Though owners often have a vision of the final outcome of a project, they often don’t know the path they need to take to get there. In these situations the contractor should be resource to the homeowners and guide them in proper color choices and techniques that will lead to the desired result. Such was the case with this residential job in Ocala, FL.

The owners originally hired a contractor to do a greenish glaze on the exterior of their ranch in Florida and promptly left for vacation. Unfortunately, this limited communication between customers and contractor, along with the contractor’s limited familiarity with color, resulted in disappointment. The customers returned to find what they called a “camouflage house”. The contractor had followed the instructions of the clients, but the result was still displeasing. After several complaints from the neighbors, the owners quickly repainted the house to a neutral gray until they could find a contractor to help them bring their vision to life.

When Garay Artisans arrived for a consultation, they found that the idea for the greenish glaze came from the homeowners’ love of the rich green tones in their courtyard. However, Garay suggested that the green tones would best be kept in the courtyard and complimented with patinas cascading down in several colors. Modello Stencil was used to create the image inside a stone interior arch that was added to the plan. This would complement the courtyard’s water feature and bronze statue. The remainder of the exterior would glazed with a rich sienna tone.

The house also required a large amount of interior work. Raw paneling in the living room and theater was slated to have a red and black distressed look. A Marmorino finish was chosen for the kitchen and family room. A faux finish on the raw wood doors in the kitchen would make them match the cabinetry. Finally, the bath would receive vertical plaster with embedded metallics and a marbled niche.

Construction created some obstacles during the project, so Garay Worked on the project in phases. One particularly large setback occurred when the contractors arrived one morning to find the exterior glaze plastered over.

In the end, the project was a huge success. The creativity and hard work of the crew of seven successfully brought the client’s vision to life and they could put the nightmare of a “camouflage” house behind them.