And they said I couldn't edit my ramblings! I told the whole story in one sentence, right there, didn't I? Not exactly? Okay. You're right, the story is never that simple.
My friend, Cindy Faus Heimerl, is a wedding officiant, and the owner of Marion's Place, and Rubies & Rust (click here for info atmarionsplace.com). Both are enchanting event locations on the same property, on the hill above Belle Plaine. Marion's Place is the restored farm house, and Rubies & Rust is the barn. But this is a barn like no other, as you might have guessed from the photo above. Yup, this is a barn with chandeliers.
Before: mint green cinder block wall. |
After: Cheatie faux stone wall. |
Wanting a more interesting place to perform weddings than many of the venues non-traditional brides were renting, Cindy decided it was time to kick it up a notch, and called in the big guns. She called in her favorite contractor to bring the concrete floor up to level, the staircase up to code, and spray this main level ceiling white. Their work was beautiful, but the soft mint green walls, which had looked so fresh against the barn wood and dirt, now looked like sad, hospital green. Eeewww! So, she called in the other big gun: Me. Hmm, well, I'm more like a big splash of happy than a big gun, but on with the story....
Left-overs and free "oops" paint kept this project on budget, and using them up on friends' projects keeps my storage room from overflowing. |
Cindy Faus Heimerl, wedding officiant, barn owner, artist, aging-parent companion extraordinaire, and general laborer. The woman does it all with a smile! |
I started the tan base coat while Cindy finished the primer, then while she ran for lunch, I tested the glaze, which was really full strength dark brown paint, smeared into the grooves, then scumbled out with a damp rag. Quick, easy drama, but it needed a little more depth, so I grabbed some left over ivory paint and thinned it a bit. Using a Woolie tool lightly dipped in this white, I was able to pat highlights on very precisely, then blotted them slightly with the damp rag, to settle them into the shading. A sponge would do the same, but the Woolie can give you sharp edges, saving lots of time
Concrete block turned into a warmer faux stone. If you have time to spend, chips and angles can be shaded in, giving a completely realistic effect. |
Simon the Supervisor, and guardian of all things edible. |
Luckily, we had Simon to supervise us, some good music to listen to, and family stories we hadn't yet shared, so it was a pleasant way to spend a rainy morning, and a long afternoon. Okay, a reeeeaaaaallly long afternoon, as we kept going until about 9:30p.m. We didn't finish, but the base coat is pretty much complete, and the top glaze is nigh on half done, so it will be ready in plenty of time for the open house.
What? Yes, you can come see it in person! Okay, maybe you folks in Belgium and Ireland and South Africa and Moldova (and all those other countries about 7 timezones away) will think it a bit far to travel for an afternoon of entertainment in a barn (with chandeliers), but anyone in the Twin Cities area will want to come...
theartofthehome.com.
Questions about a decorating project you're tackling yourself? email me at dawnmariedelara@gmail.com, and I'll do my best to answer them.
1 comment:
Your friend in Belgium wishes sooooooo much that she could be there!!!! It's such a pleasure to read your blog. Yours, unlike my stories, ALWAYS have happy endings!! One day I'll make it there. I hope you're planning the same here! xo
Post a Comment