Venetian Plaster

On the Q&A page, I was asked for some information on the Italian plaster that I used on a recent project in Fullerton.   I’m going to grab this opportunity and post it here on the home page.  Not enough people know about this option.

Venetian plaster is the most durable and versatile wall finish in the world, perfectly beautiful indoors and outdoors.    It’s also very ‘green’ and eco-friendly.   The one I use is real, actual  limestone and marble from rivers and quarries in Italy, exactly the same thing that’s been used for centuries.   It can be smooth, even polished, or very rough and textured.   It takes about 3 weeks after it’s applied to calcify and become hard like the original stone that it came from.  It is absolutely amazing to see how beautifully it ages- it mellows and takes on character, and it somehow looks appropriate in pretty much any setting.   It’s totally authentic and it looks it.   It is also very crack-resistant-  a real plus in California, right?   There’s definitely a lot of fascinating information about the physical properties and ‘self-healing’ qualities of real Italian plaster, so if you’re interested you have some fun ahead!

If you use an Italian plaster finish, you should know that there are many products around that use the name ‘Venetian plaster’ but the only one that I know of which is absolutely, 100% authentic Italian stone plaster is from a company called Vero, in Orange, California.

http://www.vero-rialto.com/index.htm

It’s a lucky break that we live and work so near to them, considering the fact that they are the only source of this truly authentic Italian limestone plaster in this hemisphere, I believe.   Their website includes directions from nearby airports and also special room rates for their customers at a nearby hotel.  They can tell you everything you’d possibly want to know, that I haven’t covered here.

Jean, thank you for asking this question.   Let me know if you need anything else.   -Thanks, Aaron

Fall Gardening

Fall weather in Orange County, CA.  November 28, 2009-  finally, a little moisture in the air.  Even though we’re basically spoiled rotten weatherwise in Southern California, the inevitable dryness/Santa Ana winds this time of year makes me question our sanity for living here out of choice.  But now the clouds are coming in and The Man says it might rain.  He’s been saying that for a couple days now…we’ll see.  Either way, though, this is the season to take care of a few necessary gardening chores.

First of all, this is THE perfect time of year to plant new trees, shrubs and perennials- especially California natives.  Roots will have several months to get established in relative peace.   By springtime they will be strong enough to defend themselves without much babysitting.

Pruning, weeding and general clean up before Christmas is always a good thing.  No need to deal with roses just yet- they are probably still blooming.   But most spring/summer blooming perennials are probably way past their prime now, and are ready to be cut back.   Clumping plants like Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile), African Iris and daylilies can be dug up & divided.   And I can never stress this enough: a 3″ to 4″ layer of organic mulch under everything- especially newly pruned plants- is a must.  Your garden/landscape will look better & neater, and more importantly, the slow decomposition of the mulch is the kind of nourishment that nature intended.   There is no replacement for that.   It’s well worth the cost and effort to do this twice a year, in a perfect world.

I recommend that you do as much of this work yourself if possible- it’s good for the soul, more cost-effective, good exercise, and makes for some great family time if you’re organized.   But if that’s not practical, I’m available for service and more than equipped to do the job right,  in one shot.   I can also help you get started, if this is something that you want to do, but need some help in the beginning.   Just call or email any time (well, email any time…) and we’ll get the ball rolling.

Aaron