Petaluma based design pro, Monica Binsfeld's latest passion (other than taking the helm as lead design coordinator for the new boutique project in the works for downtown Petaluma) is for a healthy 'new' plaster finish for walls and ceilings, named Shikkui!
Last November, she traveled to Japan in search of this so called 'new' product, at its source. "In fact, what I found has been around for over one thousand years," said Binsfeld.
"Shikkui is a plaster made of slake lime of high calcium purity, seaweed extracts, natural plant fiber and other natural aggregate. It can be applied both on the interior and exteriors of buildings as seen throughout Japan on houses, temples and castles. The creative possibilities with Shikkui are limitless, being able to customize color and textures."
Designer such as Binsfeld are able to achieve a stunning range of traditional and modern finishes, combining the reliability of a time-tested material with cutting edge engineering to deliver a surface coating unmatched in beauty, versatility, durability and most importantly, health. The coatings are highly porous and naturally antiseptic, so indoor air quality is actively improved for healthier spaces.
"I needed to see for myself the process of manufacturing this material and what I found surpassed any expectation I might have had." said Binsfeld. Her journey proved fruitful in that Tagawa Sangyo, Japan’s leading researcher and manufacturer of sustainable building materials, liked the Petaluma innovator as much as she liked its product. Binsfeld is now the exclusive Northern California representative for Shikkui products and anyone interested in knowing more about this exciting new product to the region may peruse a variety of finish samples in her Petaluma Ecco mi Designs studio (by appointment). For more info see www.shikkuiplasterdesign.com.
All Shikkui products by Tagawa Sangyo are manufactured in Japan under strict requirements for product quality and human health.
- Natural mineral materials
- Sprayed, rolled or troweled application
- Interior and exterior applications
- Residential and commercial projects
- Excellent workability
- Odor free, zero-VOC, and non-toxic
- Humidity-regulating
- Antistatic and hypoallergenic
- Naturally antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal
- Up to 50% UPCYCLED rapidly-renewable content – eggshells
- Optimized 2-coat system reduces both material and application costs
- Can contribute toward up to 11 LEED credits
- Cradle to Cradle certified (Silver)
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