We posted a photo of the front of this house previously, but we acquired more photographs and wanted you to see the completed application of antique limewash on this home in Virginia. BioCalce Classico was used for this application, a specially formulated, slow-set, authentic slaked-lime paint that can be easily applied to create an antique wash off look.
Virginia was colonized in the 1700s, and the customary paint products of that time were limewash and potassium silicate based products. Mark Buchanan, of Neumann Lewis Buchanan Architects, was focused on creating an historical finish for his client’s newly constructed, red brick home, consistent and aesthetically accurate with this historical period. Collaborating with builder Will Eicher, of J.D. Eicher Builder, Inc., Buchanan began the research to discover the type of material that would be best suited to recreate the historical finish evident in these photos. Several buildings in this area dating from a time period around the late 1700s and 1800s still had the original limewash finishes intact and though greatly aged, had the perfect patina they were looking for.
After several weeks of searching for a limewash paint manufacturer and expert to assist them in recreating this antique patina found nearby, Buchanan and Eicher discovered that ROMABIO had the perfect selection of historical limewashes and the expertise to advise them on how to achieve the desired effect. Christopher Lewis of ROMABIO met with Eicher and Buchanan to begin the process and was able to resolve any final technical an aesthetic questions and begin work.
What is interesting to note is that Mark Buchanan became so enthralled with the process and the material that he was unable to resist not joining in with the limewash applicators and he became a valued crew member working every single day to assist in the application process. We would like to thank Mark Buchanan for his enthusiasm and willingness to be involved in the entire process. The result of the collaboration between the homeowner, builder and architect resulted in one of the most stunning ever achieved using limewash applied on a newer, modern home on the east coast.
ROMABIO is appreciative of architects like Neumann Lewis Buchanan Architects, D. Stanley Dixon, Architect, Peter Block Architects, Christopher Rose Architects, Summerour Architects, Spitzmiller and Norris, Inc. and Interior Designers, Beth Webb Interiors, Joel Kelly Designs, James Michael Howard, Nancy Duffey, and Jacquelynne P. Lanham Designs, Inc., who have helped us to spirit forward the return of historical paints and plasters toward a rebirth of the use of these materials as a common practice. For the first time in 75 to 100 years these visionaries have discovered a sensible and simple approach to use materials that are aesthetically dynamic, affordable and healthy for their constituents and environment, yet can be as simple as using a bucket of acrylic paint, spending half the cost.