Sylvia T Designs is the premier New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Gulf South’s decorative arts firm. We have been honoring tradition and progress and delivering our clients’ vision for 30 years!
We’re a New Orleans-based firm with unparalleled experience in commercial, residential, and historical projects, both small and large-scale around the Gulf Coast region. We use only artisan-level products with an emphasis on eco-friendly options. Our highly trained and skilled team of applicators is the best in the business!
Please note – We are closed for Mardi Gras and will reopen on Wednesday, March 18. Happy Carnival, You All, from Sylvia T Designs!
Home of Gulf Coast Plaster Artisans. The Gulf South’s leading decorative and functional plaster and microcement artisan firm. Application and Distribution.
“Premium Materials – Master Artisans”
“Sylvia T. Designs has been honoring tradition and progress for nearly 30 years in the New Orleans and Gulf South areas. We’re dedicated to respecting and perpetuating the craftsmanship and artistry that built the city. We celebrate NOLA’s history and culture through our work on every single project, every single day!”
~ Sylvia Thompson-Dias, Owner & Artist, Sylvia T. Designs
@SylviaTDesigns | #YourSpaceasaWorkofArt | #HonoringTraditionandProgress
Phone: (504) 435-8081 | Email: Contact “at” SylviaTDesigns.com
Homeworthy Home Tour – Amy Schumer’s French Quarter Creole Cottage
Being based in New Orleans and having this special place be the location for much of our project work, we often don’t “name names.” That's how roll here. But since this is now out in the universe, here you go! We did the plaster and decorative work in Amy’s home – her...
Sylvia T Designs is a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise!
Sylvia T Designs, the Gulf South’s premier decorative arts and plaster firm has been “honoring tradition and progress” for nearly 30 years. Since the company’s inception, it has proudly been a woman-owned and operated business. Sylvia T Designs has been recognized and...
Stunning Plaster Work in New Orleans Four Seasons Residence
At Sylvia T Designs, we do all sizes and types of jobs – large and small, commercial and residential, and historic and new construction. We truly run the gamut! Our full-time, highly trained, and insured team are the best in the business whether we’re doing a...
Microcement is Here!
We have been teasing this for a little while now. But we here at Sylvia T Designs and Gulf Coast Plaster Artisans are proud to announce our exclusive partnership with Topcret™, the world’s leading producer of microcement! We are their exclusive applicator in the...
Sylvia Thompson-Dias of Sylvia T Designs Receives 2022 Design Master Award
Sylvia Thompson-Dias, Master Artisan and Owner of Sylvia T Designs, was recently acknowledged as a “Design Master” in the “Decorative Finishes” for 2022 by New Orleans Homes Magazine! This prestigious award is given to a single individual each year across a few design...
All-over Tadelakt plaster bathroom and shower in the Greater New Orleans area! A spa-like oasis in a residential bathroom throughout both the wet and dry areas. See our post for more information. Our sister business, Gulf Coast Plaster Artisans, is your go-to source for Stucco Italiano Tadelakt plaster handmade in Italy. Find out more for your next project! Sylvia T Designs is your expert functional and decorative plaster firm. Let us know who we can make your space a work of art!
#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #decorativeartist #artist tadelakt limeplaster plasterfinish interiordesign wallfinish bathroom bathroomfinish bathroomdesign shower showerdesign residential remodel NOLA BatonRouge GulfSouth
Here is some marvelous plaster work we delivered in a private residence in Covington, part of the greater New Orleans area. The client wanted a comforting, spa-like atmosphere in the bathroom, creating a relaxing oasis in the home. We used Tadelakt plaster, a traditional material and technique originating in Morocco that is equally adept in both wet and dry applications.
The plaster was applied to the bathroom walls, ceiling, over the vanity, the toilet alcove with its shelving above, and the curved shelving niche (all dry application). Inside the shower, it was applied to the ceiling, the bench, and the two side walls that flank the terrific stonework – including the wall that holds the fixtures (all wet application). Also, we applied the plaster to the pony wall that flanks the shower glass near the tub (dry application on the tub side and wet on the shower side.)
The plaster was blended seamlessly across the surfaces to create a beautiful look throughout the space. We custom color matched the Tadelakt to the Benjamin Moore color “Night Train.” The lighting rolls across the plaster creating layers of color and depth. It takes great skill and expert application timing to deliver a finish such as this spanning the wet and dry areas as there are different layer considerations!
Work like this brings together our unparalleled color matching abilities, artistry, technique, and product knowledge culminating in a gorgeous result! Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier decorative and functional plaster artisan firm. Let us know how we can make your space work of art!
Photos courtesy of our client and Walther Design Studio (project design). See our Reel for more looks! Pics by @kim.meadowlark
Visit our sister business, Gulf Coast Plaster Artisans, if you are a US-based plasterer, architect, interior designer, contractor, or home or business owner interested in sourcing this amazing Tadelakt plaster manufactured in Italy by our friends at Stucco Italiano for your next project!
Some stunning and exacting team artistry we delivered in the historic Le Pavillon Hotel in New Orleans. We worked to bring the lobby’s extensive grand staircase back to its original glory! We used specialized gold paint on the iron railing’s ornaments. See our recent post for more. Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier full-service decorative arts and plaster firm. Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
#artisan #goldpaint #historicrestoration #restoration #renovation hoteldesign staircasedesign historicpreservation neworleanspreservation nolarchitecture preservenola
We recently had the distinction of doing some work in the historic New Orleans hotel, Le Pavillon, located in the Central Business District! The new ownership group is working to restore the hotel to its past splendor and elegance. An early step in this process was addressing the grand staircase and railings in the striking lobby. Previously, the decorative iron railings were painted over in flat black. This resulted in the loss of being able to truly see the ornamental details they boasted.
We solved this problem by meticulously and carefully applying a custom-colored metallic gold paint finish that not only brings the details found in the ironwork to life, but also perfectly complements the graceful brass handrails. The work required painstaking attention to detail and a coordinated effort by our team, while working in a hotel that was “open for business,” to make it all happen for this terrific project!
Sylvia T Designs is relied upon to work in historic structures because of our unrivaled artistry, technique, product knowledge, and the respect and reverence we bring to these special and unique spaces. On any project, whether commercial or residential, historic or new, large or small, it is always an honor and privilege to be entrusted with making your space a work of art!
This is the last of the elements we delivered in this new construction residential project in Covington, just north of New Orleans. This is the living room fireplace (you can see our previous posts on the wine room’s open fireplace as well as the stairwell feature wall and art niche.)
We used Marmorino Fine, a classic Venetian plaster. This is the finest grain of Marmorino that offers gorgeous movement and a lovely, polished sheen. The homeowner wanted something tending towards a deep black tone. We custom color matched the plaster to Benjamin Moore “Willow.” This is a brown toned black – which fits the bill perfectly showing the desired movement and contrast. We achieved the look, in part, by applying tinted beeswax. The overall look of the fireplace complements the home’s modern look and provides a striking distinction from the space’s lighter tones. It also shows wonderfully whether in the room’s abundant daytime natural light or in darker times of day in artificial light.
Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier plaster artisan firm! Whether you are looking for a focused centerpiece element in your space, like a fireplace or stove hood, or are seeking to make a statement with stunning plastered walls and ceilings throughout, let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
Here’s a bit more from a recent project in Covington in the Greater New Orleans Area (see our previous post of the home’s wine room open fireplace). In this part of the residence, we delivered two beautiful plaster finishes using Marmorino Fine – a classic Venetian plaster.
The two elements are the feature wall located on the landing of the split stairwell and an artwork niche leading up to the stairs. With both, we did a custom color match of Benjamin Moore “Coastal Fog.” The plaster exhibits soft highs and lows, boasting a soft gloss sheen. The stairwell’s feature wall plays wonderfully with the bursting natural light that comes through the large window. In the artwork niche, the plaster perfectly complements the feature wall and frames the artwork terrifically. It all fits marvelously with the home’s modern look and feel! We’ll have one more element from this project to share – the living room fireplace. Stay tuned!
Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s decorative and functional plaster artisan expert! Let us know your project’s vision and we’ll guide you to the right materials and techniques to make your space a work of art!
Gilding (or “leafing”) is a timeless technique that adds elegance to any space – whether it’s an entire ceiling as the centerpiece of the room or merely accents on shelving, furniture, or even signage! We only use top quality gold and silver leaf. These are premium and professional materials that require an artisan’s hands to achieve success. The technique requires a keen eye and great teamwork to deliver effectively. The result is durable, lasting beauty!
Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier full-service decorative arts and plaster firm. We are the region’s top-level gilding experts! Let us know how we can add a touch of this refined style to your home or business and make your space a work of art!
Here’s a look at the sultry Three Maries Jazz Club located in the historic Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in the heart of the French Quarter! This is the second phase of three of our work at the hotel. Here, we delivered a gorgeous plaster finish on the main stage wall. Like the first phase (see our previous post showcasing the Grand Ballroom Domes), we used a special lime plaster called “Seta.” It means silk in Italian and the material, which contains milled marble, plays wonderfully with light!
We custom color matched to a spec’d color for the project. Also, importantly, our highly skilled artisan team troweled in a specific way giving the plaster a bit more texture than usual. This was done to ensure the plaster stands out behind the woodwork and greatly enhances its playfulness with the stage lighting.
If you are an interior designer, architect, contractor, or applicator interested in learning more about this plaster and using it on your projects, reach out to our sister business - @gulfcoastplasterartisans.
Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier decorative and functional plaster and full-service decorative arts firm. We leverage our unmatched skill, artistry, and product knowledge to bring your project’s vision to life – making your space a work of art!