Anything but Plain Jane

Sshhh.  Don’t tell anyone. This is for you and you alone, Dear Readers.

I’ve got a secret.  I’ve stumbled upon a GEM.

Her name is Jane.  And she looks like Laura Linney.

And she paints like Michelangelo.

Houses.  Outside and in.

And ceilings and chapels and furniture.

And walls.

And WOW!

Take a look at some of her walls.

This one paint treatment looks like hammered silver.  (I had the same paint in my boudoir in my old apartment in Chicago.  Bruce Gregga had done the room in silver with touches of gold.  I felt as though I lived in a jewel box.)

Or this.

This is paint with plaster and a shine.  Think gesso.  Jane studied the technique with a maestro at an art school outside of Rome.  She knows her plaster.

Is this blue more you?

Or are you a Rothko person- like me?

If you can dream it, Jane can paint it.

And if you’re hopeless at dreaming up paint techniques and need help- also like me- she was Jane-on-the-spot.

She patiently listened and looked at endless photos of what I kind of thought wanted to do.  I was pretty sure of what I wanted but then…I would get cold feet and freeze in anticipation of making a huge wall/decor faux pas.

Jane to the rescue.

She made up custom paint samples, found the wallpaper that was better than my dreamiest pick and took my tentative decor ideas and made them better.

And she did it joyfully, surely and swiftly.

And when the choices were made and my paint dye lot was cast, she said exactly what she was going to do- and did it.

On time and on budget.

Who could ask for anything more?

Jane has worked all over the North Shore for many years.  Her references were impeccable. She’s strictly word of mouth and believe me, I felt lucky to find her.

You know, I usually don’t go this gaga over the plumber or the electrician or the plasterer or the landscaper or any other person who works in/on my house.  They’ve all been professionals and have done their work well.

But from the moment this ray of Cadmium Yellow walked in, I was enchanted.  Her sunny personality, confidence and general adorableness just won the day.

Sometimes Fate steps in and hands you a gift.  This year, my best housewarming present was Jane.

Oh, by the way, take a look at some of my new walls.

(And please take in account that I’m no Architectural Digest photographer.  The fuzziness, the lighting… I know, I know.  They have to be seen in real life to do her art justice. And no, you cynics out there.  Jane has NO idea that I wrote this.  There was no quid pro decor quo involved here.)

They might not be very you.

But don’t worry.

Jane can fix that.