Leslie Sinclair left her corporate career to pursue her passion of creating decorative finishes. Her company, Segreto Finishes, located outside of Houston, TX, is comprised of a talented team of almost 30 people. I found her most recent title, SEGRETO vignettes, nestled in a vignette of its own at Providence Design; one of which would fit perfectly in this book!
SEGRETO vignettes takes you on the journey of Sinclair’s portfolio beginning with plaster and stenciling, to reclaimed and aging woods, to furniture and metallic finishes.
On page 150, Sinclair talks about a client that wished to have a discontinued Ralph Lauren cork wallpaper replaced. They needed to cover just one more wall in a small bath. Sinclair’s artisans took a plain piece of cork, then paint and pattern-matched the design to perfection.
[Design by Kara Childress – Finish by Segreto]
Many of the images throughout the book bring to mind local talent here in Central Arkansas. Tracy Rivers with Angelfish Studios consistently knocks it out of the park with her decorative painting repertoire. Jenn Barnhill’s story is much like Sinclair’s in that her quickly budding talent could not keep her at a desk job any longer. She never fails to impress me with the way she transforms a piece of furniture.
One of the great things about this book is not just the beautiful photography and exquisite artistry, but the amount of information that Sinclair gives the reader. For instance, if you love the color of the cabinets on page 120, she’s listed the Sherwin-Williams base paint for you. If you want the background color of the wall mural on page 75, she’s got you covered! If she knows the vendors, she has even taken care of fabric, rug, and lighting resources.
There is one fabric family that is widely seen throughout the book: velvets. There are crushed, cut, strie, cotton, silk, and linen options. This luxurious texture will forever stand the test of time.
[Stroheim]
In the back of SEGRETO vignettes, you will find a plethora of design tips and tricks from Sinclair herself. From picking the right designer or builder, to picking colors and sheens, there is plenty to learn! You may even find out what that perfect shade of blue-gray-green is… Enjoy!
– Callie
Callie is the fabrication manager and designer at Designer Effects, a To-the-Trade fabric and wallcovering showroom in Little Rock. She is the curator of @fdworkrooms, an Instagram account where she showcases the work of fellow drapery and upholstery workrooms across the world. She enjoys baking and has been in love with Harrison Ford since she was 10.
Designer Effects // designereffects.net
