FauxFection brings real talent to commercial, residential properties

By Kayleigh Rahn
Sure faux means fake, but the talent is genuine at FauxFection where owners Gina Smith and Jeff Bell create one-of-a-kind finishes on surfaces throughout area homes and businesses.

Smith is a decorative painter who is able to transform a plain surface into something quite spectacular, and partner Jeff Bell is a contractor with decades of experience in both residential and commercial work. Now the duo has transitioned the downtown storefront, at 124 Sale St., into a consultation space for their services and workshop for those curious to learn more about how they create their unique finishes.

While they are relatively new to the downtown business district, FauxFection–a family-run, custom painting business that specializes in handcrafted finishes on home surfaces (walls, cabinetry, and furniture)–was established in 2005. Smith and Bell returned to Central Illinois nearly 18 months ago after spending several years in Arizona. They came back to the area to reconnect with family and for the opportunity to grow their business.

“I custom create wall finishes with a variety of different techniques and products,” she said of her work. “By combining faux effects products with the right color choices, I can create anything you can imagine.”

Faux finish techniques have been used in design for more than 5,000 years, according to Smith’s website. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, faux finishing saw another major revival, as wallpaper began to fall out, and the trend has transformed again as faux finishing has started to become extremely popular in home environments, with high end homes leading the trend.

“We have clients all across the country and have been featured in the international magazine ‘Fauxfection Perfection,’” Smith said. “We do everything from straight paint to custom high-end finishes. We create wall finishes to match your fashion and personal style and re-finish cabinets with commercial grade products and topcoats designed to last years. We have so many colors to choose from. We also do wallpaper and wallpaper removal. We can fix drywall damage too.”

The full story can be found in the Wednesday, Nov. 7 edition of The Tuscola Journal.