Designer’s Corner: Tiffany McKinzie On the Faux, Faux World of Vacation Homes

There are many wonderful things about utilizing faux finishes when designing a second residence.  Often second residences are vacation homes and lend themselves to be more “theme” inspired, i.e.: a beach house or a mountain home, decorated top to bottom in a style that speaks to the environment.  People typically have more creative leeway for this reason. This makes faux finishing a desirable option given its broad range of possibilities.  For a beach home, you could use textural finishes, like grasscloth or linen.  Large scale graphic prints in monochromatic colors would be wonderful as well.  For a mountain home, a leathered wall technique would be a great choice.  Darker richer colors and textures would bring warmth to the inside.  

A faux artist can completely customize the finish to be in whatever tone, technique, color, and design motif that is desired for the project. Faux offers maximum versatility in a relatively easy manner. Because it is so flexible, you have the ability to use it in almost any design budget with a plethora of options. 

Another great benefit is not having to worry about lead times and backorders, as with traditional wall coverings. They are durable and repairable. But I always recommend that my client’s check references and do their homework on contractors they use prior to committing, particulary if you are a newcomer to the community.

This kitchen-finish speaks to the importance of using experienced artisans. This is a patent crocodile finish used in a soft contemporary styled home. I was looking for a dramatic feature to really contrast the clean, bright aesthetic of the kitchen. Black crocodile popped into my mind. This is not an easy or inexpensive finish, and requires a true artisan to pull it off. Not only does it look like crocodile, it also has a wonderful skin feel to it. 

 This client wanted the appearance of an aged fireplace mantle that had been painted over and over throughout the years, and was chipping in places to reveal its “original” state. An aged look was achieved by using multiple colors and coats of paint that were then knocked down in certain spots to reveal the undercoats. A small amount of top coat crackle finish was added to give it the appearance of years of sun damage and age. Warm and inviting, no?

This faux finish is an example of a  classic lustrestone with stencil application. This application is always beautiful, always refined. The space needed a design that complimented the upholstered walls of the master bedroom but didn’t compete with the pattern. A stencil was chosen with similar elements of the wall upholstery. Then two monochromatic colors were selected for the paint and stencil portion. The final outcome gives the breathtaking appearance of luminescent silk fabric.

There is a strong push these days for a return to the traditional and aesthetically “clean” environments in first or second homes. People no longer want heavy, dark finishes in their homes. Light, bright, and airy is the phrase I am hearing most often. In the world of faux, that translates into lustrestones, venetian plaster and limestone finishes. Fabulous finishes that are complex but unfussy and toned down.

Tiffany McKinzie is owner of the design firm Tiffany McKinzie Interior Design, Inc. Tiffany has been involved in the residential construction industry for the past seven years and has managed more than 35+ large scale projects. She offers full scale design services from pre-construction design and project management to move-in ready finish out. Her specialty is taking the entire construction process and breaking it down into easily managed sections. She will help guide the homeowners through each stage of construction and assist with every decision that must be made Her firm is also capable of handling all the finishing details from furnishings to window treatments, accessorizing, move-in services and more at first AND second homes!