The Calm after the Super Storm

Take an ordinary piece of furniture—table, hutch or buffet—that’s been sitting in your garage; a hand-me-down from a by-gone era that was once very stylish. Or, even that dated built-in that came along with your new home purchase. A fresh coat of paint or stain, detailing and a clear coat is all it needs to bring it up to date. That’s what Maggie sees in these hidden treasures. Maggie Oberc, owner of Art Spot Studio in Ventnor, New Jersey, envisions modern beauty in dated furniture pieces. Her “new” pieces are showcased at the Kensington Furniture Store and Surroundings Furniture & Design, both in Northfield, New Jersey, and are very well-liked among designers and homeowners.

Central to her finishes is an aged silver look similar to the zinc and nickel finishes so fashionable today. “A rich, aged silver look is very popular now, and the furniture sells quickly. Customers love it!” exclaims Maggie. Her signature finish starts with Super Metallic Silver SetCoat® as the base, after which a toning glaze of FauxCreme Clear® and Asphaltum TransOxide FauxCreme Color™ is applied using various methods, depending on the piece. A favorite Faux Effects® product of hers is SandStone™. SandStone™ easily transformed a dark fireplace surround to a modern look with just a few troweled on coats.

A barrel accent table a la the 1980’s received the silver treatment along with a faux alligator accented top. Keeping the existing table legs, Maggie applied Super Metallic Silver SetCoat® to the barrel and Chamois SetCoat® to the top. The ever popular Crocodile StencilFX™ was used on the table top insets using Chamois Venetian Gem® for the texture. Then the finish received a warm toning glaze to pull the piece together. A Queen Ann buffet was transformed using various SetCoat® colors and again Super Metallic Silver SetCoat® was used, this time on the legs and through a custom stencil. A common hutch went from humble pine to signature shiny silver, taking it from country casual to city chic. And, an inconspicuous storage piece was brought into the limelight using Chamois, Black and Super Metallic Silver SetCoat®; it’s now an elegant focal point to any room. Maggie’s favorite topcoat is Faux Effects’® AquaThane™. “I use AquaThane™ a lot. It dries fast and it's durable!”

Just prior to Super Storm Sandy in 2012, Maggie completed work on a home in Longport, NJ. She recalls, “I had spent three months at this 32nd Avenue summer house painting decorative finishes on walls, furniture, bar, even some accessories,” explains Maggie. “My clients were so intrigued by the fact that with a touch of paint and imagination the vibe of the room can be totally transformed, so they kept adding on more projects! I became attached. It was my second home. When it was time to evacuate, I thought, ‘My house! My clients' houses!’" Days later, the devastation of the storm was shown on all nationwide news outlets. “As soon as the storm passed by, I received an email from my designer Christine with the pictures of the home. First floor was gone! The whole ground level was covered with four feet of sand and the hurricane shutters landed on the back wall of the house.”

Over the entire summer of 2013, the home was totally renovated. The end result is stunning, and upon its completion, the home was honored to be part of the 24th Annual House Tour benefit organized by the local Jewish Community Center. “It was the highlight of the event. Nearly 800 people visited the house admiring the work of our team. The owner, interior designer, builder, carpenter and I received so many compliments.”

“Linen” finishes were applied on many walls of the home, including the bedrooms and entry way. In the entry way, Queen Ann’s Lace LusterStone® and an AquaCreme® glaze mixture were applied in panel sections in a linear manner. When dry, decorative nail heads were used to look as if the “linen” was tacked to the wall. On the entry way focal wall, a faux concrete finish using RsCrete® was applied—the perfect backdrop for a modern piece of art.

Bedroom walls were treated with a mixture of PlasterTex® and SofTex™ for their linen-look, also applied in a panel method. Once dry, a glaze of FauxCreme® Clear with Earth Brown FauxCreme Color™ toned the walls to blend with the neutral furnishings in the room. This finish also was applied in various baths throughout the home for continuity. Ceilings were finished by stippling Queen Ann’s Lace LusterStone® over the surface, creating a mirror image of the flooring below.

Furniture pieces were not left out by Maggie. A bar in the living area went from ordinary to extraordinary with Maggie’s signature finish. An accent chair she finished prior to the storm survived, needing only to be reupholstered and slightly cleaned. Maggie tells, “Seems like four layers of SetCoat® Clear, mixtures of Neutral White SetCoat® with Earth Brown and Black FauxCreme Color™ slightly striaed and over glazed with Asphaltum TransOxide Color™ topped off with four layers of AquaThane™ (combined with extra time, patience and touch of love), is a good recipe for super durable finish—hurricane proof!”

Maggie has been a long time student and user of Faux Effects® products. Her work was showcased previously in Faux Effects World®, Vol. XI as a “Bright Star” after taking just a few Faux Effects® workshops. Her decorative finishing business has grown since then, and she is a sought-after artisan in the New York area and beyond. Maggie will travel wherever she’s needed to finish her client’s homes. “Being in Faux Effects World® means a lot of exposure to different areas of the country. It’s a dream come true! I’m thrilled!”

DECORATIVE ART BY:MAGGIE OBERC

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY:MAGGIE OBERC

WRITTEN BY: JOAN SECKINGER

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