well worth the effort! After three weeks, the ceiling is done. If you can look through to the bar, you’ll see it was plastered in a vibrant teal! The next step is to apply a brilliant gold leaf pattern. The homeowner found a cork circle tile for the ceiling made from wine corks that have been sliced on their ends.

The gold of the pattern really ties in the leafed ceiling!!!

And the frame – I really love how the gold leaf paint absorbs into the plaster!

What a difference this made! After seeing this room complete, I am dreaming about gold or silver leafing a ceiling in my home!!!

When you say your goodbyes, you might just run into her pet pig!!! He was wagging his tail when I stopped for a visit!!!

What’s New at the Segreto Boutique!!! – Beautiful Jewelry!!

It is difficult to make a profit at the boutique because, with my daughter Kirby now taking over the buying, I want to take everything home! Here are a few of my obsessions this week!!

Mark your calendars for an Easter Event!!!

On Wed the 23rd all Day we will have Maddie from Maddiecakes at the Segreto Boutique and Gallery!! I bought her cupcakes and cookies for a Valentine’s Dinner Party I was having and they were all the rave!!! Come by anytime on Wed. and pick up your goodies at 1414 Antoine, 3 houses past Westview across from Saint Regis School!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!! Till next week!