"My library was dukedom large enough." —William Shakespeare, The Tempest

Libraries not only provide us with a treasure trove of stories and knowledge, they can also be places of arresting visual impact. In the three examples below, Simes Studios provides unique answers to three different aesthetic challenges.

In the first library, the white plastered Studiolo received detailed attention on its vaulted ceiling structure through a Florentine filigree border outlining the main architectural features. This was painted in artist's casein colors for added fidelity to period techniques.

Carolyn Tocks, designer

In the second library, the strong architectural features of the library's ceiling were embellished with a restricted palette of pale blue and parchment colors. All painted paneling was outlined with a gold pigment dot and dash detailing on the parchment color, as well as a straight line defining the color fields. The center of each painted panel was completed with an elongated star.

Cohen-Hacker Architects

In the third room, the wall-to-wall built in shelving was treated with three different finishes, including a painted fantasy walnut grain for the counter top and columns, and a gray-green blended finish for the majority of the structure. The columns were treated as elaborate silver detailed book spines, featuring different designs for labyrinths intertwined through Renaissance knot work.

These are two of our favorite finishes, ideal for walls and cabinets respectively. The photo above and to the left is an example of sculpted Venetian plaster, one of our latest creations shown here in a master bathroom wall. On the right is an Aubergine finish on a cabinet piece showing some of the wood color through selected areas and accentuated with silver.

Kate Coil, our office manager, is the friendly voice that you hear most of the time answering the phone when calling our studio. After owning a small jewelry and gift boutique in Evanston for more than eight years, Kate now brings her people skills and enthusiasm to Simes Studios.

Kate continues to create jewelry when she finds time, working with metals and semi-precious stones. Her appreciation for art has also contributed to a love of traveling, most recently to Milan, Italy. She also travels to Paris and Nantucket island, two of her favorite places! Additionally, she dedicates her time to planning a spring wedding.

On the photo (above, left) we can see a general view of a floor painted between a hallway and a playroom. As a transitional space between grown up and children's realms, the artwork painted on the floor integrates both.

The border shows cream colored outlines of the facades of three different houses where the family spends their time together against a deep colored background.

Along the periphery and on the main field, a trompe l'oeil version of wooden puzzles was painted directly onto the floor, giving the idea of a game that is being played by the children as they move in and out of their favorite room in the house.

Von Weise and Associates, architects