A Newsletter by Simes Studios for Architects And Designers | October 2011
Often overlooked when decorating, designed ceilings prove to be a singularly distinctive feature of a completed room. This issue of Tableau will be dedicated entirely to hand painted ceilings, domes and beams, in different styles, techniques and materials. Although the present selection features only a handful of projects, it is diverse enough to show design range, artistic proficiency and the minute attention to detail that clients expect from our studio.
With this alluring silver-hued dome the purpose was to create a surface of great visual impact within a contemporary aesthetic frame. Very thin layers of various metallic powders were glazed on the beautifully gilded aluminum leaf surface, creating a nuanced effect and reflecting the light with depth and sophistication.
DeGiulio Kitchen Design at the Merchandise Mart, Chicago. Mick DeGiulio, Interior Designer |
Hand painted and gilded beams in a Living Room. Lake Forest, Illinois. Designed, painted and gilded in Italian Renaissance style, these cedar beams and corbels come to life with the sparkling details of gold, which light up sections of the ceiling that otherwise would be in shadows. |
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Within the parameters of Art Nouveau, and flanked by beautiful cast bronze corbels, the ceiling of this Streeterville residence has been structured as panels. The light, creamy parchment center is framed with a sunny hue and outlined with thin, organic gold lines that are different in each panel. Architects and Interior Designers |
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A starry night is featured as a field design in this chic Lincoln Park residence. The frame is a very elaborate trompe l'oeil pietra dura inlay, featuring more than twenty ancient and current types of marble and semi-precious stones. Susan Fredman Interiors |
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In this whimsical family room the theme of underwater-life was organized within the lines of Art Nouveau. With a custom-designed deep sea finish on all surfaces, the varied and fantastical array of deep sea life is crowned with a large, multicolored, and semi-translucent creature, inspired by the drawings of Ernst Haeckel. and Interior Designer |
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A tromp l'oeil Florentine stucco filigree graces the ceiling of this external gallery, delineating the architectural features of the vaulted ceiling with precision and flare. |
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The decoration of the ceiling boiserie in this important, two story entry foyer creates layers of visual interest. From the rosette and scroll designs to the starry field, the play between wood, paint and gilding cap the room with elegance. |
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An Art Deco style mural, inspired by the four elements, crowns this conference room just outside Chicago. Various types of metallic leaf were used to render figures, clouds and backgrounds gleaming. All details were painted in artist oils.
Cannon-Frank, Interior Designers |
This dining room on East Lake Shore Drive, with both contemporary and period Asian furniture, was finished with a trompe l'oeil lattice work of Chinese inspiration. A difference in sheen between the black lacquer-type lattice work and the glowing pearl panels adds subtle vibrancy. In the closeup picture a detail of the gold filigree is shown. Designer Susan Fredman Interiors |
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A sweeping Baroque layout gives dynamic presence to this beautiful entry foyer stairwell. The crowning piece, however, is the elaborate double-dome mural, painted in artist oils and executed as vignettes of mythological significance against a background of trompe l'oeil gold mosaic.
Cannon-Frank, Interior Designer-Cindy and Jorge Simes