Much to my husband, Dan’s, dismay, I’m always looking for something else to do to the house. To me it’s one huge unfinished canvas, but to him it’s Finished, with a capital “F.”
Where I see a wall or ceiling that needs embellishing — some crown molding, a few ceiling beams, a cornice here, a decorative ledge there — he sees a surface that’s perfectly functional, sufficient and does not need “money sunk into it.” As a result, over the years we’ve developed names for each other: Never- Enough Marni and Forget-About-It Dan.
The urge to embellish often strikes after I’ve visited a beautiful home or hotel. Lately I’ve done both, which makes me want to fill a giant luge with rich architectural details and send it down a track aimed directly into my humble home.
Instead, I float a few suggestions by Dan: “We really need a medallion around this light fixture, some precast molding around this archway, and some French-inspired ceiling tiles in the master. Don’t you think?”
“Forget about it.” (Don’t ever tell Dan this, but a cheap husband is all that stands between me and the fact that my house doesn’t look like a wedding cake.) After a large internal struggle, where I’m torn between listening to him and doing what I want, a struggle harder than wrangling a greased hog to the ground, I realize that if I want to pay for the kids’ schooling and stay married, I’ll have to put my decorating desires on ice, and get my design fix another way.
So this week I got that vicarious fix at Nostalgic Stone, a Denver company that makes the kind of precast architectural elements I’m pining for.
After driving by three times, I finally spot the unremarkable door behind assorted concrete cast-offs. Inside, the place is covered in masonry dust, and makes me feel a little like Indiana Jones, on the verge of scoring a treasure amid some peril. It’s my kind of place.
Cody Bathauer, senior project manager, takes me around the shop and through the boneyard outside, where we step over pieces of mantels, balusters and the occasional gargoyle.
The grounds look a bit like Tara after the war. I envision all these illustrious applications once gracing homes much grander than mine. It’s so romantic.
I return home armed with a cellphone full of pictures, which I exuberantly show Dan.
“Look! They’re not as expensive as you think!”
“Forget about it.”
Syndicated columnist Marni Jameson is the author of the just released “House of Havoc,” and “The House Always Wins” (Da Capo Press). Contact her through .
Stone-cold style
If you’re up for some domestic drama — of the decorative kind — look into precast architectural accents. They add fast glamour, character and value to your home. Here’s a list of design considerations from Cody Bathauer with Nostalgic Stone in Denver.
Start with a vision. Bring a picture of what you want. Thanks to computer imaging, most companies today can reproduce almost anything. One client brought Bathauer a small family crest carved in granite. He scanned it and enlarged it to create a 3-foot- wide mold. From that, he cast a synthetic limestone crest the family hung over their fireplace.
Fit your architecture. Precast stone details work best in older Victorian, European, Colonial or traditional style homes. They may not work as well in modern or rustic interiors. Sleek-lined accents are well-suited to traditional homes, while more ornate ones fit European styles.
Know the options. Some possibilities for precast embellishments include moldings, cornices, medallions, ceiling and wall tiles, kitchen hoods, fireplaces, ledges, balustrades, cornices and cartouches. While crown moldings are less popular today, fireplace surrounds and kitchen hoods are trending up, says Bathauer. Entry columns continue strong.
Plaster or concrete? Each material can look great depending on the effect you want. Note that if the item is going outdoors, make it concrete or limestone. Plaster stays inside. Concrete or stone will show mortar joints on large items that have several pieces or adjoining tiles. Plaster items can look seamless. Plaster costs about 15 percent less than concrete, which costs about 15 percent less than synthetic limestone. Fireplaces and kitchen hoods range in price from $800 to $3,000, he says.
Consider the finish. Painters love plaster because it takes paint beautifully, plus faux finishers can transform the surface to look like fine marble or worn wood. If you’re not planning to paint, go with concrete, which can get color from added pigments, or limestone, which you can buff to a shine.
Take a test drive. For a small additional fee, some companies can create a Styrofoam prototype, of say your fireplace surround, so you can try it for size before it’s cast in stone.
Trade trick. Because precast stone is heavy, not every structure can support it. So precast stone companies can also create foam shapes encased in sprayed- on plastic, which can be painted. The product is lightweight, low-cost, and can be finished to look like wood or stone. It’s great for faux wood beams, and, because it can bend, offers a crown-molding option for curved spaces. It’s also perfect for that rock-climbing wall the kids have been bugging you to install.
Find a pro. To find a supplier of architectural elements in your area, search under “precast stone.” Before you order, visit the shop. Ideally, you want a supplier who can make your item on site rather than having to have it shipped.
Meet Marni!
Home design columnist Marni Jameson will be signing her new book, “House of Havoc,” at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Tattered Cover Highlands Ranch, 9315 Dorchester St.
