In college, Peggy spent time in Europe and
developed a love for Mediterranean country style
along the way. "It was there that I started paying
attention to architecture and design; I loved the
warmth and texture and the sense of age that
you d see in southern France and Spain." With
images of sun-stained stucco walls in mind, Peggy
and Kramer warmed up the Lewises family room
with a faux-leather paint job.
The technique is simple, and the effect is
stunning. Over standard white-painted, orangepeel-
texture walls, Kramer and Peggy applied a
mix of tan paint and glazing medium. While it
was wet, Kramer topped it with a sheet of
plastic, smooshing the plastic to move the glaze
around. When she lifted off the plastic, the
result was a leathery-looking texture. Look
closely and you ll see subtle geometry in the
walls. Kramer created this look one rectangle at
a time. Working in sections makes the treatment
easier to achieve and boosts the drama. "The
character of the walls changes as the daylight
does; it's fascinating to watch," Peggy says.
"This room used to feel like a box," she
continues. "Now, as my boys say, its 'awesome,' and it's one of our favorite places to be."
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