Ceiling Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Leichsenring Studios

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now

by Sharon Leichsenring· June 01, 2017· in Ceiling, Clouds, Dome· 0 comments

Clouds have always fascinated me. I have literally thousands of pictures I’ve taken, or friends have sent me, of simply beautiful clouds. And I’ve painted them. Each cloudscape calls for different palettes and approaches. I am grateful to have been brought to this project by JoAnn Clapp of the Stone House Studio in Woodbury (www.JClappDesigns.com). JoAnn and I both paint custom headboards for the I.M. Smitten gallery in Trumbull. I have painted larger sized ceilings and domes than this one, but these had other design components: architectural details such as trellises, vines and birds. This was the largest that I had approached that was pure and simply JUST Clouds. No distractions. So, I had to plan a cloudscape that met the client’s wishes for calm and peaceful clouds, with no hint of storminess, and yet, I knew it had to have oomph! The dome measures 30 feet in diameter with a rise of 8 ½’. The bottom of the dome is about 18′ above the platform that covers the pool which it is over. Here’s a picture of the dome structure just after installation. It would still need to be smoothed, primed and basecoated before work could begin. I prepared […]
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I’m in love with the man in the moon

by Sharon Leichsenring· August 03, 2016· in Ceiling, Dome, Murals, Video· 0 comments

I have been trying to think of a clever, and perhaps less manic opening, to express just how wonderful this project was to paint. Right now, it’s great to be me! (Humble, n’est pas?) I’m in a truly happy place. I loved what I just finished; it came out exactly how I wanted it to and my client is delighted. Mrs. H is the perfect client. She gets me. And I get her! This may not be your cup of tea but I think you’ll agree, you are going to enjoy looking. The dome and I first met before renovations began at this beautiful home in Fairfield county. A dated , plain light fixture hung in a bare white dome. The fixture will be replaced with a more fitting one, filled with twinkling lights and I promise to post a picture in the fall when it is in place. Once the concept had been agreed upon, I prepared a scaled drawing. The drama would come from the rich dark blue background, grounded by soft dreamy clouds. The subtle ochre palette plays richly with the soft creamy yellow on the hallway walls. You know, I never mind the physical part of […]
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Amazing Mica

by Sharon Leichsenring· May 03, 2016· in Artisan Finish, Bathrooms/Powder Room, Ceiling, Mica, Video· 0 comments

I met the mineral mica several years ago. Mica infused plasters have been part of my portfolio for many years now. But recently, I got to rediscover Mica in a brand new way. Great big chunks of it! Glittering in amber, champagne, bronze pearl and gold tones. Let me show you my samples for this outrageously gorgeous powder room I just completed. The ceiling sample shimmers with layers of mineral. The wall finish has treasure pockets of mica buried in layers of mica infused plaster set on a metallic background. Here is a close-up of the ceiling with the perfect chandelier. Below is the finished room. I am so psyched about using mica more in the future. Love to know what you think about it. There was another addition to the studio this month. Some of my favorite murals have been made into scarves and women’s top on a new ecommerce site called Shopvida. You can visit my shop by clicking HERE (www.shopvida.com/collections/voices/Sharon-Leichsenring). If I’ve painted something for you and you would like me to add it to my collection-there are several types of scarves and tops-let me know which you prefer. Lastly, for several years in the […]
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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· 0 comments

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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The Fifth Wall… Forget Me Not

by Sharon Leichsenring· May 03, 2015· in Ceiling, Clouds, Dome, Mica, Trees, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

Thank you so much to each and every one of you that send me your choice of your favorite powder room. I loved the feedback. It was so much fun compiling that last newsletter, I thought, let’s do it again. So here we go. Ceilings are often referred to as the “fifth wall”. And way too often, they are simply ignored. There are so many solutions that there is no excuse not to consider that ceiling the next time you are looking up at the expanse of flat ceiling white paint. If you’ve got crown molding already (or are considering it), make it pop with anything but white. Here’s my answer to adding color and a few simple stripes for a simple solution. Below is an area of mica infused plaster that reflects the chandelier’s light. A border and shadow give dimension. A ceiling treatment does not have to utilize the entire ceiling. Here are two trompe l’oeil medallions that add focus but are modest in dimension. I see many master bedrooms that have very deep trays, with the sides being three to four feet. This design incorporated the entire space. And then there are situations where I am so […]
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50 Shades of Blue

by Sharon Leichsenring· March 06, 2015· in Ceiling, Headboards· 0 comments

I recently finished two small projects that had only two things in common; they are both in the same home and both utilize the color blue as the main theme. The first was a painted background for a massive bed in a guest bedroom. The bed is very dark. And my client wanted to utilize the bedding that you see pictured. The walls were a beige with absolutely no personality, and not nearly strong enough to balance the visual weight of the bed. We were both reluctant to paint the room very dark, but needed something to balance the furniture. I chose a color from Benjamin Moore’s new collection called “Color Stories”. “Sheer bliss” was indeed the perfect blue. I then designed a backdrop for the headboard to tie it all together. Painting was slow going given the texture on the existing walls. Here’s the backdrop completed. Here’s another shot with the bed back in place. Pretty sweet! I had fun using the graphic elements found in the carved headboard to incorporate into my design. And here is a close up of the corner post area. The lovely monochromatic blue palette was perfect for the room. The second […]
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Be Not Afraid

by Sharon Leichsenring· December 13, 2014· in Bathrooms/Powder Room, Ceiling, Mica, Scrollwork· 0 comments

I think you know by now that I am bored silly by beige. I know it has its place, but it just freezes the creativity out of me when color is called for but the client is just afraid to indulge. Indulge? Yes, because that is exactly what it can become. An indulgence. Big, bold use of color is probably not good if you’re only thinking of resale value. Color makes a statement. It says you have a personality maybe bigger than life, and that’s what YOU want to surround yourself with. My latest client came with just such a request. Her condominium had been doused with mind-numbing neutrals. And the lady loves Red! I’ve got to work backwards because I just have to show you how a pop of red inspired the bathroom redo. Here’s the before picture and now, with a huge splash of red. So, now in order of what I did here. First, the ceiling of the long narrow hallway and foyer was filled with soft billowy clouds. I created a sample of peakaboo plaster, multi-layered mica-infused with the tantalizing peaks of red and merlot peaking through. You also see the red I chose for the […]
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A Rose by Any Other Name

by Sharon Leichsenring· October 02, 2014· in Ceiling, Dining Room, Floral, Furniture· 0 comments

A rose by any name other than DeCandolle’s Rose would just not express how happy I am right now with the universe. Love when the universe gets it right! The project for redoing this dining room began as a discussion over a cup of coffee with my client in her home, where I had done some smaller projects. Her dining room, though very pretty, was just not hitting the mark to reflect her personality. We talked about something floral, and I asked her if she might consider something where the scale was a little less than traditional. She said sure, and I was off and running. The room seemed perfect for huge, oversized blossoms, with exquisite swirled stems and leaves. My inspiration came from a favorite engraving of mine, Pierre-Joseph Redoubte’s De Candolle’s Rose. It’s beauty to me lies in its simplicity, a sweet briar rose. The sample was painted on a creamy background that I glazed with a pale gold metallic paint. The painting seems so alive, with the gentle shimmer of gold. Here’s my sample. It’s time for the big question. Will my client, Jeannie, love it as much as I do? I’d been vague about what type […]
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All in a day’s work

by Sharon Leichsenring· July 06, 2014· in Budget Conscious, Ceiling, Fireplace, Trompe L'oeil· 0 comments

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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Look Up!

by Sharon Leichsenring· March 03, 2014· in Ceiling, Clouds, Dining Room, Scrollwork· 0 comments

Ceilings… Designers think of them as the fifth wall. Let’s take a look at the possibilities. I’d like to share a recent ceiling project. It’s the ceiling in a large entertainment space. The overall ceiling measures a massive 40′ by 75′. My design was dictated by the two parallel lighting tracks, leaving a width of 18′ by 48′. I took this picture before the second chandelier had been hung so you could see it clearly. When working on a ceiling, any consideration making the work time shorter is much appreciated by the already stressed neck muscles. I cut large patterns out of ¼” foam core. This is work that can be done in the shop ahead of time and getting the design up on the ceiling. Each pattern was 6′ by 8′. I’d outline one side and then flip the pattern to complete each half of the semi-circle design. Here’s the template in place. Cool stuff indeed! Here’s a close-up shot. Another ceiling took on a completely different aspect. Here a small dome that’s been treated to a sophisticated celery metallic paint treatment. A three foot wide floral border circles the dome. It’s a grand ceiling for a formal breakfast […]
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