“If it can be imagined, it can be created.”
“If it can be imagined, it can be created.” This is the motto of Bella Studios owner and master artisan Nicci Perone. Nicci, a Florida native, does not believe in limits. She works by her life’s philosophy that there is beauty and creativity in every sole. “When we surround ourselves with beauty we feel beautiful ... satisfied ... accomplished ... tranquil.”
Nicci not only surrounds herself with beauty, she creates it for herself and others. Her career is constantly evolving. In addition to faux finishing, she is a plaster and stucco contractor, specializing in the application of exterior lime plasters. She is also owner of Bella Coatings Inc. whose main focus is general paint contract work.
Since 1985 Nicci has assisted her clients in making their visions become a reality. And she does so quite energetically according to her dear friend, fellow artist and occasional partner in the field Cheryl Kent. “For Nicci, the bigger the job the better, interior, exterior doesn't matter, she does it all.” She adds “ I have literally known her to continue working at a job for 22 hours straight just to avoid lap lines.” Nicci Perone works very hard but she also plays hard. “When Nicci’s not swinging from the scaffolding, you can find her sky diving, hang gliding, snow boarding, driving race cars and competing in triathalons.” Cheryl exclaims. It’s obvious that Nicci and Cheryl share a bond that not only cultivates a strong sense of humor and fun but a desire to create beautiful surroundings and develop long term relationships with their clients.
Bella Studios takes pride in their professionalism and extreme attention to detail. This fact is quite apparent when viewing their completed works. Their applications accentuate a wide range of styles and themes. An Asian inspired dining area that was decorated with silken fabrics, iron scrollwork and an exquisitely detailed oriental rug was one such commission. Nicci created a soft FauxCreme® glaze finish which added just the right amount of warmth to the space. The clean lines and natural earth tones of the orient can also be seen in this large, open foyer where a bust of Buddha stands ready to greet you.The walls and ceiling were treated with a heavily textured AquaStone® finish which was glazed using several custom tinted colors of FauxCreme®. The look is peaceful and inviting.
A contemporary cobalt blue blown glass chandelier hangs dramatically from the center of a warm Palette Deco™ and FauxCreme® glaze finish. The rich brown finish was adorned with shimmering MetalGlow® colors hand painted in a whimsical pattern to compliment the abstract movement of the chandelier.
Nicci has a knack for bringing out her clients’ personalities and allowing their individuality to shine through her creations. New York’s Central Park has a very defined place in one client’s heart, so Nicci brought the park home for them. A handsome cab ride through the park on a warm summers night is brought to life atop a double-sided brick fireplace in a master bedroom suite. Nicci replicated the real brick of the fireplace in three dimensions on all four sides using AquaStone® SandStone™, FauxCreme® and FauxCreme Color™. The “limestone” arch is also in 3-D using FauxTex™ and tinted FauxCreme®. The image itself, which shows the horse and carriage coming towards you on one side of the fireplace and shows the back of the carriage on the other, was produced using only FauxCreme Color™ combinations.
Another such project required Bella Studios to re-create the look and feel of Venice, Italy within a clients Tampa FL home. Nicci sat down with the home-owners and their designer, Alice Alexander, to develop a plan that would bring a little bit of their most beloved town home. With many strong points to Bella Studios credit Nicci is partial to creating complicated, multi-layer plaster finishes. (Perhaps because of her Italian background.) She believes that anything can be done with the right combinations of materials, no matter how unusual, different or three-dimensional the effect is. Her goal is absolute perfection in when it comes to the visual authenticity of an effect. The main living areas of the home were designed to simulate dilapidated brick and plaster walls. The three arch windows were constructed using drywall, but Nicci had moldings fabricated out of foam to mimic the hand carved stone details that you find all over Italy.
Gus, the family dog, decided he wanted to play “Vanna” and graciously show off the bathroom décor in the Italian themed home. The columns surrounding an exquisitely appointed bathing area were marbleized using FauxCreme® and FauxCreme Color™ to simulate marble. The walls are richly adorned with a hand embossed finish that utilized Palette Deco™ with a little bit of FauxTex™ for a random texture. The final layer of custom tinted FauxCreme® glaze compliments Gus’s brown and white coat perfectly. Needless to say he is a very satisfied customer. These clients are so pleased with Bella Studios’ work that they schedule out of town trips, hand their keys over to Nicci and say “work your magic!” They have said, “We are more excited to come home than to leave because we can't wait to see what Nicci has done!” LusterStone® remains one of the most elegant textural finishes on the market today and Nicci has its many application methods mastered. This beautiful stairway was wrapped in stunning Brown Suede LusterStone® that added soft and shimmering movement to the graceful curve of the stairs. Subtle details can make or break a design and Bella Studios is very aware of this fact.
Nicci used FauxCreme® with FauxCreme Color™ and the art of Faux Bois (woodgraining) to create the look of a deep crotch mahogany on the doors and trim in this home. Bella Studios considers all aspects of a project, the architecture, furnishings, fabrics and design to ensure that the end result is a harmonious extension of the clients’ personality. Her works have been published many times locally and nationally in newspapers, magazines such as Green Builders Quarterly, hard cover books and even a Hollywood movie.
DECORATIVE ART BY: NICCI PERONE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: NICCI PERONE
WRITTEN BY: CAT FAUST
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