Over the Top

Stella Cadente, the label established in 1991 by designer Stanislasia Klein, has opened an intriguing new store on Boulevard Beaumarchais in Paris. Inspired by a fairy tale, the cylindrical, 50 sq. meter space, is entirely covered in gold leaf. 

All of it.

The store's walls are curved, with the display units built right into the walls.The use of a monochromatic color, metallic gold, ensures a more spacious feeling. 

Is this wild or what?

Even the exterior metal frame was gilded.

To say the boutique "stands out" in the neighborhood is an understatement.

A spaceship-like feeling...

Although I cannot find the specifics on the gold leaf, I would venture to say by its size that the leaf is Dutch metal. 

Even the concrete is gilded.

Doesn't this look like a life-size precious case?

Stelle Cadente
102 Boulevard Beaumarchais
75011 Paris
France

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Photos by Sergio Grazia

Gilded Conclusion

Today is the day we mount the project we've been working on for the past month. Hopefully, all will go well!

Here's a sneak peak. 

It involved marble dust, a special glue, clay, liquor and lots of gold leaf.

Preparing gesso

Gold leaf is on

Gold leaf is burnished

In a few days, I'll show you the finished product and some of the steps it took to get there.

Gold and Dirt

Today will find me in the garden and in the studio. 

Besides catching up with the weeds, I'll be preparing a few items for gilding. If all goes well, I'll take a few photos along the way, so you can see exactly what rabbit skin glue and gesso are (the steps before gold leaf is applied). 

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

And Happy Birthday to my sister, Bonnie!

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This and That

A petite collection of wall and furniture inspirations...

This wall finish was achieved by dragging the brush through the wet glaze. 

Love the tone-on-tone.

The pairing up of the silky Venetian plaster and the gilded furniture- tres elegant!

While searching for a 40's glam setting for an upcoming project, I stumbled on this cool little corner. Love the gilt birds on the green and the mirrored chest in front of the curved wall.

Which is your favorite?

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What a Wall!

Sharing with you one of the coolest walls I have ever seen. It was done by a decorative artist In England named Emily, but I have not been able to locate her most recent contact information.
The artist's name is Emily Swift-Jones. You can view her work at her website here or at her new blog here. (Thank you, Cait!)

She began with a normal, painted wall, smoothed it out with joint compound, primed with shellac and then went to town. The steps included Dutch metal gold leaf, patinating the gold leaf, glazing with oil colours and varnishing for the top coat. At the end, she embedded tiny glitter flakes into the tacky varnish.

Isn't it fabulous?

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Amazing Gold

This gold leaf console base, originally designed by Tony Duquette in the 1960's, is an amazing statement piece.

Baker Furniture's Biomorphic Console as seen in Elle Decor