The Kiss of Geneva
The talented team of Kathy and Dean Showalter is not only a blissful personal union but also a fruitful partnership. Their business, KS of Geneva, stems from the seamless meshing of their individual talents—his carpentry prowess with her decorative finish artistry.
Kathy’s foray into the artistic community began in the early 80s with a garage-based specialty craft business. Selling handcrafted linen-mache nativity figures and angels, Kathy enjoyed good volume but the margins were zip. In the early days, faux finishing was strictly her hobby until about 10 years later when she shifted from crafts to walls and started designing finishes with the most basic elements—latex paint and water!
Dean was faced with the sudden liquidation of his employer of over 13 years and lost his position as Vice President of Marketing & Product Engineering. “We had to feed three little kids and pay a mortgage, so we just dug right in,” Dean says. After several unsuccessful attempts to duplicate his income, Dean decided to “burn his suits and ties” and partner with Kathy. “It’s better to work for five dollars an hour than not work at all.” In their first year, Dean recalls the couple bringing in just $2,600 a month before materials and expenses. “We learned that there are 900 ways to fix chicken on Sunday.”
They put every dollar they could back into the business. Training was critical to differentiate them as professionals creating custom high-end looks. “We invested over $30,000 in direct training over the years,” says Dean. Taking professional classes from multiple Chicago studios and Faux Effects International, the duo trained with some of the most prolific experts including Barbara Skivington and Faux Design Studio’s Sheri Zeman.
Along with basic painting, Dean creates cabinetry and trim carpentry work and does basic electrical and plumbing. Together the team can help homeowners visualize not just an aesthetic change but significant form and function modifications.
This project challenged the KS of Geneva duo to take the disastrous bones of a home in foreclosure and use their artistic vision to create a masterpiece. All doors and drawer fronts remained and were finished with a custom SetCoat® PTS tone, followed by two layers of stain and glaze for each of the lighter and darker tones. A final coat of Varnish Plus™ Satin sealed the surface.
Dean’s carpentry handiwork can be seen in the range hood he created by recycling the old cabinet doors. This hood would serve as a pass-through for the ductwork providing form and function while giving the illusion of a built in. The bead board accent on the peninsula and lower cabinet borders gave the kitchen a look that was anything but economically challenged.
For this project, the Showalters brought new life to inexpensive golden oak cabinetry. The doors were prepped with a special bonding agent, then coated with two layers of Fire Red SetCoat® and sanded in preparation for the faux wood grain. Two different Stain & Seal™ mixtures were applied. The first mixture of Antique Cherry and Red FauxCreme Color™ was applied and topped with a second glaze using FauxCreme® Clear with Van Dyke Brown and Black FauxCreme Color™, then finished with two coats of Varnish Plus™ Satin. According to Kathy, adding two larger doors in lieu of the panel under the sink added to the illusion of higher-end cabinetry.
The couple points to product choices as an essential component to their success. “I have yet to find a product available through the big box stores that works as well as Faux Effects® products,” says Dean. “Faux Effects® distributors are not store clerks.” To Kathy the ease of use, compatibility of the products and technical support are essential. “These products go on like butter—so easy and consistent. When we call our local distributor, Faux Design Studio, Before they know the product.”
Kathy and Dean demonstrated their team approach in a $14 million mansion with a 14-foot diameter dome. To facilitate Kathy’s application of RsPlaster® before veining in her color mixes, Dean customized a plastic trowel to work in the profile in the 28-foot high dome. Kathy used a round snow saucer sled to practice the technique on a three-dimensional curved surface. “It’s an excellent example of how two people with two different skill sets can make the job easier,” says Dean. When Dean realized that in the dead of winter Kathy’s only option was an outdoor port-o-potty, he even ran out and bought Kathy’s own personal portable toilet.
Their local painting work and community volunteer efforts make the couple and their KS of Geneva van easily recognized in their hometown. “People say we see you guys all the time … you are the KISS of Geneva,” shares Kathy. “Sometimes one pursues certain work out of necessity, and it turns out that it is what they would be doing all along,“ adds Dean. “Being rich is not wealth. We’re wealthy. We truly share the same ups and downs, aches and joys every day.” “It’s fun to think through each project together where he maps out the scope, I’m doing the color workup and steps, then he does the costing,“ explains Kathy. “He does the fabrication work, but I get to do the glitz finish look—grunt work gets no glory, but glitz does! The best part is that we are together all the time—best friends.”
DECORATIVE ART BY: KATHY AND DEAN SHOWALTER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KATHY AND DEAN SHOWALTER
WRITTEN BY: DENISE M. CARNEY
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