One of the hottest trends popping up this Fall season is painted case goods and that’s not according to us, that’s according to Chairish’s official, “10 Fall Décor Trends To Know NOW.” They put “NOW” in caps so you know time is of the essence.
Sure, you can find painted credenzas, dressers, nightstands, and the like at tons of big-box retailers. Beautiful pieces made to make your room pop, but what if you want something a little more personal? What if you have a piece you love that needs a little updating? That’s when it’s time to call in the pros at Llave Designs.
Blanca and Derandon Davis started Llave Designs in 2012 and they’ve been building up a steady clientele ever since.
It started with a move and a job change. Blanca said they headed north from San Antonio and downsized their living space to an apartment while they were searching for the perfect Dallas neighborhood.
They had a bedroom suite they loved and Blanca gave it a quick update with a coat of paint topped with a clear coat. It shined and she loved it. In fact, she loved the whole process. The only snag was they had one piece they no longer needed so she listed it on Craigslist. It was snatched up in flash.
Maybe there’s a little something to this, Blanca thought. The husband-and-wife duo purchased a few more pieces and meticulously gave them the same treatment.
“At the time everyone was doing shabby chic and chalkboard paint, but we feel in love with what they were doing over at Scout Design so we started doing our version of that.” Each piece sold and their business blossomed. Llave is now their full-time job. They have a small warehouse and several repeat customers that keep them busy.
“I’d say most of our work is 75 percent commissioned pieces, client-owned, and the other 25 percent are pieces we find, paint, and sell.”
The most popular colors are pastels, surprisingly.
“We have a large client base in Park Cities, which skews a little more preppy, so we do lots of lavenders, creams, and pinks.”
“But,” Blanca continued, “right now we’re getting into a lot of moody shades and deeper jewel tones. In fact, everything in stock right now is dark except for one white chair.”
Recently, several pieces have left their warehouse with a fresh coat of olive green, one in a shade called “salamander,” which Blanca described as “a dark, dark green that appears black until the light shines on it and then you see the beautiful deep, almost winter green.”
Their process is unique, too. They don’t use lacquer for a few reasons – it’s toxic and requires a special ventilated space and the Davises skews a little more Earth-friendly.
“We get a lot of requests for lacquer and after working with the customer, we realize they want a shiny coat and that’s what we deliver.” They just go about it a little differently. They start with a matte paint and then add a clear coat to give it that brilliant shine that’s never sticky and always smooth to the touch.
If you have a piece that’s a little dinged up, that’s not a problem either. Llave also offers minor repairs – they can fix corners with wood filler and they’ve even rebuilt half a furniture leg, not with wood filler, of course. Blanca calls it a touch up vs. a full restoration.
And while they are known for their painted pieces, they can clean up stained pieces as well, polish the hardware and add a fresh clear coat. “The results are incredible,” said Blanca. It makes an older piece almost new again.
If you’re interested in a furniture refresh, drop them an email at [email protected]. All they need are photos and dimensions and an idea of what you’re looking to do and they’ll get a quote right back to you.
