Sylvia T. Designs is the premier native New Orleans decorative arts firm. We have been honoring tradition and progress and delivering our clients’ vision for 25 years!
We’re a New Orleans-based firm with extensive experience in commercial, residential, and historical projects, both small and large-scale around the Gulf Coast region.
“Sylvia T. Designs has been honoring tradition and progress for over 25 years in the New Orleans and Gulf Coast 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
The Historic New Orleans Collection’s Seignouret-Brulatour House
We recently had the great privilege of working on a centerpiece project for the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC). Now that the museum is open, we can share this exciting job with you! This was a multi-million-dollar project that was...
Restoring and Hand-Painting Historic Signage Four Stories Up!
After spending a lot of time four stories up, we’re back on the ground! We’ve completed the job for the Odyssey House, located in the former Bohn Bros. Ford building in New Orleans. It’s an historical spot where the original steel frame and much of the...
Custom and Classic Stencils and a Brief History of Stenciling
Hand-painting our custom stencil design at Longway Tavern in the French Quarter of New Orleans.One might argue that stencils and stenciling are the original form of the decorative arts. Dating back over 37 thousand years, Neanderthal cave art...
What is Today’s Decorative Artist?
Pictured above - Upstairs bar at Cavan Restaurant, Uptown, New Orleans. “You still doing ‘the’ faux finishes?” It’s something we hear a lot at Sylvia T Designs, having been in business for nearly 25 years. For many, faux finishing...
Wallpaper? Think Decoratively Painted Finishes Instead!
Searching for a great look that will bring your space to life and also avoid the pitfalls of wallpaper? A decoratively painted finish on your walls or ceiling is the answer! Wallcoverings (wallpaper) are often one dimensional. Even textured...
It is always an honor and a pleasure to be entrusted with a project in any space, but it is especially so in historic ones! We can’t wait to get started on this project in an Uptown New Orleans residence. Here, we will repair the plaster walls. The owner wishes to keep the existing color scheme and aged look. So, after the repair is complete, we use a mineral paint to complete the job. Much of the expertise, beyond the actual application, lies in both matching the colors accurately and then ensuring the paint is mixed to get them just right!
As the premier native New Orleans decorative arts firm and the region’s leading decorative plaster artisan, this is right in our wheelhouse! Let us know how Sylvia T Designs can make your space a work of art (or bring something back to be one again)!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #artist #interiordesigner #interiordesign #plaster #decorativeplaster #plasterfinish #plasterfinishes #limeplaster #mineralpaint #nola #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handpainted #residential #renovation #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #NewOrleans #Uptown
Sylvia T Designs is the premier New Orleans decorative arts firm and the region’s finest decorative plaster artisan. From commercial to residential, from historic spaces to new construction, we honor tradition and progress on every job, large or small, every day. Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
Here, we are delivering a Marmorino lime plaster finish to the first level halls of the new Hotel St. Vincent located in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans. This is the second and final coat, fresh after application. The walls will dry to reveal a striking yet subtle finish when all is said and done (stay tuned!) This historic space, a former orphanage, is now a swank 75-room hotel with all the amenities! We’ve brought our skill and artistry to numerous components in the about-to-open property. More soon!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinisher #fauxfinish #artist #interiordesigner #interiordesign #plaster #plasterfinish #plasterfinishes #limeplaster #marmorino #nola #neworleanshistory #nolaphotoguild #handpainted #renovation #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #NewOrleans #travel
Hey All – We loved doing this special floor project so much, we wanted to show you the start-to-finish! It’s one of many deliverables we’re making happen at the soon-to-be-open Hotel St. Vincent in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans!
This custom harlequin pattern design merges cool burgundy and white tones over a (well-prepped!) aged wood base. It’s part stencil and part hand-painted in layers with a protective clear coat to ensure durability for what will be the hotel’s restaurant floor in this historic space!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditioandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinisher #artist #designer #interiordesigner #interiordesign #nola #frenchquarter #neworleans #itsyournola #nolaphotoguild #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handpainted #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolaarchitecture #preservenola #floor #flooring #woodfloor #construction
Hey All! As the premier native New Orleans decorative arts firm, one of the things that sets us apart and helps define who we are is our attention to detail. It doesn’t matter what the job is, we bring it each and every time! Whether it’s an historic space, like that pictured here, or new construction, we take the trust our clients and partners put in is with the utmost seriousness!
We are restoring the grand stairwell in the coming soon Hotel St. Vincent in the Lower Garden District. There’s lots more to share on this component of the project we are delivering (stay tuned) along with several others. In this shot, we are matching the new spindles on part of the stairs to the still-existing original ones. Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinisher #artist #interiordesigner #interiordesign #nola #businesswoman #businesswomen #neworleans #nolaphotoguild #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handpainted #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #stairs #architecture #staircase #wood #hotel
Following up from our in-process shot yesterday, as promised, here’s the finished look! This is the restaurant floor for the soon-to-be open Hotel St. Vincent in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans. This historic space, a former orphanage, is striking. We’re delivering several things on this project (more on those soon.) Here, you can see the cool harlequin pattern where we combined both stencil work and hand painted elements. The floor was sanded and filled before the painting began to ensure a bit of an aged look while being sure to support the multilayered painted design properly. We then added some clear coating to provide the needed durability and protection.
Sylvia T Designs is the premier native New Orleans decorative arts firm, honoring tradition and progress on any job – commercial or residential, historic or new, large or small! No matter your vision, we make your space a work of art!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinisher #artist #designer #interiordesigner #interiordesign #nola #frenchquarter #neworleans #itsyournola #nolaphotoguild #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handlettering #handpainted #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #floor #flooring #woodfloor
Hey All – We’ve actually just about wrapped up this particular deliverable, among many, for a new Lower Garden District hotel coming real soon! But, here’s a recent shot of when we had just gotten underway in earnest (after a lot of prep)! This is the hotel’s restaurant floor on which we’re producing a special design. The harlequin pattern, in white and burgundy, is multilayered and is a combination of stenciling and hand painting across the entire space. No shoes required (meaning, you can’t wear ‘em just yet)!
We will have a lot more from both this portion of the job as well as the overall project in this historic space. Stay tuned! Sylvia T Designs is the premier native New Orleans decorative arts firm, honoring tradition and progress on each and every job, each and every day! We make your space a work of art!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinisher #artist #designer #interiordesigner #interiordesign #nola #frenchquarter #neworleans #itsyournola #nolaphotoguild #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handlettering #handpainted #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #floor #flooring #woodfloor
Thanks to Limestrong for sharing our work and the kind words! We're the New Orleans and Gulf Coast region's only true tadelakt artisan!
#Repost @limestrong with @repostsa
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| t a d e l a k t 1 0 1
✨ noun + verb: unique lime plaster finish + multi-step technique
✨ water repellent finish best known for use in showers and bathrooms
✨ ancient Moroccan origin
✨ finish requires four materials + four timing sensitive steps (not including substrate prep)
✨ when authentic, completely natural + non-toxic (*depends on the company - many products are “tadelakt” in name only)
✨ when authentic, requires in-depth understanding of materials, steps, timing, and technique (professional recommended)
Stunning authentic tadelakt artisanship by @sylviatdesigns ✨🤍✨
#plaster #artisanplaster #limeplaster #limestrong #materials #mineralfinishes #naturalbuilding #architecturalfinishes #ecofriendly #vocfree #interiordesign #natural #modernhome #airbnb #organicmodern #healthyinteriors #bathroomdesign #plasterartisan #wellnessarchitecture #handcrafted #handtroweled #authenticity #tadelaktshower #tadelaktbathroom #tadelaktartisan #tadelakt
Here’s another throwback shot from one of our all-time favorite projects – Cavan – the Uptown New Orleans restaurant in this converted nineteenth century mansion. Please see our previous post of the private dining room. You can see much more of all that we delivered for this special project a few years back by checking out our website feature – link in bio!
This is the upstairs bar – a sexy, sultry place ideal for a couple drinks or a little bite. We worked with the owner to deliver their vision and vibe. We faux finished the walls showing great depth and movement, aged the tin ceiling panels, and provided guidance on colors, lighting, and more. The entire space glows and the light dances around the entire room from side to side and from above and below! Sylvia T Designs is the premier New Orleans decorative arts firm. Whether an historic project or new construction, commercial or residential, a large job or small, we can help make your space a work of art!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinisher #artist #designer #interiordesigner #interiordesign #nola #uptown #neworleans #itsyournola #nolaphotoguild #iheartnola #amournola #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handpainted #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #southernliving #mysouthernliving
Here’s a shot from a project we did a few years ago, but remains one of our all-time favorites - Cavan, the beautiful Uptown New Orleans restaurant. We delivered much of the aesthetic throughout this special building, a converted historic nineteenth century mansion. The restaurant features a number of great spaces within its walls and our DNA is present in each of them. The one pictured here is no exception! It’s the private dining room where we selected the colors and created a striking metallic layered strié finish. The light in this intimate room dances on the walls!
To see more of what we did at Cavan, see the feature on our website – just click the link in our bio! Sylvia T Designs is the premier New Orleans decorative arts firm. Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinisher #artist #designer #interiordesigner #interiordesign #nola #uptown #neworleans #itsyournola #nolaphotoguild #iheartnola #amournola #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handpainted #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #southernliving #mysouthernliving
Great feature in the recent “Preservation in Print” magazine by the Preservation Resource Center here in New Orleans in their “Green Issue.” They highlight the Seignouret-Brulatour House, the Historic New Orleans Collection’s expansion on Royal St. in the French Quarter. This part of their complex is a “highly energy-efficient campus that elegantly blends historic preservation with green building practices.” We had the honor of redoing the famed “Organ Room,” the only space to see the original late-nineteenth/early twentieth century finishes recreated and restored. It is a centerpiece of the museum.
The work combined our experience and care in working in historic spaces along with our contemporary product knowledge. Though true to the original look and feel, all the materials we used were LEED certified, green, and durable. Here, you can see a shot of part of the room looking in from one of the doorways. Also, among several other elements we delivered (check out the post on our website), you can see a close-up of the mantle ornamentation. We cleaned, restored, and painted the entire mantle bringing it back to its original glory! Whether a resident or visitor, be sure to visit The Historic New Orleans Collection. It is an amazing and quintessential gateway to our city and region!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinisher #artist #designer #interiordesigner #interiordesign #nola #frenchquarter #neworleans #itsyournola #nolaphotoguild #iheartnola #visitneworleans #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #signage #handlettering #handpainted #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola
Here is Day 3 of 3 (please see our previous two posts for more!) of our recent Roman Clay plaster project in this Uptown, New Orleans historic residence. You can see how the earthy, yet warm color of the plaster terrifically compliments the stained wood crown molding and wood paneled door. Here, we are wrapping things up by painting the trim. The result was a beautiful look in the dining room with all the elements of the space coming together with the plaster on the walls and ceiling!
Sylvia T Designs is the premier native New Orleans decorative arts firm and the region’s expert decorative plaster artisan. Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinish #artist #interiordesigner #interiordesign #plaster #plasterfinish #plasterfinishes #limeplaster #romanclay #nola #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handpainted #residential #renovation #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #NewOrleans #Uptown
Hey All – Here is Day 2 of 3 (please see our previous post) from our recent plaster project in Uptown, New Orleans. We’ve delivered a beautiful plaster finish in this historic residence’s dining room on the walls and ceiling. In this shot, we’re applying the second coat of the Roman clay plaster. So much of the result stems from both the timing of the coats as well as understanding the color process when tinting the plaster and utilizing multiple applications. It takes skill and experience to create the desired texture, look, and finished color when everything is said and done! More tomorrow…
Sylvia T Designs is the premier native New Orleans decorative arts firm and the region’s expert decorative plaster artisan. Let us know how we can make your space a work of art!
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#yourspaceasaworkofart #honoringtraditionandprogress #artisan #craftsman #craftsmanship #craftsperson #craftswoman #decorativeartist #fauxfinish #artist #interiordesigner #interiordesign #plaster #plasterfinish #plasterfinishes #limeplaster #romanclay #nola #neworleanshistory #showmeyournola #handpainted #residential #renovation #restoration #historicpreservation #neworleanspreservation #nolarchitecture #preservenola #NewOrleans #Uptown