Leslie Sinclair's Blog, page 4

One of My All Time Favorite Homes is on the Market!

Hi Friends! Even though it is definitely hot in Houston, I haven’t let it interfere with my weekend morning walks; such a great way to reflect on the past week and plan for the next. This last weekend I strolled past a project that we completed a number of years ago and I saw that it was on the market. I was delighted to see that one of the key selling features is the beautiful plaster work we did throughout the house. I thought you might enjoy taking a tour with me in a home with Segreto Finishes throughout!

Photo credit: Compass Realty

214 Terrace Drive is so close to Houston’s favorite urban recreation area, Memorial Park , on a truly stunning and very private feeling multi-terraced 35,000 square foot lot. Built in 2005 by Allan Edwards and designed by Murphy Mears Architecture, the home has old world villa charm with Tuscan, Spanish and French influences. I can just see myself sitting on the terrace, drinking a glass of vino and imagining I’m at my own private vineyard estate in Italy or Provence.

Photo credit: Compass Realty

The architecture of the house was created by the renowned Kirby Mears who worked with the amazing Eleanor Cummings with the selections. In the formal dining room, reclaimed limestone floors from Houston’s own Chateau Domingue grounded the room. These lucky new homeowners will be able to keep the antique French sconces and a chandelier! Our job at Segreto Finishes was to compliment the other hard surfaces and architecture of the house with the right type and tone of plaster. Just like flooring or lighting choices there are as many types of plaster and an infinite number of shades, so this selection needed to lend authenticity to the architecture and reclaimed elements built in.

Photo credit: Wade Blissard

I consistently say that I’m always the bridesmaid and never the bride! I love formulating the perfect backdrop to a home’s architecture, surfaces, art and furnishings!! I feel the plaster chosen elevated the home and created an ambiance impossible with a painted sheetrock wall. Through this beautiful barrel hallway is a truly remarkable kitchen!!

[image error]Photo credit: Wade Blissard

The rustic kitchen features a really striking La Cornue range and a countertop that looks like a great place to try a new bread recipe! I’ve noticed that we all have this remarkable kitchen pinned on our Pinterest dream boards and it is truly one of my favorite European style kitchens we have done to date.

Photography by Wade Blissard

Interior design legend Eleanor did such an amazing job furnishing the home! After plastering for close to 30 years, I still simply love the shadow, play of light and mood it creates and 17 years later the plaster remains current!! In many pictures I have shown; depending on the photographer and the light, the plaster looks different colors. The entire home is plastered in the same shade and this picture is a good representation of tone; a soft warm white-classic!!

This house is so special that it even landed the cover of Veranda Magazine in April of 2010. I was so excited!! I found a link to the original article, which you can read here.

Photo credit Compass Realty

It’s not unheard of but unusual to see homes without baseboards anywhere throughout, especially ones built in 2005. Thinking back on the project, I remember how thankful I was that Allan Edward’s Builders made sure the substrate we plastered on was so professionally installed. Our artisans have to take special care without baseboards to make sure the seams between floors and the walls are smooth and crisp, especially when such beautiful natural floors are selected. Although an elegant and clean look, it is a more expensive construction process and more difficult to maintain.

Photo Credit Wade Blissard

I’ve always loved how plaster looks as if it is carved out of stone when you have those beautiful groin vaults! This close up picked up more variations.

The Master bedroom with its lovely views of the terrace transports you to another place entirely. It almost feels like a slice of Europe in the heart of Houston. And the Master bath…………………..

I could definitely soak in that tub with my favorite Chardonnay! French please!

Image From Compass Bank

Of course the house isn’t just beautiful on the inside. Not only does it have a stately infinity pool, but also……(drumroll please)……

Photo credit: Compass Realty

………a full sized basketball court! If you are on the market for a home in Houston this is a true find! Lil Newman with Compass Realty has the listing which you can click on and view here! And if the home becomes yours, make sure to put a bottle of champagne in the wine room! This home will always be special to me as it is the first with this dream team!! Allan, Eleanor and Kirby, I was honored to be a part of your project! A big bonus too; the homeowners were amazing and it gave me so much joy to be a part of such their beautiful spaces!

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What’s Segreto Been Up to?

Hi Friends! I hope many of you are able to vacation in beautiful places with cool breezes and bodies of water that don’t feel like a warm bath! Here in Houston, the only “cool” I am experiencing is following my team vicariously as they have traveled to some pretty special places to install a bit of Segreto!

Our SegretoStone team went to Carmel-by -the-Sea California as it is properly called! Founded in 1902, Carmel is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history. In 1906, early City Councils were dominated by artists, and several of the city’s mayors have been poets or actors, including Clint Eastwood!

In 1910 The San Francisco Call reported that 60 percent of Carmel’s houses were built by citizens who were “devoting their lives to work connected to the aesthetic arts.” Carmel is also known for several unusual laws, including a prohibition on wearing high-heeled shoes without a permit, enacted to prevent lawsuits arising from tripping accidents caused by irregular pavement. The pace is a bit slower here shown by the two sea lions our guys saw while strolling sea lion cove!

One of our sweet clients sold their beautiful Houston house and was calling Carmel home. I am sure she didn’t get the same deal there as the lucky ones there who moved to this beautiful city after the 1906 San Fransico earthquake. The then village community was inundated with musicians, writers, painters and other artists turning to the establishing artist colony after the bay city was destroyed. The new residents were offered home lots – ten dollars down, little or no interest, and whatever they could pay on a monthly basis. What a deal!! This house called the “Gingerbread House” at 17-mile drive was built in 1944 by an artist. It was intended to serve as a temporary living quarter during construction of a main house, which was never completed. The unusual roof was made of hand poured concrete formed into colorful tiles. Read more about the house here.

We have done several of these European designed kitchens where the SegretoStone coats the entire box and wraps onto the counters. This one featured in Segreto Impressions was this clients Houston home! Check out more on this kitchen in our book Segreto Impressions on pages 308 and 309.

We created the same style in their new home. The architect and building team did an amazing job in the construction allowing us to give that seamless look with our SegretoStone!

Completing our part first, the construction team can now lay the stacked stone creating the feel that the counters are imbedded. This is from our signature color “polished pebble” available in SegretoStone, plaster and paint!! I can’t wait to share with you the project when it is completed!!

The SegretoStone crew that went to Carmel, had so much fun, loved the weather, the scenery and the history of this charming American village by the sea!!

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Our second team- the cabinet crew flew to the beautiful city of Honolulu to stain mahogany! Honolulu acts as a natural gateway to the islands’ large tourism industry, which brings millions of visitors and contributes $10 billion annually to the local economy. It also is a trading hub between the east and the west!

Did you know that only 3.2% of the population in Honolulu are native Hawaiians? The majority of the population is made up of Asian Americans. Honolulu is the most remote major city in the U.S. and one of the most remote in the world! The guys discovered that with their long plane flight!

The view from the home was incredible and the guys loved working looking out at the expansive views of the ocean. The homeowner did comment they whistled and sang while they worked!! So why fly a crew from Houston to stain Mahagony?

Mahogany is a straight grained, reddish-brown tropical hardwood indigenous to the Americas, and has been used in construction and furnishings due to its durability! In many instances when bookcases, kitchen cabinets are large studies are built from a stained grade wood, the paneling is constructed from solid pieces for the frames or door surrounds and a thinner veneer for the large inset panels of the same materials. Since they are cut from different trees, you can see both the tone of the wood and the grain can differentiate.

If you are wanting a consistent finish, or a tone which is not too red, each piece may have to be treated individually. A one-step stain treatment will not even out the wood’s tones without going very dark in color or applying the stain with a heavy hand. Both of these options will cover the wood’s natural grain. Applying multiple layers thinly while altering the stain color with each pass will give you a more consistent result without covering the grain of the wood.

I was really excited that my crew chose to tour Pearl Harbor on their one day off! The original Hawaiian name for Pearl Harbor is Pu’ulua (long hill) but was later renamed Pearl Harbor in connection to the oysters harvested there.

My crew was amazed on how small in square footage Pearl Harbor was! They also were so emotional when seeing where so much was lost on the “day that will live in infamy”. December 7, 1941 will always be embedded in history as the day where a surprise attack from the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service killed 2,403 U.S. military personnel and civilians and prompted the United States to enter World War II.

AP Photo/U.S. Navy,File

I found this article in the Houston Chronicle on the Pearl Harbor attack quite interesting and a good refresher course from my college history class days.

They also went to Park West Gallery’s major new museum and art gallery where they were sending me photos of original Picasso’s, Salvador Dali’s, and Rembrandts with a small sketch selling for $68,000. Other highlights of the trip?

Rooftop views, nighttime strolls on the beach and …………………

……..and of course, a Taco Truck!

We are so honored to go to such beautiful places for these two clients and what an experience for my fine crew members! I hope you are having a wonderful summer full of new experiences and bonding time with family and friends! Till next time! XO Leslie

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A Beautifully Eclectic Home- Aspire Magazine and Newberry Architecture!

Hi Friends! I hope you all had a fun and festive Fourth of July weekend! I was so excited to see one of my favorite Newberry Architecture homes on the cover of Aspire Magazine!! Also featured in our fourth design book, Segreto Impressions, we had so much fun collaborating with the homeowners, The Newberry Team, and Goodchild Builders. Kaitlyn Clark did a beautiful job writing up the article for Aspire, that we re-shared it and added a few extra comments and photos shot for our book! See her spread as posted here. I hope you enjoy your walk through of this beautifully eclectic home!

When tastemaker and owner of the beloved Round Top Inn set out to build her new family home in Houston overlooking the Bayou, she made one thing very clear: she was up for anything. Like most start-from-scratch home construction, the owner’s vision for their home evolved as the project progressed from the initial cool-meets-farmhouse inspiration to a full-blown haven evoking a freewheeling spirit and cultivated artistic taste.

[image error]Photography By: Julie Soefer

“The client was really inspired by the modern farmhouse, and she wanted to incorporate a lot of her artistic flair and love of color,” describes project manager Elizabeth Echols. “A lot of Houston clients stay traditional in their palettes and don’t necessarily enjoy the process of picking things out, but she treated her house as an art project, which opened endless possibilities of different layering techniques.”

Photography By: Julie Soefer

Our part? The walls and ceiling plastered to compliment their incredible art pieces. The reflection from the pool off the plastered ceiling showcases the custom brass light fixture which was templated and laid out on the ceiling first, before its construction began.

Photography By: Julie Soefer

One element that didn’t change, however, was the home’s function. The homeowners sought to cultivate a lived-in sensibility designed to immediately put guests at ease, while also withstanding the spills and accidents of the couple’s young children. As the owners are the consummate hosts who need no excuse to throw a bash, they needed large communal spaces with lots of seating to host family gatherings for holidays and celebrations.

One thing that the homeowner was not short on was ideas – for example, bringing a sample of a New Age-style, holographic deer-antler wallpaper to their very first design meeting. From then on – and for every weekly meeting thereafter during the nearly three-year endeavor – it was off to the artistic races.

Notice our SegretoStone countertop in a blush pink tone. Making a great pair with the colorful backsplash!

Photography By: Julie Soefer

“She really wanted to push the envelope,” explains Clint Johnson, principal at Newberry Architecture. “I mean, when a client comes to you with something like that holographic wallpaper, it makes the rest of being creative easy.”

Photography By: Julie Soefer

In a reprieve from the usual white-box kitchens, the expansive, light-drenched space is defined by bold textures, technicolor treasures and custom pieces, starting with the oven hood, a vintage find from the client. “It’s actually an Italian altar with original pastel colors that really inspired her, and she knew she wanted to use it somewhere,” describes Echols, adding that she came up with using it as a vent hood. “So we flipped it upside down and then turned it into a vent, hollowed it out and made it work.”

The altar is flanked by white custom cabinets with glass panels and brass finishes on either side to complete a sense of flow and cohesion. Another dazzling antique find is the hardwood flooring throughout the kitchen, with the few leftover panels repurposed in the upstairs wet bar, while several other varieties and shades of vintage wood grace the home to deliver bespoke, artisanal details.

The Segreto touch was finishing the new wood needed to retrofit the alter piece into a range hood!

Photography By: Laurey Glenn

You can find this home on pages 244-255 of Segreto Impressions. There are so many Segreto details, I decided to include more pictures from our shoot! From Custom Floors Unlimited reclaimed flooring to the leather chandelier from Ngala Trading Company to the colorful wallcovering on the ceiling. Its now time to play my favorite game…

Photography By: Laurey Glenn

…iSpy! Can you spot them all? By painting the cans and vents to blend with the colorful wallcovering, your eye is not interrupted with blocks of white and statement pieces in the room are highlighted without distraction.

Photography By: Laurey Glenn

The fireplace is anchored with a blush pink SegretoStone hearth and plastered walls and ceiling. The beauty of SegretoStone lies with its organic, seamless look, and subtle modeling that marries so well with many materials and different styles.

Photography By: Laurey Glenn

The family room is centered around a soaring, arched custom hutch that was transformed into a TV cabinet and finished by Segreto to work in its new space.

Photography By: Laurey Glenn

The exterior fireplace is a combination of the home’s painted brick, a reclaimed timber and a natural concrete-toned SegretoStone facing. These very simple architectural statements let the owner’s pieces, which are beautifully vibrant and strong, come forward.

Photography By: Laurey Glenn

I love the antique doors built in to highlight her silver closet. Although beautiful to start, Segreto’s added finish made them work perfectly in the space. At least Kitty thinks so!! Thank you to all the wonderful people I get to collaborate and for them trusting Segreto with their projects. We are so grateful for all the opportunities and to be featured on the cover of Aspire alongside our friends, Newberry Architecture and Goodchild Builders! Till next time, XO Leslie

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Reed Dillon- The Art of the Landscape

Hi Friends! I hope you all had a wonderful father’s day weekend. With green everywhere and the flowers in full bloom it makes me pause to appreciate nature and the beauty of what a landscape artist brings! It brought to mind some incredible pictures my talented client from Kansas shared with me when discussing his interior finishes.

Reed Dillon & Associates

Coming in with their talented designer, John Kidd, Reed and Stacy Dillon gathered around the conference table at Segreto many times before I asked what Reed did for a living. I think what prompted me to ask was Reed showing me the beautiful architectural elements he wanted to place in his gardens and his focused based discussions on how Segreto’s interior finishes would reflect the outside. He felt strongly they should be as one. When I learned he was a prominent Landscape Architect, I asked to see some of his work!!

Reed Dillon & Associates

Reed and Stacey are both so nice which makes you appreciate his work even more. Reed grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas where his grandfather was a serious gardener. Reed recalls: “Growing up, my grandfather owned an orchard and we’d go pick peaches and apples. One day, I was around ten years old, I remember picking onions all day. Ugh, that was some hard work. But, he was my first inspiration and role model for understanding the appreciating plants.”.

Reed Dillon & Associates

“The landscape belongs to the person who looks at it…”- Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Reed Dillon & Associates

Reed’s grandfather gave Reed a landscape architecture magazine while he was attending the University of Kansas. Farming and gardening was a well know concept, but the idea of landscape architecture???- a light bulb went off for him and he decided he could turn his passion into a career. Reed met his forever sweetheart Stacey while working towards his liberal arts degree, and together they moved to Philadelphia where he he received a master’s in landscape architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.

Reed Dillon & Associates

“The landscape of any farm is the owner’s portrait of himself.” – Aldo Leopold.

Reed and Stacey lived in Houston for many years and he was a partner at Ruckel-Dillon, a prestigious landscape firm who designed Houston darling, Joni Webb’s of Code de Texas gardens!!

Reed Dillon & Associates

After 15 years the couple decided to move back to Lawrence, Kansas with their two children to be closer to family. Wanting to depart from their more contemporary home in Houston, Reed and Stacey felt a French farmhouse would marry well with the soft rolling hills and mature trees of the property they purchased.

Reed Dillon & Associates

“I don’t divide architecture, landscape and gardening; to me they are one.” – Luis Barragan.

[image error]Reed Dillon & Associates

I love all the unique and beautiful elements Reed builds into his designs! If you are shopping at salvage yards and antique shops and you see something that is interesting, you have to be spontaneous and buy it. Even if you don’t know where to place it now, store it away and you’ll find a perfect place one day,” –Reed Dillon

Reed Dillon & Associates

“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.” – Claude Monet. Viewing Reed’s own gardens he must also feel the same way!

Reed Dillon & Associates

The use of natural trees to build arbors which feel as if they are organically growing from the earth, create a secret garden feel to his landscapes. An element I adore.

Reed Dillon & Associates

If you look past, you can see a glimpse of a man made- or should I say Reed-made stream which meanders though this property for…………

Reed Dillon & Associates

………..over 200 yards!

Reed Dillon & Associates

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. –Audrey Hepburn

When I lived in Georgia we had daffodils filling the greenspaces surrounding our home. It brought back so many fond memories of my childhood when I saw Reed’s picture of the gentle hills beyond his back terrace! He planted loads of daffodil bulbs!

Reed Dillon & Associates

Landscaping is a visceral experience. It should feel good be energizing and calming all at the same time!- Reed Dillon

Stacey and Reed Dillon

I love meeting nice people, great families, talented businesspeople and incredible artists!! Reed you definitely encompass all of the above and I so appreciate you and Stacey both sharing a bit of yourselves with us! I am looking so forward to going to Kansas and helping John Kidd, you and Stacey in creating an interior which is as lovely as your gardens! Reed is Kansas based; however, his artistry can be seen across the country! Until next time! Xo Leslie

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Memorial Day-Show your Gratitude with a Poppy!!

HI Friends, Memorial Day is here and while we are getting the grill out for gatherings with family and friends, let’s remember those fallen soldiers and their families who have given their lives for the freedoms we are so blessed to have. The commitment, bravery and fear they must have felt while putting their country above themselves is the true time-honored definition of a hero!

Upon digging deeper into Memorial Day, I found a beautiful story about a Canadian doctor John McCrae, who surrounded by so much loss of life, laid one of his good friends to rest as there was no Chaplin available. Next to the cross, he saw poppies growing and remembered the fields of poppies where so many soldiers had lost their lives in battle which inspired him to write a poem to honor them. Before World War I, red poppies thrived in wildflower fields across Europe. Sadly, these fields became the scenes of some of the war’s fiercest battles including the ones where the Germans released lethal chlorine gas for the first time in the war.

source

Once the fighting ceased, poppy seeds that had lain dormant sprouted forming incredible fields of red blooms. The red poppy came to represent the blood shed during the war and a symbol of remembrance for those who were killed fighting for their country. John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields” remains one of the most memorable war poems written and has spurred so many programs which help brave soldiers even today.

Reading “In Flanders Field” in the Ladies’ Home Journal Monia Michael a professor at the University of Georgia was inspired and wrote a poem of her own called “We Shall Keep Faith”. Monia found some poppy blooms at a department store and distributed them to her friends and colleagues to wear as a constant reminder of the sacrifices so many people had made.

Wikiapedia– 1948 Stamp honoring Moina Michael

After the war ended, she came up with the idea of making and selling red silk poppies to raise money to support returning veterans. She made such an impact for so many a stamp was created in her honor!

Another selfless lady was instrumental in getting the British Legion to adopt the power of the poppy! Anna Guérin, a teacher from France came to Britten in 1911 with her two daughters. When the First World War broke out, she moved to the United States and began fundraising for those made destitute by war. She worked with woman’s groups knowing the many war widows would champion the cause and work tirelessly. The American Legion named the red poppy its official flower at the organization’s second national convention and since have distributed 10’s of millions poppies to raise money for disabled veterans and their children.

The Poppy Factory

The Legion decided to have additional poppies manufactured in Britain and commissioned eight million. Later the British Legion opened The Poppy Factory to manufacture poppies the following year, a tradition which still continues. They now have all sorts of poppies for sale to support the cause.

Set a poppy themed table!

Vietre

I am definitely going to start incorporating the poppy in my Memorial Day traditions. Vietre one of my favorite dishware companies has a lovely Poppy set!!

Amazon

If poppies are not in season in your neck of the woods these lovely silk flowers from Amazon will do and look great with the red, white and blue themed table!!!

Amazon

Guest towels anyone? Leftovers would be perfect for the 4th of July or even Valentine’s or Mother’s Day!

Mrs. Alice

You know how I am all about pink! Mrs. Alice has her own version of the poppy with her Poppy Chinoiserie Starter Plate. If you are dishware obsessed like me- check out her things- some beautiful options on her site.

Get your kids involved!

What better way to teach your kids the true meaning of Memorial Day than get them involved in fun activities centered around the poppy!

Amazon

With photos, memorabilia, and anecdotes, Linda Granfield brings us face-to-face with people from all walks of life who risked everything for their country. What a wonderful educational book for the entire family!

Amazon

There are so many fun recipes using the poppy’s flavorful seeds! From salad dressings to lemon cake, select together and let them contribute to story they can help tell at your Memorial Day celebration!!

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235...https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1... Laughing Kids Learn

Make your own poppy remembrance rendition with this kid’s craft from Laughing Kids Learn! These can be inserted in the napkins or put on the plate for a festive tablescape or use to decorate your appetizer trays!

Amazon

And what kid doesn’t love to plant in the garden and then watch as the plants bud and grow!! Just pick a place in your yard in a sunny location! Lots of instructions on the internet depending on where you live-in Texas read up here!

Let’s continue a tradition by remembering and honoring the brave people that gave their lives for our country with a poppy. Have a wonderful week! Till next time-xo Leslie

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The Flute! Its not just about Champagne!

Hi Friends, Sorry I am a week late but I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day! My kids all came in town and surprised me with a lovely Mother’s day/birthday dinner! I was able to take them all to see the new Segreto Compound which is really taking shape!! They couldn’t believe the changes and were really enamored with all the plaster textures, so knowing they are seeped in history, I thought I would do a bit of research to share with us all?

Source The Cut-
Ladies at the Bath. March 9, 2015, in Paris.   Photo: Juergen Teller; Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Fashion greats from around the globe are incorporating the structure of the flute in their collections. This beauty is from Louis Vuitton.

The Queen Vic Wellness set from Daniela Rubino

Home decor has also discovered the flute! This coaster collection from London based artist Daniela Rubino are made of tinted concrete and all hand done. Working predominately with concrete and metal, she is drawn to materials that represent ideas of strength, stability and durability and have industrial aesthetics. She even sells do it yourself kits at home! Check out her collection.

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Designer Marie Flanigan Photography by Julie Soefer Fluting by Segreto

Our first experience with fluting was when Marie Flanigan came to us with a design concept for a master suite she was working on with Brown Ridge Builders. A first for us and challenging for sure, we love figuring out how to meet the baseboards and trim and perfectly die into the corner walls!! It was magical and so rewarding when we saw how our fluted texture added so much to Marie’s perfectly designed space.

Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew.- Cicely Tyson

1st Dibbs Set of 4 17th Century Spanish Columns $117,921.80 per set

Many of my favorite designs are ones seeped in history, then given a modern interpretation. Fluted designs are no different. Found in ancient woodworking, the flute was used to help with the illusion that rounded columns were perfectly symmetrical.

An illustration of the evolution of the various architectural column orders and their principal features.
by Sarah Woodward published on 27 October 2012

Known to accentuate the back-and-forth of shadow and light, fluted columns made of stone were prominent in ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Here is a great article from World History Org. If you would like to learn more.

Athena Calderone wrote a wonderful article in her blog eyeswoon about her journey incorporating fluting in her own home. A talented lady, I also found she has three books out! One on design, one for cooking and the third lifestyle related! I ordered Live Beautiful and have really loved each and every page. Athena used Kamp Studios to install her Fluting- a New York firm which I follow!! Check out their website- they are an amazingly talented group!!

Residence Stockholm 2017-Home of architect, Andreas Martin-Löf | Developed in collaboration with Oscar Properties | Styling by Lotta Agaton / Photography by Erik Lefvander

This expanded version of the flute is quite dramatic. Scout & Nimble has a beautifully collected piece on their article A Little Fluting Goes A Long Way! Check it out!!

Source (Image credit: Sola Kitchens) Sola kitchens

‘This architectural design is named ‘Skog’, meaning ‘forest’ in Swedish, due to the slim wooden slats, which create texture and depth, resembling tree trunks!’ say the experts at  Sola Kitchens. ‘This version of the ‘Skog’ is in oak however it can be created in a variety of different materials and colors.- Livingetc

So urce and classic recipe

The name canelé comes from the French word for “fluted.” According to cookbooks, the canelé Bordelaise could date back to anywhere between the 15th and 18th centuries, and most of the history books concur that the pastry originated in various convents around the winemaking regions of Bordeaux in Southern France. Winemakers used egg whites to clarify wine and would give the excess egg yolks to nuns to make food for poor children. With the addition of a few other ingredients, the canelé was born.- Rory Macdonald — ICE Chef

Besides plaster walls Segreto has also had so much fun developing one of a kind furnishings using the flute as inspiration! See more blogs here, here and here featuring other fluted fireplaces and tables.

From the traditional column design to the graceful hour glass, the texture of the flute lends so much architecture to you space!! We are super excited to show you all sorts of textures and designs as well as furniture pieces you can purchase off the floor in our new showroom space. Stay tuned for a July move in!!

I hope you have a wonderful week. For my friends in Houston- stay cool- its been a scorcher out there!! You may need one of these breezy summertime dresses from Khaite! Till next time! XO Leslie

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Fun Facts about Paint!

Hi Friends! I hope you all are enjoying that spring time weather! With our paint line flying off the shelves I thought it would be fun to share some fun facts about paint and some amazing Segreto colors to inspire for your spring time house refresh!!!

Since the beginning of our history we have been expressing ourselves with the transformative qualities of paint! Whether you are choosing SP-Santé Fe, a rich orange brown, for a cozy feel, a SP-Ocean Break a blue-green representing cool calmness of water, or a SP-Soft Pearl a soft white for simplicity and purity, the tone you surround yourself with effects your mood and impacts your life! I do love my Segreto Paint, but am certainly not the first to set up shop. A 100,000 year old paint factory was discovered in South Africa where colorful dirt enriched with Iron oxide was grounded with stones into an ocher powder and then blended with mammal-bone marrow and charcoal to act as a binder and form paint. Over history, we have used mummy remains, blood, urine, fat, linseed oil and egg yolks as binders for pigments found in nature giving them the ability to adorn our walls, art pieces and bodies!

Binders of today are made of polyester compounds called alkyds for oil based products, microscopic plastic partials for latex products, and acrylic polymers for our low VOC acrylic products. These new binders allow paint to dry faster and harden better for more durability.

Did you know with a payment of 500 ducats-Italian gold coins-Michael Angelo painted the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling in 4 years in the 1500s? This would be $1000 in today’s currency. The restoration of the famous works or art took close to 15 years and 3 million dollars to restore it in the 80’s and 90’s.

Photography by Julie Soefer Designer Marie Flanigan

Part of what I love about having our own paint line is seeing how that perfect tone individualized for each client creates personal spaces which truly resonate with them. Color therapy is a real thing! Much like treating ailments with natural herbs have had a positive effect on our health, color therapy is also an alternative medicine based on the use of color. Look how the talented designer Marie Flanigan and her cute kiddos find joy in their own home! Your surroundings and color do matter.

“Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.”-Oscar Wilde

Photography by Wade Blissard

White light is a combination of all colors on the spectrum. When in doubt about what color to use in healing, use white. White invokes the vision of the spiritual light of unconditional love. Who wouldn’t want that? Paint and plaster over brick in Porcelain SF-019 from the Segreto Palette

Photography by Wade Blissard, Designer James Mann and Ashley Radack

White is a true balance of all colors. It is associated with cleanliness, simplicity and perfection. It purifies and simplifies, giving you hope and clarity. Plaster walls and ceiling in the tone Moonbeam SF-004, paint blended to match.

The White House was initially painted in a white limewash to protect the brick in 1798. When it was recently repainted, 570 gallons of Duron’s Whisper White paint were used at $150 per gallon!! The paint is from Germany and used to help preserve buildings.

Photography by Wade Blissard

“Renoir said once that nothing was so difficult, and at the same time so exciting, to paint, as white on white”.-Ambroise Vollard, French Contemporary artist, 1866-1939

Plaster walls, ceilings and hood in the tone Moonbeam SF-004, SegretoStone countertops in the tone Pure White and Cabinetry painted Castle Gate SF-041 all from our Segreto Palette

The color of nature, green, symbolizes harmony, safety, growth and health. Surround yourself with shades of green and you will revitalize your soul and be encouraged to be generous, hopeful and balanced. The Segreto color Granduca in paint and plaster was especially formulated for designer Kara Childress in her re-design of the Alba Restaurant in Houston.

The first known theory of color was developed by Aristotle who believed it was sent by God from heaven through celestial rays of light. He suggested that all colors came from white and black and related them to the four elements – water, air, earth, and fire. Surprisingly his beliefs on color were widely held for over 2,000 years until replaced by those of Newton.

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Designer Molly Solich Design

When you think about what a color symbolizes, like blue which stands for security, trust and loyalty, think about how being surrounded by that color effects your well being. Blue leaves you calm and relaxed while feeling protected and supported. Built in is painted with our Segreto Paints in a custom color from our Segreto Paints Designer Series

Designer Revival Living Interiors

The positive of being surrounded by blue is that you not only feel at peace and more confident, but encouraged to be honest and reliable. Blue is the most favorite picked color of both men and women!

“I found I could say things with colors that I could not say in any other way, things for which I had no words.”- Georgia O’Keeffe

Photography by Stephen Chen, Designer Ivy Hall Interiors

Gray is the color of compromise and neutrality. It stabilizes your emotions which calms you and relaxes your senses. A true neutral, gray blends well with all tones of the color palette forming a practical and stable feel to your environment. Cabinetry is painted in the color Penthouse SF-044 from our Segreto Palette

Photography by Kerry Kirk, Designer Hollie Lathrop

“In order to find stability in our lives we find first stability within ourselves.”- Tyler J Herbert

This one was done before our colors were named. Walls are plastered and trim painted to match – similar colors from our Segreto Palette are Handsome SF-058, Sterling SF-063 or Gracious Gray SF-064

Designer James Mann

The oldest color in the world, dating back over a billion years, turns out to be pink! Produced from organisms which inhabited a vanished, ancient ocean deep beneath the Sahara, this pigment ranges from dark red to deep purple, but when diluted it turns bright pink! Another fun fact from the 80’s is that scientists discovered that painting jail cells with a Pepto-Bismol-like hue calmed aggressive inmates. The shade became known as “Drunk Tank Pink.”

Pinks and blushes have since become more sophisticated like our version of the Perfect Rose! Representing love, compassion and playfulness this tone calms, nurtures and encourages sympathy for others. Walls, trim and wainscot painted in the color The Perfect Rose SF-02I from our Segreto Designer Series

Designer Betty Perrier

Purple was associated with royalty as only aristocrats could afford the expensive pigment. Popular in Roman times, it took the mucus of 4 million Murex snails to create one pound of purple pigment. It has been said that Leonardo da Vinci meditated in a lavender or purple-colored light and that 75 percent of small children choose purple as their favorite color.Walls are painted in Sugar Plum SF-1V from our Segreto Designer Series

The first color wheel has been attributed to Sir Isaac Newton, who in 1706 arranged red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet into a natural progression on a rotating disk. Cool thing is as the disk spins fast, the colors blur together so rapidly that all you see it white. After putting our fist deck together I can’t imagine how Sr Isaac came to that realization. Brilliant!! Since ours came out a year ago we already have so many designer series tones to add! We love customizing specific to each individual job!!

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Sherwin Williams developed the first tin paint can in 1866 so that paint could be resealed and stored!  Thank goodness for that! It is important to store your paint in a temperature controlled environment to keep it usable over time! We are fully stocked and ready to help you find that perfect tone- one that gives you joy, peace and tranquility in your own home. To purchase paint, contact Sammy@segretofinishes.com or call the warehouse at 713-640-5225 to place an order. Till next week! xo Leslie

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Passion to Innovate!

HI friends, Thank you for all your wonderful comments and emails about my two daughters homes-they loved reading them! We are working on a new renovation which for me is equally as special. Segreto’s new showroom and warehouse! I had whispered to the warehouse team that it would be super cool for them to do an inspirational phrase which encompasses how they feel about their work. I was touched by the final unveiling!

I love my job as much as I did 28 years ago, and this signage reminded me why. Our team leads with passion, which has created a cool culture- one that is both fun and motivating.

Allow your passion to become your purpose, and it will one day become your profession- quoteistan.com

So while showing you what we are passionate about, think about giving yourself time to discover or enjoy yours! Whether it be cooking, travel, learning, sports, creativity, family, animals or even setting an amazing table, spending more time on your passion gives the feeling that you are meant to do great things in life. Above is one of our newest furniture designs which Isai created as a desk for his new office. He came up with a new technique which is much lighter in weight than some of our other furniture piece. Notice the angle detail for the table top? LOVE!

The only way to do great work is to love what you do. -Steve Jobs

While renovating our own spaces we are also helping many other with theirs. This plaster fluted wall we did for Benjamin Johnston Design really made an impact in this formal living!

Your passion is for you, your purpose is for others!

This was such a fun and challenging project to be a part of. Glasser Cooper Interiors called us to implement a vision their art collector clients had for their media bath. They fell in love with Sol LeWitt’s “Wall Drawing #33” of 1970, which was executed by student drafters in the Modern and Contemporary Gallery at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. This rendition had challenges because the room was curved, however the design perfectly lined up. Go Team!

You can’t teach passion. You can teach anything else.- Leigh Trevino

Our “Our Spy Artist” has been busy with Laura U’s team hiding all the vents and cans in their wall coving selections. How long would it take you to find this one if you didn’t see the image on top?

Things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling. – Fabienne Fredrickson

Pretty in pink this will be a lovely nursery when Whitney Gordon Interiors finishes with this little baby girls décor. Painting the tone on tone with Segreto’s signature color Rosewater in mural form gives the room a sophistication that will last from baby to adulthood.

Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called pas sion. -Simon Sinek

This amazing idea brought to us by Slovack-Bass drops a super cool sink into a SegretoStone base. Maybuilt Homes finished the design installing a floating shelf out of reclaimed wood! This is for two guest casitas in a ranch property- Can I stay?

Honor your calling. Everybody has one. Trust your heart, and success will come to you. – Oprah Winfrey

Just installed, this fireplace for Creative Tonic, Newberry Architecture and Stetzer Builders really balances the space. Its sleek feel quiets the patterned aged flooring from Chateau Domingue.

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”- Mark Twain

In the same house we applied a venetian plaster to the bar- but wait…

I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious. – Albert Einstein

…..the marbleized graphic in the bar which emulated the countertops really finishes off this space. Over the top, Courtnay called to say she wanted to weep with joy when she saw her vision come to life. Look at her cute shoes!!

I would rather die of passion than or boredom.” Vincent Van Gogh

Sometimes I think if I retire-not that I am- what would I be passionate about. So I have to consider, what do I love talking about, learning about or helping others with? Don’t overthink, as passion can’t be found in your head because it lives in your heart. MOVE UPDATE: To purchase paint, contact Sammy@segretofinishes.com or call the warehouse at 713-640-5225 to place an order. Till next week! xo Leslie

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A Tale of Two Daughters – Kirby Part 2

Hi friends, I hope everyone had a great week! This is the last in our series of my two daughters completely different home makeovers!! Kirby is taking the design lead with Tyler’s home. And they decided to prioritize the main living areas, kitchen, and exterior.

Last week we focused mainly on the kitchen and this week we will look at the rest. I know everyone would love to have it all done at once, but I do think there is something to be said — especially for first time home owners — about determining priorities and doing it in stages. Think about what is the most disruptive to everyday living and tackle those together. Separate big ticket items into two or three phases, and do not feel the rooms need to be fully furnished. That enables you to wait till you can find and afford the right piece. It is fun to buy along the way as tastes and styles will change.

This is the den/living room before. Kirby, who leans transitional style-wise, felt that by simplifying elements she could expand the space. She liked the textural features the brick and paneling lended but felt they would fit better with her vision for Tyler if they were all in the same tone, becoming subtle and not stand out features in the room. Notice the built-in adjacent to the fireplace for extra storage.

They loved the freshness of Segreto Paint Moonbeam and set out to paint the paneling and trim.! Even Tyler’s sweet Mom offered to help!! When painting over paneling or trim, be sure to test if the previously painted surface is oil or latex. Oil base will bond to latex, but latex will not bond to oil or acrylic, so it is important to test first to insure your paint will not peel over time. Wet a clean cotton ball in acetone and rub it on the paint surface. If the paint comes off on the cotton ball then the paint is latex and all paints will bond. If if does not then it is an oil based paint and oil can go directly on top with a light sand. Or, be sure to sand and prime first for a latex or acrylic top coat. Ok before the after go back up and look at the before one last time!

Well quite a difference! The built-in was removed, floors refinished, white traditional wood mantle replaced with a reclaimed wood beam they found at Old World Lumber Co. and the brick and ceiling plastered from the Segreto Palette in Moonbeam. The art above the console are Segreto art pieces made from plaster and hung on the wall.

Plastered brick is such a softer more natural look than if she had painted it. I could certainly cozy up here!!

Warm and inviting with plenty of room for entertaining. What is new besides the paint and finishes? The two linen pillows from Etsy; graphic velvet pillow from MAI; and two side tables from Lam Bespoke. Kirby was even able to refinish the console and create the art piece above the couch from left over paints and plasters use in the house!

I love her use of texture and color! It really is an impact statement in her room!

Kirby Loved these two ottomans at my home for her living room. They looked so good there and finished out the room so How could I say no?

This room, although not large has ample seating for 10 including the comfortable barrel back bar stools!

Since the laundry was right off the kitchen, Kirby wanted to tackle that next!

What the realtor photos didn’t show is the unsightly water heater which was seen right when you walked in the door.

Turning a negative into a positive, Kirby hung drapes from the ceiling softening the space and creating extra storage! Using left over reclaimed wood a shelf was installed to house laundry essentials and hung a bar for items to dry! Painting all surfaces in Augusta from the Segreto Palette she created a warm inviting space which is welcoming when entering from the garage!

Looking from the entry, the previous owners turned the living room into a dining space and the original dining room into a study. They had added texture to the left wall as an accent. Kirby had other ideas for the space. Tyler loved the large dining room but wanted to turn the study into a club room.

They loved the original tera cotta floors, but wanted to get rid of the texture and lessen the contrast between walls and trim.

Interesting lighting really gives a certain ambiance to a space. Kirby found this mid century modern light fixture at an estate sale and was thrilled what it would do for hte space. You can see they removed the chair rail to give a more contemporary feel.

Plastering and painting the trim to blend from the Segreto Palette Illusion gave a dramatic effect both from the kitchen and dining space.

Since Kirby was the lead designer for this home, she took the lead on the photography!

The dining room was painted and plastered from the Segreto Palette Moonbeam, white linen drapes and a new fixture hung and ceramic vase from Lam Bespoke filled with fresh Kale and eucalyptus. Woven folding chairs paired with $10 Target cushions were a budget-friendly temporary solution to pair around the new SegretoStone table.

The first thought was to refinish the folding bamboo chairs with SegretoChalk paint to achieve a plaster look.

The couple can entertain 6-8 in this dining space.

But ultimately the taller wicker option was favored. This gives a glimpse into the new entry’s look!

The entry is pretty typical for homes from this time frame. Kirby originally thought she would keep it all in Segreto Moonbeam, plastering the ceiling and stenciling or using wallcovering for the walls, but as the project evolved so did her concept.

The first thing she wanted to address was the front door. Wanting to let more light in and include a natural wood element, Tyler purchased a new one from Door Clearance Center, a great place to get in-stock standard sized doors at reasonable prices.

Finished at our warehouse, Kirby was so excited when our crew brought it to install!! That door was heavy!!

While the door was being delivered Kirby was layering the walls with limewash! A work in progress this was the first steps!!

What a difference! I love the contrast with the floors and was so proud of the job Kirby did both in painting walls and plastering the light fixture. Like me, one reason she is such a great designer for Segreto, is that she personally knows how to do the finishes herself. What is new? The door, paint job and the plastered light fixture.

There is Kirby and me in the mirror and talented Wade taking other shots!!

After our photoshoot she felt the entry was not exactly the way she wanted it to look. On a budget she made the console piece out of wood and wrapped it with a grass cloth. DYI instructions to come!! The mirror was one from Sammy and Dylan’s home that they couldn’t use. Boy it sure looks perfectly here!!

As you can see lots have been done on the exterior as well!! In the future look for part 3 to visit the exterior changes as well as updates in the rest of the home. Tyler is thrilled and I couldn’t be more proud of Kirby, in both her vision and her ability to do much of the work herself! Till next time! xo Leslie

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A Tale of Two Daughters-Kirby Part 1

Hi friends, I hope you have had a great week. Coincidently, Kirby’s boyfriend Tyler purchased a home right after Sammy and Dylan, and was exited to have Kirby to help with the renovation!! On a budget as most young people are, they did so much of the work themselves! Just as different as the two girls, so are their styles and Kirby did a great job implementing Tyler’s vision of natural surfaces, warm woods, and a quiet, more minimalistic feel. I am so amazed with the before and afters, I think you will be too!

Tucked away in a charming neighborhood, Tyler knew this was the house when he saw it the first time. Built in 1962, this 1800 sq. ft. house has a nice sized lot with good bones and beautiful trees. I will show you the exterior and interior renovations along the way but let’s start with the kitchen first.

Although the kitchen had been updated, and he knew he was lucky to have all new windows, it seemed closed in and busy to him. He also didn’t care for the way the counter angled on the left.

Having three different floors in such a small space chops up the space, and although both Kirby and Tyler loved the original wood and tera cotta floors in the rest of the home they didn’t much care for the kitchen tile.

After hearing Tyler’s concerns, and knowing that the budding chef needed functional cooking space, Kirby showed how the space could be re-imagined over Friday night cocktails.

Loving the direction, Kirby sketched a more detailed version. To open up the space she wanted to remove the upper cabinets and replace them with reclaimed wood shelving, install a farm sink, plaster the hood, and install SegretoStone counters and backsplash walls. Tyler was all on board and they started the demo together.

For all of us, and especially first time home owners, a realistic budget that fits your home’s value can be difficult to determine. Rocket Homes suggests a good rule of thumb is to spend 5% – 15% of your home’s total value on a kitchen renovation. For example, if your house is valued at $400,000, a decent kitchen renovation budget would be 10% of that value, so about $40,000. If you are demoing yourself, which is more budget friendly, here are a few tips to think about: turn off the water, gas and electrical, remove appliances, have a dumpster ready, and protect all surrounding areas which are not being renovated. Once the space is prepped, it’s time to start the demo by removing the cabinetry first and ending with the drywall and flooring. 

After the demo, they left the drywall, and flooring to the professionals. Fortunately they were able to find some old wood from the 1960’s time period to use for the kitchen floors so everything blended in. Notice that the angle on the counter has been squared off. It is already looking so much move open!!

What a change! The floors have been all refinished in a mocha tone, the wall between the den and kitchen removed and a SegretoStone waterfall island constructed!!

Kirby sourced some reclaimed wood from Old World Lumber Company, which Isai, our operation’s manager, cut for her; and Sergio, from our Stone Crew, spliced together. She then refinished them to match the mocha tones of her floors.

The new hood had to be completely reconstructed. Using the existing exhaust, Isai built a new one from wood to be lath and plastered over. There are some perks for working for Segreto!

Before

This is the before shot looking from the den into the kitchen and one of the kitchen. Notice the ceiling texture, something they both wanted to change. Plaster is a great way to smooth out surfaces, give the illusion of height to low ceilings and certainly elevate the look of the space. Get ready for the after — it is quite an evolution!

After

Stunning! The thoughtful detail and design are so well executed and impactful. The kitchen is certainly beautiful, but more functional and livable as well. Her ability to spend where an impact will be made and fill in with more budget friendly alternatives where possible, allowed Tyler to stay on budget and have a warm and inviting space!

Squaring off the corner and building a pantry above the counter, allowed for the wall to be opened up between the den and kitchen as well as a workable pantry space. Space saving ideas such as the wine glasses hanging from the shelf created more storage while keeping with Tyler’s love of a clean aesthetic. The bowl was a housewarming gift from me that Kirby and I spied on a shopping trip to Weidner Hasou & Co, a great place for home accessories and gifts!

The SegretoStone counters and backsplash in Pure White from the Segreto Palette have an organic feel which marries well with the reclaimed wood shelves Kirby and Tyler found at Old World Lumber Company, the wood accessories (Tily living), and stoneware dishes (West Elm). Kirby is a master in styling!

The new pendant lights and brass sconces which she bought inexpensively and aged with an umber glaze creates a furnished feel to the kitchen, which is important in open floor plans.

The farm sink and stunning brass faucet from Acero Bella were splurges which definitely impact the space. To both accessorize and protect the SegretoStone, she used a natural wood block to house the oils and a stone slab for under the soaps.

I love how she used a brass towel bar from Acero Bella to house the dishtowels. Her ceiling is plastered and matching trim painted in Moonbeam from the Segreto Palette, and her cabinets in Segreto Paint Castle Gate at 75% to give a soft contrast to the walls and counters. Where did they save and where did they splurge? The savings were doing the demo and some finishing themselves, keeping existing base cabinets and painting them, and light fixtures. The splurges? The plaster, new SegretoStone countertops, plumbing, and hardware. I have never been more proud of Kirby’s abilities and thankful she is part of our team, assisting clients in elevating spaces in their own homes! I can’t wait to show you before and after’s of the rest of Tyler’s home! Till next time! XO Leslie

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