Before & After Transformations with Decorative Finishes Most of the movies below are best viewed with QuickTime. Click here to download free software, if you don't already have this. Colorwashing Before:  A peach bedroom.   After:  Colorwashed walls give the aged appearance of a home in Tuscany. The clients no longer have to dream as if they were there. Having vactioned in Italy, they can now live their memories in their own home. Bellismo!  Tuscan Colorwash Close-Up Click here to view Transformation with Tuscan Colorwash Before:  Boring beige was too dark and didn't harmonize well with other shades of beige in adjacent rooms...too much of the same, lacking interest. After: 2-Color Colorwashing, using a lighter base, a darker beige glaze and a pale blue-green glaze with white to blend, the entry, and downstairs and upstairs hallways blend seamlessly. The space feels sophisticated with decorative character coming from the aged look of the colorwashing. The colors complement the furnishings and combine the right balance of cool and warm tones. It's a subtle difference that makes a noticeable impact. 2-Color Colorwashing Click here to view Transformation with 2-Color Colorwash Before: A deep dark red living room. Red, even though it is in the warm color family can be somber.   After:  New butternut and pumpkin paint colors with colorwashing enliven and brighten the space. Colorwashing breaks up dull, flat, solid paint color and makes this living room a welcoming retreat. Pumpkin Colorwash enlivens this living room Click here to view Transformation with Pumpkin Colored Colorwash Ragging Before:  Solid colored pumpkin walls in this bathroom can be jarring.   After:  More muted beige colors blend nicely and the heavily textured, high contrast ragging adds interest. This finish works well in this bathroom, which has a lot of architectural details to break up the space and rich pattern of the ragging.  Ragging with High Contrasting Colors Creates Rich Texture Click here to view Transformation with Ragging with High Contrasting Colors Before:  A plain bathroom...   After:  Gets updated with the rich texture of ragging. Because this is a small space, pale and low contrasting colors were used to accentuate the view from the window and the cheerful colors of outdoors. This bathroom appears fresh and clean and energizes the morning routine. Ragging with Low Contrasting Colors Creates Rich Texture without overwhelming this small bathroom Click here to view Transformation with Ragging with Low Contrasting Colors Striping Before: A sage green dining room.   After: With pearlized, iridescent stripes, the dining room appears sophisticated and elegant. The stripes are narrow, which gives the illusion of added height to the space. Because they are brushed on with a pearlized glaze, the existing paint color did not need to be changed, and they change color throughout the day depending on the amount of light that is reflected on them. They shimmer, particularly at night.  Pearlized Iridescent Stripes Add Elegance to and Existing Paint Color Click here to view Transformation with Pearlized Stripes Before:  A lost entry...   After:  Gains presence with curvy, pearled metallic stripes with copper edges. The pearled glaze emboldens the space with a shimmering glow and welcomes any visitor with style. The wide nature of the stripes helps to visually enlarge the foyer. This decorative treatment is a different take on the typical formal stripes. Now the space appears hip and lounge-like yet coordinates with both modern and formal furniture and accessories. View more rooms in this space on the Design Showhouses Page.  Curvy Metallic Stripes in Foyer Click here to view Transformation with Curvy Metallac Stripes Before:  A child's room...   After:  Makes a bold transformation with wide, color coordinating horizontal stripes. Even though a bright red paint is used, it is tempered by the other khaki, dark chocolate and pure white colors that match the shades. The space appears larger and cleaner because the precisely painted horizontal lines are the focus, not the surrounding stuff. Now, this bedroom works well as this hip teenager's modern retreat. Horizontal Stripes Click here to view Transformation with Bold Horizontal Stripes Brushed On and Textured Finishes Before: Living Room with outdated painting needs some updating After: Choosing a textured, charred gold, LusterStone treatment creates an Old World finish that adds depth and sophistication to the room. Now the walls have the aged character and suede like sheen to match the antique velvet, damask chairs. Not to mention, the treatment glimmers in the natural sunlight and takes on a magical luminosity in the evening by the light of the crystal chandelier. LusterStone Charred Gold Finish Click here to view Transformation with LusterStone Finish Before: Cabinets are stark against granite counters and glass tile backsplash. Seems too cold. White appliances stand out. Challenge: To glaze cabinets just enough to make a difference and help white appliances blend with decor without drastically changing the cabinet color too much. Also, choose a color and glazing application to harmonize warm colors of granite with cool tone of backsplash. After: Chose a warmer tone of white base coat than existing white for cabinets to be prepped and freshly painted. Solution to harmonize with white appliances was achieved in glazing the boxes with a lighter application than the cabinet fronts. This let more of the white base coat show underneath. Chose a glaze with just the right amount of yellow and brown to blend and create a warmer more welcoming feel to the kitchen. Kitchen Cabinet Glazing Click here to view Transformation with Glazing Before: Stock kitchen cabinets lack style and coordination with decor.   After:  An aged brushed on finish over the kitchen cabinets gives a sophisticated, aged appearance, implying they've been there all along and aged gracefully over time. In this case, the clients did a lot of prep work and refinished the existing cabinet fronts with custom molding, and new counter tops and stone tiles backspash were installed. The glazed decorative treatment of the cabinets helps to coordinate all the colors and compliment the natural materials that makes this kitchen an inviting hangout.  Brushed On/Glazed Kitchen Cabinets Create a Timeless Aged Effect Click here to view Transformation with Brushed On Kitchen Cabinet Treatment Before:  This kitchen had dark wood cabinets.   After: The cabinets were treated with a brushed on, aged finish with distressing. This kitchen reflects the client's love of French Country.  Brushed On/Aged Finish Detail Click here to view Transformation with Brushed On/Aged and Distressed Treatment