A Talent For Texture

In the world of decorative finishing, Barbara Skivington is an accomplished and respected artist. So it’s not surprising that in her home, nearly every wall and ceiling — and even the floors and cabinetry — are adorned with paint and plaster finishes that mimic the look of an old-world villa. What may be surprising is that Barbara’s home also is a classroom for her students.

Touring the house, visitors are struck by the drama and warmth of the decorative finishes used throughout. Deep cocoa-color Venetian plaster shines in the living and dining rooms, perfectly complementing a shimmering bronze-tone ceiling and draperies. In the master bath, damasklike walls reminiscent of vintage textured fabric invite touching the surface. Golden cracked stucco around a wet bar gives the illusion of years of weathering, and subtle tone-on-tone stenciling makes a dramatic accent against white cabinetry in the kitchen.

“Most people think of decorative finishing as just glazing a wall,” Barbara says. “Our intent was to show that it is more than that. So we did a lot of smooth and nubby textures.”

Barbara’s home served as a class project and an opportunity for hands-on experience. The activity not only left her students with a sense of accomplishment and confidence, but also proved the power of paint and plaster treatments in creating a space with seemingly endless depth and tactile quality. “Decorative finishing is a means of transforming ordinary drywall into something that feels totally awesome to the hand,” Barbara says. “You really want to walk up to it, rub your hand over it, and say ‘wow.’ It creates an ambience that flat paint can’t.” Upon the project’s completion, Barbara opened her home for public tours, showcasing the creative work of her students. She donated the proceeds to a local breast cancer-awareness organization.

Before Barbara’s students delve into applying decorative finishes in real rooms, they learn and experiment in the classroom. The students come from all over the country to Faux Works, her High Point, North Carolina, studio, where she conducts workshops dedicated to teaching an array of cutting-edge decorative-finish techniques in a creative, comfortable environment. Do-it-yourself homeowners, painters wanting to transition into creating decorative finishes, other professional decorative artists, and even people with no painting experience are eager to participate in the one-, two-, and three-day workshops.

Barbara stresses the importance of the relaxed, creative atmosphere that Faux Works provides. “Our students are taught from the get-go that their sample boards are not meant to be Picassos when they leave. I think we put them very much at ease as far as making errors, so they should not feel that they need to be perfect, from the very beginning,” she says.

Even beyond the classroom, Barbara encourages her students to overcome the fear factor of trying a new finish. “I always tell them to go home and apply a decorative finish to the inside of a closet because if it turns out horribly, they can just put the stuff back in and close the door. But if it’s great, they might be showing it to everybody!”

To expand her own skills, Barbara strives to create new finishes and continues to take classes from other artisans. But for her, the thrill is still in sharing her knowledge and watching her students as their ideas take flight. “The most rewarding aspect for me is watching that lightbulb go off over somebody, when all of a sudden they get it, when all of a sudden they tell you, ‘I have an idea, I could try this, and what would you think if I tried that?’” Barbara says.

• What feeling do you want the space to evoke when someone walks in? If you have a lot of antiques and collectibles, consider walls that appear aged. For the look of an Italian villa, texture is important. More formal spaces or rooms for entertaining call for more dramatic effects, such as glossy or metallic finishes.
• What type of light does the room receive? If a lot of natural light comes into the space, particularly if there is a southern exposure, be bolder and more dramatic with the coloration. If the space is large and has a lot of light coming in, be wary of pale colors. Barbara says, “The problem is when you have big spaces and you go with what I call ‘weeny’ colors, they are too light and they get lost and you need a little bit of punch.”
• What time of day do you most commonly use the room? If it’s a room that is primarily used during the evening, and you want a feeling that wraps you in coziness, Barbara recommends a deep color.
• What types of furnishings are in the room? The wall finish should complement — not compete with — the decor. Smooth walls work best in rooms with lots of texture, but a textured wall is a nice balance for sleek or minimal furnishings.