Renovations
Low VOC Wall Treatment
Breathe deep the smell of… Fresh Clay?
BY
Katherine Sullivan
PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy American Clay

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Lisa Teague, Color Specialist and Design Consultant

Considering going with clay? Lisa Teague not only has many talents as a designer, consultant, and writer, but she is also certified with the American Clay Company both as an applicator of their clay plaster, and an instructor in how to use it. She can teach you how to apply this “green” wall covering, or she is  willing to work with your contractor and train painters to do it for you.

Consider making a valuable investment, and mark your 2007 calendars for Lisa Teague’s upcoming workshops:

Clay Plaster, July 27 and August 17and Decorative Painting and Design, October 18–19th. More information can be found at lisateague.com.

And for design inspiration,  attend the Cancer Benefit 2007 at the Van Loan Preserve in Bedford, N.H., September 29 to October 11, where Lisa is a selected designer. See vanloanshowhouse.com for more information.


Daylight streams through windows, illuminating everything with summer’s golden glow. Sunlight slides across the walls…and shows the need for freshening up. But before you grab that  brush, consider some alternatives to paint.

One of the primary factors in deciding what product to use is how environmentally-friendly the wall covering will be. People are becoming very sensitive to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), chemicals that contribute to “sick building syndrome.” VOCs are often used in paint, carpet backing, plastics, and cosmetics. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found concentrations of VOCs in indoor air to be two to five times greater than in outdoor air.

Lisa Teague, a design consultant recognized internationally for custom wall finishes and for her sophisticated use of color, concurs. “I have had to evaluate the impact of my traditional methods upon both the environment and the health of my staff, my clients and myself. We are thrilled to be able to offer glazing, french wash, pigmented plaster, and other old-world techniques using low or zero VOC products.”

Working with homeowners, Teague asks, “What would create an atmosphere that gives one a sense of well-being? For some clients this is a calm, serene space. For others it is a space that is vibrant and electric.”


What to do?
One such product is American Clay plaster, winner of the New Green Product Award in 2004. American Clay has no VOCs, is environmentally friendly, and uses very low energy for manufacture.

Natural clay, recycled and reclaimed aggregates, and natural pigments used in clay plaster are nondusting, resistant to mold and fading, easy to repair, and moisture-controlling. Clay naturally controls interior climate by absorbing and releasing moisture in response to environmental changes. One 50-pound bag of clay can hold up to 300 pounds of water.

It does not take any more talent to apply clay plaster than it does to paint. Teague reassures us that after one day at her training workshop, clients return home with confidence and excitement to anoint their walls with the versatile look of clay.


Doing it Yourself?
If you take this project on yourself, relax. Do not rush. Enjoy choosing from the vast array of colors. Create the look of marble or porcelain with a soy-based acrylic hardener. Plasters have a long working time and are very forgiving. If the mix gets too dry, just add more water and keep going. Whatever materials are left over can be saved for repairs or simply incorporated into garden soil or the compost pile!