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!
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...
An exciting project in a newly opened New Orleans restaurant, Spicy Mango! We delivered both the application and design of the space’s key areas. The owner wanted a “Tulum-like” look with a lot of consistent color use. We created a custom color match to a specific “crème caramel” tone. A critical concept was creating some variety and interest while working with one primary color tone in the main dining/bar area. So, we employed different textures and looks using plasters, paint, and lighting (based around that tone) to create a dynamic vibe! More…
Main Bar – Everything is custom color matched to the primary tone. It’s a lovely Marmorino Medium plaster on the walls and back bar. The bar top and front utilized Pastellone, a beautiful and durable plaster. The top is finished smooth while the front has a specialized vertical notched application. We coordinated the design of the bar including bringing in walnut wood for the back bar top. Creatively, we used the left-over pieces of wood to create a funky base to the bar front!
Main Dining Area – The feature wall is a special Travertino plaster finish using three custom colors blended together. This process takes great skill and timing to execute. The remaining exposed brick walls are lime paint bringing a different sheen from the plaster. We also glazed the ceiling tiles, selected the wall sconces, and bar pendant lighting.
Restrooms – Something different! The sap green bathroom is microcement showing lovely motion with a modern look. This special material (we’re the only ones in the region that offer true Microcement application) offers exceptional durability as well as stain and moisture resistance. The burnt rose bathroom uses a custom color Venetian Façade plaster, also a durable and lovely material. These material selections are critical, as the restrooms are located off the open courtyard and are subjected to considerable humidity.
Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier decorative arts firm delivering unmatched skill and artistry. We utilize various materials and techniques, both decorative and functional, which are unique to us in this region! Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
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 we roll here. But since this is now out in the universe, here you go!
Our work was recently featured by Homeworthy who toured Amy Schumer’s New Orleans home. We delivered extensive work throughout the home touching every interior space. We brought our exceptional artistry and product knowledge to the project with wonderful results!
We did the plaster and decorative work in Amy’s home – her and her husband Chris were lovely people to work with, by the way – throughout this special French Quarter Creole Cottage. We did the plaster on the walls and ceilings in all the interior spaces, the painting of the ceiling medallions, the foyer’s flamingo mural, the powder room’s mural and texturing highlighting their chosen tiles and other elements, and the entire primary bath in tadelakt – including the tub!
Check out the home tour by Homeworthy here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJm0h-ZIAuY
We were proud and honored to be a part of this project and bring so much to the table thanks to our friends at Williams Architects and, of course, Amy and Chris for trusting us with their lovely NOLA home!
See more on the specific elements on our website highlighting the different spaces in the residence. Link is in our bio.
If you regularly follow us, you always hear us say that a plaster stove hood is a great way to add some flare to your kitchen without breaking the bank! It adds value to your kitchen and, as we know, that adds value to your home, too! It complements wood, tile, stone, and, of course, more plaster!
Here, in this Uptown New Orleans home, we delivered this box stove hood with a gorgeous Marmorino Medium plaster finish. We did a custom color match (because that’s also our jam) to the spec’d trim color. The subtle movement of the plaster is a great accent with the bold counter tops, cabinets, and tiled wall backsplash. Also, the hood is directly across from the fireplace we did (see our most recent fireplace post for more!) in the living area of the open space design. Essentially, providing two lovely plaster “bookends” in the residence!
Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier decorative and functional plaster and decorative arts firm. Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
Once again, we here at Sylvia T Designs are proud to be a sponsor of the Preservation Resource Center New Orleans (PRC NOLA) Spring Home Tour! This year, it features homes in the Algiers Point neighborhood. It is a great event that not only allows you to check out some great homes but also supports our friends at PRC NOLA! These private residences graciously open up for you to see terrific design and architecture!
The event takes place this Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6. To see more about the event and get tickets, visit their website here - https://prcno.org/spring-home-tour/
We’ll be our and about on Saturday. Say hello if you see us! Hope to see you there!
Gussying up your fireplace is a great and cost-effective way to breathe new life into your space! We offer various functional and decorative materials – plasters, microcement, lime paint – and techniques that can do the job and achieve the aesthetic you are looking for!
Here, in this Uptown New Orleans residence, we delivered a terrific finish on the fireplace. The interior designer and client wanted to still see the existing brick shapes but also add a “pillowy” effect. We did a custom color lime paint finish that matched the trim paint. First, we applied a heavy grained plaster to soften the hard edges of the brick and mortar. Then, we applied the lime paint to the plaster creating the desired depth and feel. It’s very beautiful the way the natural lighting plays over the lime paint finish bringing the shadow effects!
Thanks to @mz.architecture for bringing us in on this great project!
We’ll have more on this project – the boxed stove hood – coming soon!
Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier decorative arts and plaster firm! Our product knowledge and application skills are unmatched in the region. Let us know your inspiration and the look you are trying to achieve, and we’ll get you there! Make your space a work of art!
If you are a professional applicator, you can acquire these materials and technical support from our sister business - @GulfCoastPlasterArtisans – exclusive distributor of Stucco Italiano and Topcret products.
Marmorino is a thing! It is a classic Venetian plaster that is timeless, never going out of style. It can cover a range of looks and feels and takes colors, from subtle to bold, so very well! Recently, we have fallen in love with Marmorino Coarse. Like its siblings, Marmorino Fine and Marmorino Medium, it is a beautiful lime plaster that shows wonderful movement, which can be soft, dramatic, or anything in-between. Marmorino Coarse is special in the way that the heavier grain reflects and refracts light – whether it be natural or artificial.
Here, we delivered two striking finishes in a private residence. They are in an adjoining office and music room. The space is both calming yet vibrant – the looks complement the instruments terrifically!
Sylvia T Designs is the Gulf South’s premier decorative and functional plaster firm, also offering a full range of decorative arts services from microcement to gilding to murals to stencils and much more! We are color matching experts and can custom color match nearly anything, including colors from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, and Farrow and Ball.
Also, our sister business, Gulf Coast Plaster Artisans, is the US distributor for Stucco Italiano plasters and decorative arts products. Their line of plasters, including Marmorino Coarse is second-to-none in quality at an incredibly competitive price. If you are an architect, interior designer, contractor, or professional applicator, please see more at @GulfCoastPlasterArtisans.
Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
Sylvia T Designs is proud to be a WBE certified woman-owned business by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)! Recently, the Women’s Business Enterprise Council South (WBECSouth) held their Annual Summit in New Orleans. Originally scheduled for September, it was postponed until this month due to Hurricane Francine. As they said, “Because a hurricane can’t stop this celebration of 30 years of service to women-owned business enterprises!”
Our owner and master artisan, Sylvia Thompson-Dias attended the event saying, “It was great to meet and network with so many talented female entrepreneurs from around the South region! It was very inspiring!”
Here at Sylvia T Designs, we are dedicated to building careers for females in the decorative arts. Being part of the WBENC family further helps us fulfill that mission! Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
We were thrilled to have the owner and founder of Stucco Italiano, Maestro Giovanni Polistena, in to pay us a visit for high-level training for our team and to work with us on executing our successful Venetian plaster workshop for professional applicators from around the US. This was done with our sister business, Gulf Coast Plaster Artisans. More coming soon on that front. We exclusively use and sell Stucco Italiano products - unparalleled in quality, breadth, and price. We`re able to deliver finishes and product that no one else can with the skill, expertise, and artistry you already know from Sylvia T Designs!