An Interview with Jeremy Wells
LUXE Vol. 2 Issue 4 p. 211
Suitable for every room in the house, interesting and intricate faux finishes create a certain mystique. One of the more popular faux treatments, labor-intensive Venetian plaster adds interest to a space through color, texture and sheen. “Legend has it that the Venetians invented Venetian plaster as a way to make the walls of the city look like marble because heavy marble walls would have made the city sink. Extremely versatile, Venetian plaster can be applied in such a way that it creates a clean, modern look for a subtle and elegant background,” says Jeremy Wells, president of Imago Dei in Houston. The finished product relies heavily on the creativity of the artist’s application technique, since the decorative plaster is spread across the wall using a variety of strokes with very small spatulas, resulting in different angles and shades. “Venetian plaster - which has flourished in residences alongside everything else that falls into the Old World tren - can be burnished to a highly reflective sheen that’s smooth to the touch,” Wells says.
Murals have always been responsible for telling a story. Due largely to their customizable characteristics these hand-painted masterpieces are being integrated into the home more and more, even in the most minimalist of settings. “Murals are typically used to capture and express the homeowner’s personality and the world around them in an artistic manner,” notes Wells. “We tend to do a lot of oversized murals on canvas because they can be removed and reinstalled, allowing a client to take the mural from one home to another.”
Often considered to be the most versatile of the faux finishes, glazes are admired for their smooth surfaces that create the illusion of sumptuous textures like suede, linen, silk, wood, stone and even metal. The use of glazes not only adds character to otherwise ordinary walls, it also gives a space depth and intrigue, according to Wells. “Glazes are like jeewelry for the home; they transform the walls into an elegant backdrop while unifying the design of your space,” he says.
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