We have been getting A LOT of cabinetry commissions lately — which really does not surprise me in this current housing climate. ?In fact, according to AIA Architect, who conducted a Home Trends Design Survey, kitchen and bath projects remain strong as the residential market weakens. ?If you are disatisfied with the way your kitchen or bath cabinetry looks — and there is a beautiful, durable and affordable alternative to wrecking the house and starting from scratch, why wouldn’t you explore it?? Plus, it’s great for environmentally-conscious consumers since you are, in essence, recycling what you currently own at the cost of no additional trees.

Here’s a sampling of our most popular finish: bringing in an overall color and lightly glazing the edges and trim. ?I also recommend adding crown molding if the cabinetry doesn’t have it — it costs pennies on the dollar and yet adds great re-sale value to your kitchen.

Formica can also be changed (as seen in the laundry room on the left). ?On the right, the light pine cabinetry was deepened to a cherry finish…and we didn’t have to sand it all the way to the bare wood and re-stain.

How white cabinetry gets a lot more interesting via the magic of faux bois: woodgraining. ?You can see more pics of this project here and here or try another project altogether.

The distressed look is also popular. ?Here is a during and after pic — you can see the black peeking through the red. ?(Did you see the stripes on the ceiling?)

We are going to be offering two separate Cabinetry Refinishing classes at our studio about once a month. ?The first class will be Saturday, May 17 and more details will be forthcoming. ?These workshops will be specifically tailored to homeowners who want a change, don’t have a lot to spend but yet don’t mind a little elbow grease.? ?Each one-day class will teach one specific finish and it will be a jam-packed day: from planning the project to the final topcoat layer — homeowners will also learn how to use an HVLP sprayer for a factory-finished look.

Here is my brother…everytime we get into our spray gear I always tell him with my best Darth Vader voice: “Jason, I am your sister!”

He told me it wasn’t funny anymore after the 100th time I did it.? Doesn’t stop me, though…:)

Here is an online article I wrote with respect to using environmentally-friendly products. I hope it provides?good information for all of you!

A Guide to Eco-Friendly Paint & Faux Materials

Paint is everywhere.??It covers and protects most everything on our planet. [Think cars, bridges, homes, tech toys, office equipment, planes, etc.? Paint is truly one of the most unappreciated materials in our world today.] ?Due to its overwhelming use, scientists and chemists in the coatings world are constantly looking to lower the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paint to reduce the environmental damage they create. What exactly do VOCs do? First, a little paint history. In the early days of paint, products were alkyds, which are a blend of alkyls and acids. The formula was usually 20% solid paint and 80% solvents (i.e., mineral spirits). Paint products were also lead-based. Lead is a heavy metal that was found to be toxic in the 1950′s and was finally banned in 1978. In fact, our federal government estimates that 25% of the homes in America still contain hazards from lead paint and related products. Latex paint was created (using the relatively safe titanium dioxide) and a whole new era for paint was ushered in. Some of our modern paint formulas contain less than 1% solvent?and the most common solvent today is water. These innovations led to the diminishing effects of VOCs.

But what are VOCs exactly? They are carbon-containing chemical compounds that evaporate into the air. For instance, when materials such as gasoline, nail polish or paint dry, the VOCs evaporate and form with the nitrous oxides in the air to create pollutants such as smog. Inevitably, this forms increased health risks and overall air quality concerns. Since the enactment of more stringent VOC regulations in 2005 and consumers being more aware of the green movement, using low/zero VOC products has become a main goal for many paint and faux material manufacturers.

Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams have looked into using new raw materials (such as soy or sunflower oil) that lower the VOC rating of their water-based paints but still maintain ease of application and high performance. Sherwin-Williams has also implemented a washwater management technique in their plants that produces less waste. Ace Hardware is currently at work on the next generation of low toxicity products targeted for the DIY market: high performance, low cost. Faux product manufacturers have also taken the initiative to produce safer materials. Companies such as American Clay use recycled and reclaimed aggregates and vibrant natural pigments to produce their plasters. Totem, a faux product line out of Canada, also touts their wide range of green materials to create beautiful decorative effects. However, please note that many manufacturers also offer low/zero VOC products without specifically tagging them as environmentally-friendly.

A good way to make sure that the least intrusive paints are used in your home or business is to ask your preferred paint store about their more eco-friendly options. Water-based will always be safer than oil-based and there are some wonderful high performance water-based products available. If you are hiring a paint company and/or a faux finishing company, it is also a good idea to ask what type of products they use and their clean-up techniques. Good companies should be able to answer your questions solidly and be amenable to finding alternative materials to satisfy your eco-friendly preferences.

Please be sure to visit government and/or manufacturer websites to learn more about clean air and sustainable design. Some sites to visit: Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, Coatings World, American Clay, Totem Designs, Ozone Transport Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, Green Seal and the U.S. Green Building Council.

Article written courtesy of Regina Garay, Creative Director of Garay Artisans, Inc., a faux finishing firm. http://www.garayartisans.com/ This material may be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed but please be sure to request permission from the Author first.