Color, finishes add vivid detail to homes
A study in how color and finishes add vivid detail to a home
Leslie Sinclair was trained in business — not art — when she left her job at a real estate information company 25 years ago to launch a business that could satisfy her passions for both art and interior design.
Those working in Houston’s interior design and architecture communities know that company — Segreto Finishes — and the scope of work Sinclair’s team has done putting distinctive murals and faux finishes on walls, ceilings and more.
Sinclair was born in Germany and lived in Georgia until she was in the eighth grade, when her family moved to Houston. She worked in business until her third child was born and launched what is now a company with 45 employees who create works of art in all kinds of homes.
Sinclair recently published her fourth book, “Segreto Impressions” (self-published; $150; 402 pages) as a study in how color and finishing techniques can add vivid detail to a home. In twothirds of the book, each chapter looks at the finishes in a different home, giving credit to each project’s interior designer, architect, contractor and photographer. Later sections look at Segreto finishes in kitchens, bathrooms and individual special finishes, such as a threedimensional floral design on a ceiling.
Sinclair took time recently to talk about home design trends, the value of plaster and making the most of what you have.
Q: You’ve written three other books about your work, so why this one now?
A: Trends in design have really changed, they actually started changing before I finished my last book. I felt like there were so many amazing projects to share that were so on point now, the way people are living today. If you wait too long, they change again.
Q: What are the big changes you’ve seen in the homes you and your staff work in?
A: People want a cleaner look, but they still love finishes as much as ever, just in a quieter way. It’s part of the trend of natural organic with sleekness to it. It’s hard to combine all of that, but it’s where I see things going.
Q: So many homeowners are shifting out of traditional design. How do your finishes fit into contemporary and modern homes?
A: The beauty of finishes is that they evolve like fabric or anything else. It’s our job to find the perfect backdrop for any interior. We use a lot of plaster that’s smooth and slick with a reflective interior. We never did the heavy finishes. It’s the same way with cabinet details — we do a lot of metallic details on a traditional cabinet instead of a heavy look you might have seen in the past.
A big part of our job is solving problems for people or creating a look in a more affordable way. We did a show home that wanted a metal range hood that was going to cost $7,000 to $10,000, and we created a look (on an existing range hood) that was only around $1,500. We do a lot of that work that simulates something more expensive, but we make it more affordable. My books touch on what you can do with what you have.
Q: So many brick homes are getting painted or treatments with limestone slurries. You do a lot of those, too, don’t you?
A: We’re doing so many slurries and limewashes that can change the color of exterior brick while still making it look like a natural material. That’s not ending anytime soon. Also, from a historical perspective, the older homes have treatments on them, and they’re still very classic.
Q: I think some homeowners don’t necessarily see the importance of the right color on walls or ceilings, but it’s really the foundation of the whole room.
A: Our job is to make everything in your home look more beautiful, whether it’s the architecture, fabric or surfaces. Sometimes, people come in and are drawn to a color or finish that doesn’t enhance their home. Picking tones and colors that make everything else come to life is going to make your home more cohesive.
Q: I know you do a lot of different things, but when I think of Segreto, I think of your wall murals.
A: We still have an uptrend in 2019 in murals. I think that it’s just like everything else, they’re done differently. I’m not seeing Tuscan things like we used to do. Gracie and de Gournay wallpaper popularized these things. Mural colors now tend to be tone on tone with a contemporary pop of something. People are looking for something that’s elegant and sophisticated that they can live with a long time.
Q: I see a lot of houses and I’m amazed at the range of homes that have plaster finishes or faux plaster finishes — everything from traditional to modern. It sounds like it could be so old fashioned, yet it has such broad appeal.
A: It does so much for a home. In a contemporary palette, less is more. Less furniture, less fabric and less detail is what’s important to make those homes amazing. Plaster has so much warmth. Honestly, the only reason plaster went out of vogue is that in 1950 sheetrock came in and was so much less expensive. Only in recent years did it become possible for plaster to bond directly on sheetrock.
Q: What else is new for you and Segreto Finishes?
A: I just launched a paint line at the end of 2018. I wanted to be able to have colors with the depth of plaster. It has evolved into providing amazing, wonderful colors to everyone affordably. The prices are comparable to Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore.
I love color, so getting the perfect color for someone gives me a lot of joy. It sets the tone for how they feel every day in their home.