Fourth generation · Est. 1996 · Commissions nationwide
Murals, Italian plaster, painted marble and faux wood — handmade for rooms that have to hold up to light, history, and close inspection.
Selected work
Not samples. Not catalog finishes. Work designed for the scale, light, and character of a specific place — then executed by hand until it looks like it always belonged there.
The disciplines
Each finish is chosen for the architecture — not applied as decoration on top of it.
Venetian plaster, marmorino and related lime finishes. Depth, movement, and a surface that changes with the light.
Hand-painted stone with believable veining, ground, and polish. Built to be studied up close.
Mahogany, oak, and custom species. Doors, paneling, and architectural woodwork that have to read as real timber.
Site-specific work for homes, hospitality, and civic walls. Designed for the street, the lobby, or the room.
Four generations
The work is not simply applied to a building. At its best, it becomes part of the building.
Ronald Layman learned the standards of the trade from his father and grandfather, then trained with artists in the United States, France, and Italy. The studio takes on select residential, commercial, and institutional commissions.
Read the story
Experience
Private houses, historic interiors, and institutions that cannot accept a finish that looks like a trick from ten feet away.
Decorative finish work · Washington, D.C.
Architectural finishes · Secretary’s inner office
Large-scale commercial commissions
Murals, restoration and specialty finishes nationwide
The commission
A short, practical process. No mystery. The architecture and the standard the room needs to meet come first.
The space, the goal, the timing, and whether the job is a fit.
Direction, color, samples, and the details that lock the look.
Hand work on site or in studio, using the technique the room requires.
Refine, protect where needed, and leave the finish as part of the building.
The Faux School
Live classes in Venetian plaster, marble, and wood graining — plus recorded access. Taught by the same hand that does the commissions.
Commissions
Select residential, commercial, and historic work. Locally, across the country, and abroad.
Discuss your project 301-668-5110
