STYLE NEWS
E D U C AT E D E Y E
LACQUER Ancient cultures refined the technique of lacquering, but today’s homes continue to value the high-gloss finish for its powerful punch of color, drama and durability Written by SUZANNA CULLEN HAMILTON
top White lacquered walls add glamour to a dining room by Suzanne Kasler. left In a library by Cathy Austin, shimmering gray walls delight. opposite, clockwise A red vanity shines in a powder room by Barbara Westbrook. Black-lacquer walls are a bold backdrop in a dining room by Beth Webb. Heather Dewberry echoed a mountain home’s surrounding woods with a custom emerald green lacquer finish.
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ORIGINS Sanskrit tablets reveal that the technique of lacquering was created 3,500 years ago in India. From there, it spread to Asia where the technique was refined on a myriad of products ranging from furniture to trays to screens to boxes to jewelry. The process was adapted in France, Spain, the Netherlands and England where it was frequently referred to as “japanning ”due to the process of imitating the Asian application. The process of lacquering is enormously detailed and time consuming. It involves applying layer upon layer of extremely thin shellac that is very gently sanded between layers so that the end result is a finish that is many layers thick, but as smooth as a glass plate.
MODERN APPLICATIONS Today, lacquer is most frequently associated with the process of painting ceilings, walls and cabinetry in layers of high-gloss enamel. Whether on a kitchen island or the cabinets, lacquer is very durable in the highly trafficked area. Additionally, the high-gloss finish provides exceptional depth of color, so it’s popular in home libraries, offices, dens, wet bars, powder rooms and other areas where significant impact can be made with a powerful punch of drama.
SUZANNE KASLER AND HEATHER DEWBERRY BY EMILY FOLLOWILL; BARBARA WESTBROOK AND BETH WEBB BY ERICA GEORGE DINES; CATHY AUSTIN BY GORDON BEALL
LUXURIOUS
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12/20/19 10:53 AM
