Looking Up

New York City. The mere thought of this exciting town can stimulate the “right” side of the brain in even the most non-artistic person. Yet, to be an artist who lives in the heart of this great city, coupled years of experience, training and incredible finishing products from Faux Effects®; this is a recipe for creative Nirvana. Arlene Mcloughlin of Long Island is such an artist. After having graduated from New York’s acclaimed Fashion Institute of Technology, Arlene lived in Manhattan for over 10 years working as a fashion designer. Her love of painting eventually forced her hand in making an adjustment to her career path. “Murals and decorative arts seemed a viable way to allow for creativity as well as earn a living,” says Arlene. And viable it was. Arlene opened Arlene Mcloughlin Murals specializing in murals, faux finishing, Venetian plasters, gilding, fine art, furniture and cabinetry, as well as design consultation. This diversity in her skill set is what has kept her business booming for nearly 20 years. Arlene has and continues to train with many well-known instructors including Sean Crosby and Nicola Vigini.

From a design standpoint, the statement a room makes when the ceiling is incorporated into the design flow is spoken much more clearly than a room with a plain white ceiling. Arlene is very aware of the impact a beautiful ceiling finish can make as her exceptional portfolio proves.

Both warm and cool color palettes were used in the design of this trendy living room.The grass cloth inspired ceiling was completed using AquaGlaze® tinted to a warm golden color and then enhanced with a hand painted scroll design in Silver Dutch Metal™ to reflect the graceful rug pattern.

Crystal chandeliers emit a soft glow against the stunning golden ceiling finish. Caterpillar Gold and Fontana Gold MetalGlow® were applied by roller to establish a luminescent base. Arlene then combined the same colors with AquaGlaze® and used a stippling brush to apply both colors to create subtle movement in the final finish.The result is a warm and inviting dining area, guaranteed to make even a frozen dinner and milk taste like filet mignon and chardonnay.

The beauty of having a barrel ceiling is that it reflects light from different angles, which accentuates a metallic finish’s exquisite nature. And to have a vaulted barrel ceiling near a window is the perfect storm for a highly reflective metallic effect. Upon collaboration with her husband and business partner Dale Mcloughlin, Arlene designed and executed a rich gold foil effect by starting with a base of two coats of El Dorado Gold MetalGlow®. Once the MetalGlow® was dry, Designer Foil Size™ was applied and then followed by two passes of Antique Gold Designer FoilFX™ to complete the very striking look.

Coffered ceilings, which are comprised of several recessed panels frequently trimmed with decorative molding, are the ideal surfaces for highlighting a stencil finish. Arlene’s keen eye for color, pattern and texture is trained to unite architectural features such as this with her client’s décor in order to make a completely cohesive and visually pleasing statement. MetalGlow® colors of Ancient Copper, Leo Gold, Celery and Ginger Brown were used in the delicate stenciled patterns to not only accentuate the ceiling but compliment the dark wood floors, rich dining furniture and bold accent wall. By bringing color and movement to the ceiling, Arlene was able to disperse the visual “weight” of the room evenly from floor to ceiling.

Arlene hand painted a whimsical, all-over scroll design over Black and a cream-colored SetCoat® using Pirates Gold MetalGlow®.Multi-colored gems were then affixed within the pattern for additional light reflection in this very dynamic custom treatment.

The decision to use LusterStone® as an element in any room design is always a good one. With its many different application methods, the versatility of LusterStone® allows it to be applied to walls, ceilings and furniture. Arlene knows that the lustrous characteristics of the material lends itself perfectly to a ceiling, especially in lower light situations. Arlene applied multiple colors of LusterStone® using a skip-trowel process in a foyer with canned lights and amber colored lighting fixtures. The movement and subtle glow of the finish helped to broaden the scope of light.

Within the coffers and the backside of the circular stairwell, Arlene again used LusterStone® in the pre-tinted color Champagne Mist as a softly textured base under an all-over floral stencil from Melanie Royals. Copper Pot MetalGlow® was applied through the stencil, as well as over a textured tissue paper effect in the dome. To create more depth and movement, the dome was then treated with gold and copper tinted AquaCreme® glazes.

The surrounding vertical walls were first painted with a custom acrylic/latex paint color. Arlene then applied a multi-colored glaze finish simulating Golden Sienna marble using AquaCreme™ tinted with Earth Brown, Burnt Sienna and Ochre Yellow FauxCrème Color™.

Many times stairways are the most predominant structural feature in a house, more often than not being the foundation for the overall décor of the home. Directly above the gracefully curved wood and white staircase hangs an exquisite chandelier stemming from a framed dome adorned with a deep metallic red tissue finish. A raised border stencil was added to the base of the dome using Gold Palette Deco™. The gold details compliment the warm glow of the niches, which showcase AquaGlaze® and MetalGlow®. The columns both upstairs and downstairs don a faux marble effect with their capitals completed using Antique Gold Designer FoilFX™. A sophisticated all-over stencil pattern was applied in pale colors to the walls, contrasting yet harmonizing with the high gloss shine of the polished marble floor of the entryway.

Arlene has an extensive background in art history along with years of fine art training. Murals and canvas work are a large part of her business. She and her very talented staff will create custom murals on nearly any surface or on canvas, which they will happily ship to their customers anywhere in the United States. Some of the murals they produce encompass entire rooms from floor to ceiling. One such panoramic mural was in a client’s nursery room, where Arlene painted a detailed beach scene as seen from inside of a tropical cabana. A child’s imagination could run wild waking up in a room like this every day. The striped “fabric” brings a sense of height to the average sized room. Stripes in general have a wonderful way of making narrow spaces seem wider and short spaces taller. Powder rooms, which are typically one of the smallest yet most frequently used rooms in a home, benefit greatly from the use of stripes in its décor. Arlene selected Fontana Gold MetalGlow® as the stripe color over White SetCoat® in one small but elegant powder room. The ceiling and dome were coated with Corn Silk MetalGlow® mixed with AquaGlaze®.

One of Arlene’s clients of Indian heritage requested a custom wall mural depicting their homeland. Arlene immediately began researching plants, animals and architecture native to India. Her final design brought to life a colorful waterside dock scene surrounded by trees, foliage and a beautiful blue peacock taking an afternoon stroll. FauxCreme Color™ was used because of the wide range of vivid colors available and their “great blending and shading capabilities,” says Arlene.

Another colorful peacock found its way into an ethereal garden bathroom, which was also created using FauxCreme Color™ but this time utilizing softer, more muted tones and colors.

Arlene is a member of IDAL, (International Decorative Artisans League), Society of Decorative Painters, Suburban Art League and The Amityville Artist Circle.

DECORATIVE ART BY: ARLENE MCLOUGHLIN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ARLENE MCLOUGHLIN

WRITTEN BY: CAT FAUST

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