Today we’d like to introduce you to Danii LeMaire.
Hi Danii, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up doing lots of creative work, making art and making things by hand. My grandmother was an artist and art teacher and my grandfather was a house painter. When I was sixteen I started painting house with my grandfather. Then I went to art school at Minneapolis College of Art and Design to further study. After finishing college I starting painting houses and doing photography. The painting started to take off so I continued working in residential and started working with some different designers. I had a relator recommend me for some speciality wall finish work, due to my art background and painting background, and fell into the world of Venetian Plaster and Lime wash. Also some of the designers I was working with trusted me to learn the process and start applying it to projects. I couldn’t have got such a great start without people like Julia Miller with Yond Interiors and Drew at The Plastercenter. I feel like Julia put her trust in me and Drew talked me through any problem solving and learning Venetian Plaster.
Doing speciality wall finishes has been perfect fit with the blend of artistic creation and wall finishes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always bumps along the way. Even when you think you have something figured out a new challenge arises. So much of our work has to be following the waves and problem solving with the Designers, Contractors, and Architects.
The products and what people think works best is changing even though Plaster and Lime wash are very old traditional ways of wall covering. We are working within our modern construct with different construction methods than hundreds of years ago.
Running a business always has its ups and downs. When covid it, surprisingly business go busier. Then as other aspects of culture are shifting there is a larger ebb and flow of work. Many people people don’t know how amazing Ventian Plasters and Lime washes are; so there is a lot of educating clients.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We do various speciality wall finishes. We apply traditional plasters and lime washes to wall’s and ceilings. Lime wash and plasters have been applied to walls for thousands of years. The time of plaster that we apply is not wall structure like lath and plaster. What we do is Ventian plaster. Essentially it is applying thin layers of crushes stone and water onto walls. Our plasters are often made up of lime which is naturally antibacterial. It is also a much more ecological product with no VOC’s or plastics. Some of the plasters we use also contain bits of marble to create some sheen. The plaster then becomes a think layer of stone covering the surface.
Lime wash is another finish we do. It is ground up lime and water to create a sort of paint. We have our lime wash color tinted to whatever color people are hoping for and it is brushed on by hand on the entire surface. This essentially is creating a thin layer of limestone which hardens more and more over time.
Its hard to express the beauty of these spaces until you experience it in person. There is a warmth and a soften to the surface that creates a very calming space. There is something different about being enveloped in the softness of stone and the slight nuance and movement to the walls and ceilings.
We are very detailed people and looking at things from a design, artistic and ecological standpoint. These finishes are just better for the environment and the earth. Along with creating a beautiful soft feel.
We care alot about our projects and put a lot into each one.
What makes you happy?
I love bringing more aspects of the natural world into our lived spaces. I love to create warm, soft and inviting spaces for people to enjoy and be in. It makes me happy to see a space transformed and a client feel so excited to spend time in and use the space. The spaces we live in affect us and I am always honored to be a part of making that more life giving.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lemairepainting.com
- Instagram: @lemaire_plaster
