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New Perspectives
October 14, 2019
When a dear, long time client and friend expressed interest in decorating his master bedroom with custom designed and painted curtains, a wonderful new artistic challenge was set and accepted.
After sketches and brainstorming, what was going to be an abstract and painterly brushwork design became movable renditions and perspectives of an open Renaissance main square, based on etchings by Dutch perspective master Jan Vredeman de Vries (1527-1607).
The two walls to be covered with curtains presented an opportunity to create an image that would be simultaneously referential to painting, architecture, theater and decoration. To that effect a custom double curtain rod was created to play with the overlapping of the hand painted panels, visually connected throughout the room by the constant presence of a horizon line. This allowed for different ways to recreate the perspectives each time the curtains were open or closed, regardless of where they stopped.
During the day, the existing windows create a nuanced light box effect shining through the painted design. In the evening, the light and warm linen fabric background becomes a larger-than-life study in perspective, with its myriad hand painted lines calmly expanding the perception of space in this very chic room.
Designer: Lynn Hummer
One of the completed panels in the dining room with detail to left. We were commissioned to paint a dining room mural in a traditional Georgian Lake Forest home for a lovely family of seven. There was an existing wallpaper mural from the time the home was built in 1942. However, the wallpaper had extensive wear, water damage, patches and the panels needed to be re-glued. Together with the clients we decided it was beyond repair or touch ups and a new mural was in order. The original mural had a green background and the client was looking to change the color palette to blues and soft whites, so we started with an indigo blue silk-like finish as our background. We wanted to respect some elements of the original design which we did by incorporating the bamboo motif. However, we grouped the foliage quite differently to customize it to the space. We gathered the taller plants in the corners keeping in mind the trim, furniture and sconce placement. In this way elements did not appear to be coming out of the trim randomly, as would be the case with wallpaper. We painted the ground cover in the same tones. The mural was outlined in soft charcoals and leaf green, as a small nod to the original palette. Last we painted the birds and butterflies. We enjoy adding personal touches to each of our murals, and suggested to the client that we paint the initials of each family member in the filigree design of the butterfly wings. This is something not perceivable to most that enter the room, but a special detail for those living there now.
We were presented with the opportunity to create a focal point backsplash for a beautiful mahogany bar in a historical Evanston home. After the first studio meeting with the client we agreed on a stunning, mysterious, constellation eglomise piece we had in our collection.
We were delighted to participate in the aesthetic transformation of a Tudor home into an updated version of the Wiener Werkstatte style. Our studio’s work included various conceptual and technical adaptations, encompassing painted floors, custom eglomise panels, exterior murals and a gilded and tinted ceiling.
We celebrate our studio’s anniversary each year on Valentine’s Day, remembering our arrival to Chicago, our first commissions and the wonderful clients we have met along the way. We always feel fortunate to work in a field we are passionate about, to be able to employ talented artists and create environments that give great pleasure to many. Each day that we walk into the studio or a site, the project is unique, as the custom nature of our work necessitates constant investigation and adaptation to different styles and techniques. We very much enjoy the collaboration with many talented designers and architects who hire and inspire us. Eglomise has become an important part of the studio, among our wide array of custom finishes, gilding, murals and other applied artistry. While reflecting back on completed projects and what is yet to come in the new year, we’d like to share images of a few installations, literal “reflections” of our work..
1809 West Webster, Suite 200 | Chicago, IL 60614 | 773.327.7101 | simes@simesstudios.com
Created by Olive + Ash.
Managed by Olive Street Design. 