I love panted finishes. I know they are not serious design, they are frivolous, but there is something glamorous and exciting about the theatricality of a painted faux finish. I had taken some classes in how to marble and wood graining when I was a young student. I enjoyed creating the glazes, cutting the stencils and using things like sponges and steel wool to create magical textures. But it wasn't until I found a book written by Jocasta Innes an English writer. She brought these finishes to life in her famous book 'Paint Magic'. I think it would be fair to credit her with kick starting the revolution in the 1980s for fantasy finishes. I spent many hours pouring through that book. It inspired me to try some of these finishes myself in our own home as well as for clients. I think when they are done well they add another dimension to a scheme. I particularly like painted floors. They can make a great base to develop the furnishings around. They are practical and can be scrubbed clean easily. The first painted floor I did was in our blue sitting room. I was inspired by some Colefax and Fowler patterned carpet and followed the eighteenth practice of imitating a carpet design. In this period serviceable floors were made by using painted floor clothes the forerunner to linoleum. Quite grand houses had painted floors or floor clothes like Robert Adam's Kenwood. So my motto if its good enough for the guru Robert Adam, then its okay for me.
The floorcloth at 'Kenwood House' at Hampstead Heath has a fantastic floorcloth featuring diamonds in decreasing size and handsome Greek Key borders.
A closeup of the Floorcloth at Experiment Farm, Parramatta. I love this version of a 'fret design'.
In this little 'closet' at Elizabeth Farm the floorcloth is painted with a 'Seaweed' central design and Vetruvian scroll border.
The floor in our sitting room is painted with a motif inspired by a Colefax and Fowler's carpet design.
This eighteenth century 'd end' table didn't escape some decorative painting on its apron.
These velvet cushions also got the paint treatment.
The table runner is stencilled too!
This oak chest was made by Max's grandfather and I added a fox stencil to the panels. You can see my version of Elizabeth Farm's painted flooring.
Elizabeh Farm, Parramatta, New South Wales. This is the oldest European house in Australia. The entrance hall has a recreated floor cloth.
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