by HJ HOLTZ | Nov 21, 2024 | Decorative Painting
It’s easy to make safe choices when decorating a home. But an unexpected pop of color or whimsy will elevate your living environment from ho-hum to heavenly.
Often, people think the only way to create a dramatic effect is through wallpaper, which comes in an array of colors, patterns and finishes. But hanging wallpaper feels like a big commitment, because the paper is attached to the surface with adhesive; removal seems daunting. Decorative painting, however, is the marriage of design with ease. Virtually any surface can be painted, and with the right hands, that surface can be transformed into an eye-catching accent or focal point.
H.J. Holtz & Son’s decorative artist, Diana Orellano, has been with the company for five years, learning the special skill set needed for decorative painting from those who came before her. Even if a client doesn’t have a clear vision of what they want, Orellano knows how to begin the conversation.
“An idea can come from something they saw or a memory,” she says. “When [clients] see pictures of things we make, they remember things they like, too.”
Decorative painting can be found anywhere in a house: floors, walls, and ceilings. Entire rooms can be filled with hand-painted murals, or a room’s chandelier can be emphasized with ceiling painting that draws the eye upward. Floors are an especially effective canvas, with bold patterns or faux effects that transform a standard surface. One previous Holtz project involved painting a wood floor to look like marble tiles, complete with veining. In another instance, the Holtz team painted a geometric pattern over concrete in a business office.
Orellana says floors are her favorite projects, because they require attention to detail. “It’s like a challenge for me,” she says. “I’m really picky; I want everything to be perfect. When [I’m told] I have a floor to do, I get happy.”
Floors are interesting, she says, because few rooms have perfectly straight lines, which means accurate measurements are essential. “You have to be precise and patient,” she says, noting that she begins by laying out a plan or pattern to see how it really fits. Once she has made adjustments, she starts painting in the center of the room and works outward.
Orellano assists the wallpaper team by painting light switch plates or other wall elements, like vents, so they become nearly invisible to the casual observer. Whatever the task, she says decorative painting is sure to have an impact.
“You can make a difference, have a happy room – do whatever you want,” she says.
by HJ HOLTZ | Jul 23, 2024 | Decorative Painting
The view inside the Heacocks’ living room is every bit as compelling as the view outside, thanks to careful planning and the skills of an H.J. Holtz & Son’s decorative artist.
The couple’s house is situated on a lakefront lot, and a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows offers a generous perspective. But inside, a chimney breast covered in decorative Venetian plaster provides the crowning touch above the glass-enclosed gas fireplace, which sits atop stone tile.
“There’s so much glass in the room, we needed to anchor the space,” Lynn Heacock says.
The new house in suburban Richmond is the fifth that the homeowners have built together. Most of their residences incorporate contemporary design elements. “I love California design,” Heacock says. “And we like building houses with windows all the way down to the floor.”
Heacock wasn’t familiar with Venetian plaster until Leah Dodge, of Decorum Interiors, suggested using the finish to create a dramatic focal point in the living room. To achieve the look, decorative artist Diana Orellana applied a lime-based plaster that includes aggregate materials for texture. Using a trowel to spread thin layers, one on top of another, Orellana created a veneer that is truly one-of-a-kind.
“I loved the idea of it, and the process went beautifully,” Heacock says, adding that had she anticipated how much she’d like the finished look, she might have incorporated more Venetian plaster elsewhere in the house.
The Venetian plaster project was the first time the Heacocks had worked with H.J. Holtz & Son, but it won’t be the last. The Holtz wallpaper team is scheduled to hang wallpaper in the home’s half bathrooms in the coming months. Until then, the couple and their guests can enjoy the view in the living room.
“Several people have come in and said this [treatment] is stunning,” Heacock says. “Everybody who comes in loves it. We’re very happy with it.”
by HJ HOLTZ | Feb 17, 2021 | Decorative Painting
Interior designer Janie Molster’s clients wanted to change the look of their dining room, but they couldn’t find a wallpaper that ticked all the boxes: motif, style, color palette. The solution: a custom mural by the H.J. Holtz & Son decorative arts team.
“The room is a pass-through to other areas, so we wanted to give it its own sense of place,” says Molster, principal of Janie Molster Designs. “A wall mural creates a wonderful environment, and we knew the Holtz team could create anything we wanted.”
Molster and the homeowner supplied the Holtz & Son decorative arts team – Brian Smith, Logan Porter and Eli Smith – with a wish list of ideas to be used in creating a woodland scene. The team responded with samples that showed the background color, trees and leaves, and birds.
“The trees were from the previous paper, but we needed to tweak the color,” says Brian Smith. “For the birds, they sent us the color scheme, and we had to do some research to find birds that had those colors.”
After some back-and-forth, the plan was set, and work began.
Molster says the biggest challenge of a custom mural from a designer’s perspective is that the homeowner can’t really see the image until it’s on the wall.
“When we were working with our client, we said we’ll get the sample as close to perfect as possible, but we’ve worked with [Holtz & Son] for 25 years, and we know they’re going to stay with us until we nail it,” she says.
And the biggest advantage of a custom mural?
“The benefit is the infinite customization that’s available; it can be tweaked as it’s being created,” Molster says. “Once the team got the structure of it up, we could see if we needed to add a branch or a bird.”
In this case, adjustments included altering the intensity of color on a bird’s breast and the whimsical addition of a bird not originally in the plans.
“The clients’ adult sons came home as the mural was being painted and weighed in,” Molster laughs. “They wanted a red cardinal, as an inside family joke.”
The cardinal was a surprise, Smith says, given that the male’s vivid scarlet feathers didn’t fit with the established color scheme. In the end, the decorative arts team worked with the homeowner to find a suitable spot for the bird – tucked into a corner. “I let her point exactly where she wanted it, so that’s where we put it,” Smith says.
To create the muted palette of ivories and sandy beiges, the Holtz team applied layer upon layer of color, creating depth and movement that would be found in nature. “We started with a greenish-gray and applied four different layers, plus a step of distressing, to make it look old,” Smith says.
The client could not be happier, Molster says. “It’s simple and elegant, which is exactly what she wanted. And it was executed flawlessly.”
Molster is also pleased with the outcome.
“We always feel like we’re in extremely competent hands when we work with H.J. Holtz & Son; we always walk away feeling better than we ever imagined,” she says. “It’s the beauty of having true artisans on the job.”
