In Arizona, and primarily in Metropolitan Phoenix and our surrounding areas, there are several looks that are quite popular in home décor including Tuscan, Old World, Rustic Elegance, Mediterranean and Santa Barbara.  Often, a designer will suggest a faux finish to be applied to the walls of a client’s home as one of the first steps in achieving any of these desired environments.  It is very important that while trying to evoke a certain aesthetic vibe in a home, that all surfaces (i.e. walls, floorings, furniture and accessories), fall within that same desired look to achieve unique and harmonious surroundings.

Whether an entire room could use the aged finish, or simply a niche or powder bathroom, there is a company called Hedo’s Finishes and they use an exquisite range of techniques in order to achieve these desired looks.  Now keep in mind, this isn’t your “Home Depot” faux.  This is a designer’s dream application – especially a designer that likes to embellish and ensure that the walls are aged in the same manner as the vibe that is depicted in the décor of the home.  Hedos is recognized for their reproduction of marble like, smooth or textured walls that reflect color, light and variation.   In other words, their many processes are not simply brushed on with a glaze that only gives the appearance of texture on the walls; their techniques actually add and/or take away texture on the wall giving not only a visual illusion of an old or marbled wall, but the touch and texture of one as well.

For example, in the following photograph (photograph 9629) is a beautiful home with a true Tuscan vibe that includes the timber ceiling beams, hand scraped hard wood floors, and stacked stone around the fireplace.  To compliment these features, and to marry the overall vibe of the home, Hedos applies an exclusive technique called “Tuscania” that bodes well with the home’s overall design.  They do this by adding texture to the walls via plasters that are applied with pigments from vivid color palettes conducive to this style. Colors such as those found in a cup of Italian coffee, or the earth's hues in ranges from blistering yellow like the sun itself, to the concentrated golds like those she hides in her furthermost crevices are used throughout these environments. Intense shades of russet and chocolate are likewise incorporated abundantly with prominent amounts of terra cotta as well.  The overall vibe is stunning to say the very least and incredibly reminiscent of a true Tuscany Home.

If  you are looking for a more elegant and refined environment, consider Venetian plaster.(photograph 9623)  The ageless beauty of Italy and its Venetian plaster finishes adorning magnificent Venetian palaces and villas can be applied on your own walls and ceilings as well (photograph 9609).  Italy is known for its glorious history of art, architecture, and Venetian plaster.  Why not bring some of Italy into your own environment if that is your desired look and feel?  The artisans of Hedos have trained in the centuries-old art of Venetian plaster and can bring this unmatched level of beauty, elegance, and sophistication to your home, business, or commercial project.  These natural “lime” based plasters create exceptional environments, lend to contemporary as well as traditional settings, and add prestige and beauty to any interior or exterior surface.

So, what if you read this article and are enticed by the application of an Old World feel in your home, but perhaps don’t have the budget to create entire environments with Hedo’s decorative finishes at this time?  Well then consider a niche or simply a powder bathroom to begin with, and stretch your project, as your budget allows. 

Hedo’s can create architectural elements within a niche that are again indicative of those found in Italy.  They can then apply one of their many faux finishes to age the area and create at least a vignette of this exquisite concept for a nice multi-dimensional accent area (photo 9619).   Not only does this add a piece of elegance to your home, but the architectural change from a boring square niche to one that softens the corners of a niche with arches that give off dimension and perspective (The representation of three-dimensional objects on a flat surface so as to produce the same impression of distance and relative size as that received by the human eye,) add flare and finesse to an otherwise boring area.

Powder bathrooms are another fun place to try something unique and stunning without going over board on your decorative budget.  After all, this is the facility that your guests will use, so why not make this a lovely environment as well?    With that said, beware that once you experience the Old World, Tuscan, or Venetian vibe that any one of these applications from Hedos will emanate in your space, you may be hooked into moving into all of the areas of your environment both inside and out, creating an Italian villa and or palace that is as unique and original as you are.