Architect Info Sheet

julimorsella.com is a boutique art company with studios in  Honolulu and Seattle.
Based on the designs of Juli Morsella , a marquietier (wood veneer artist) with ten years experience and years of study  in Italy, our objective is to work closely with architects, designers and homeowners to produce unique personalized projects for interior design.
Marquetry is wood veneer cut to form designs which are then glued on a solid base.  This base can be a door or cabinet door, a wainscot, crown or floor molding, a column, a table- virtually and two dimensional surface can be transformed into a work of art. Surfaces that are usually treated in a more standard fashion suddenly become spaces used for a unique artistic interpretation.
Because the projects are designed individually, each one is one of a kind. The interests, style and color preferences, themes, existing elements and so forth are all taken into consideration before designing a project. Juli likes to work closely with the clients to come up with project ideas, which are first presented in sketch/line drawing form, usually more than one idea is presented, and when that is approved, the marquetry phase follows.
A design can be repeated in various places- say a table and cabinet doors of an entertainment centre. A theme can be explored. One client had just moved to Umbria and wanted a celebration of Umbrian life in 5 panels used in the upper cabinets of a large buffet, for example. Juli designed the panels to depict the Umbrian countryside, food, wine, olives, grapes, and the client’s favorite flowers.
Because it is done on a client by client basis, complete freedom to explore and create an absolutely individualized series of artworks is not only possible, but the objective. Imagine a kitchen with solid wood cabinet doors. Now imagine that same kitchen with a stunning mural made up of the cabinet doors representing plants and animals that the client loves and has some emotional attachment to, or a more subdued abstract design, made especially and only for that one client.
We are continually researching and experimenting with better Greener products to use in the production of these pieces, including glues, finishes, plywoods and other backings. The wood veneers are eco-friendly in that they use the minimum amount of the highest quality woods on the market to the maximum effect, and also they come from trees that are harvested in a conscientious manner, if simply because of their great worth. We have also been including reclaimed wood and veneer scraps from furniture makers in our designs, and hope for these sources to account for an ever bigger portion of the veneers used in the projects.
We donate 10% of our earnings to environmental causes all over the world. We are also dedicated to offsetting our carbon footprint for every project we produce.

Here is some information on some of the products we most commonly use when pressing and finishing the wood veneer designs:

Safecoat Acrylacq™ is a clear, high gloss, water based replacement for high solvent content lacquer. It is hard and durable with superior resistance to stains, marring and fingerprint marks. MSDS

Polyureseal BP™ is the highest quality water-based clear gloss finish available today. Its exceptional durability and abrasion resistance, coupled with high solids, very low odor, and very low VOC, make it the clear alternative to conventional solvent and water-based polyurethanes. MSDS

Acri-Soy™ is a premium grade penetrating clear sealer that is formulated from advanced soy ester dispersion technology (renewable resource) and modified water-based acrylics. Acri-Soytm is a unique environmentally compliant solvent alternative that effectively penetrates and protects porous substrate surfaces by creating a molecular bond and seal. Protects, preserves and extends substrate life. MSDS

Poly-Soy™ Protective Clear Finish TopCoat is an interior/exterior high performance bio-based finish that provides a penetrating seal while leaving a thin topical barrier to help enhance substrate protection. Poly-Soy is made from an industrial grade soy ester resin technology with a vegetable based urethane for a rapidly renewable resource material that is able to replicate petroleum based polyurethane coatings without the odor or toxicity. It provides a superior protective satin or gloss finish to help resist substrate damage caused by stains, moisture, and light commercial foot traffic. MSDS