(left-to-right)

1)      In the photo on the left, we took a plain window seat in a nook in the wall, and created something special.  Plywood was used to build out the corners, and quarter-round trim gave it a finished look.  It was marbleized with paint, and a coat of clear polyurethane gave it a gloss to replicate the polish of marble stone.  A small crown molding was added at the top of the faux column.   To create an arched look where it would have been structurally impossible for an arch, an arched frieze was created with 2-x4’s, then sheetrocked with a bullnose corner, painted to look like old-world plaster, and topped with a crown molding.

Not seen in the photo here, the old painted particle-board seat was removed, and a new oak-plank seat added.  Below the arch, a trompe l’oil curtain is supported by three faux medallions.  The back of the niche was wallpapered, and a decorative curtain, with tiebacks, was added over the more mundale mini-blinds. 

2)      In the photo of the arch with flowers, a decorative arch was cut into an existing partial wall, and finished with drywall.  Then a decorative band of flowers was added, bringing a playful splash of color to the room. 

3)      The blue wall shown was painted with a medium blue, then sponge painted over in organic patterns with varying shades and hues of the same color.  The effect is a wispy, ethereal look, which softens the wall as a background, and makes a nice foil to visually offset any furniture or artwork, causing them to really “pop”.  Although not intended to imitate blue sky, the psychological effect is nonetheless very similar, adding dimesion where before had been a flat hard surface. 

4)      The far right photo above shows a detail of the marbleized column.  The wood is first sealed, carefully filling in the grain and any voids.  MDF would probably be ideal for this application (next time!).  After sealing and sanding, the wood is painted black.  Then various shades and hues of green are sponge painted over the black background.  Then white paint is mixed with an extender, to give it a milky, translucent look, and brushed casually over the other colors, intertwining with the pattern of the greens.  Finally, several coats of clear polyurethane over everything adds the glossy finish to mimic polished stone.