We had the good fortune of connecting with Cheryl Corsiglia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheryl, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My business partner and I had come to the world of natural building from different paths, but converged while working on a straw-bale house in the mountains west of Boulder. Our mentor and employer there, Ryan Chivers of Artesano Plaster at the time, was moving to SLC, so we saw an opening in the local plaster market. He and the builder of that home, Dale Johns of Earthrise Homes, helped us out by giving us a mixer that we were using on that job. So we worked for each other on jobs for a while and eventually decided to team up to offer natural and healthy remodeling options, and natural lime and clay plasters to customers in the area. Plaster was always a backbone of our business, so we eventually spun off the Living Plasters brand into its own venture, under the umbrella of Living Craft, our broader general contracting business. I would say that neither of us had truly planned to start a business, but there were seemingly not other companies offering these services and natural materials in home construction and remodeling in our area at that time, and the help getting started from mentors and elders in the field, who were exiting the industry, was just enough of a push.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Living Plasters sets itself apart from other companies by focusing on relationships, offering our best work at all times, and standing by our completed work, big or small. We are truly big fans of the products and materials that we install, and in fact use these materials in our own homes. Builders and other subcontractors in the past have told us that our attention to details, such as where our plaster meets other materials, walls, windows, or baseboards, are always well detailed, and we also always emphasize keeping a clean and organized work area, whether working on a new build or in a completed and occupied home.

The level of artistry and skill in these natural plasters exceeds what people might expect, with options for relief, color, finish, texture and sheen, all based on different methods, materials, mixes, and techniques. We are constantly innovating, working with different products and on different existing wall surfaces and coming up with best practices for consistency and longevity of these natural wall coverings.

One lesson we have learned is that natural lime and clay plaster is not for everyone or every application! These materials do tend to have natural imperfections, so if you are looking for a perfectly flat and matte wall, paint is probably your best option. Plaster however, has such a beautiful and rich history, and the scratches and imperfections that can develop over the years also can be seen as telling a story of a life lived and time passing in the home or business where it is installed. It is also repairable or can be redone! But the health benefits of having your walls covered in a natural mineral based material, rather than the more common plastic based latex paints, are paramount to us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For me, I moved to Colorado for the outdoor experiences. So, the daily routine would probably look something like, get up slowly and get a tasty tea or coffee from a local coffee shop (living in east Boulder county, my favorites are Simpson Street, MeCo and Paul’s Coffee). Then a hike in the Flatirons, or climbing in Clear Creek or Boulder Canyon, or dipping in any of the icy mountain creeks in the summertime. If we wanted a city day, I would probably head to Meow Wolf, or go to Wash Park to people (and goose) watch and do some yoga in the park. The climbing gyms in the area are also a fun time, whether its Movement, or the Spot, or G1. In the summer, we would probably cook something with the CSA veggies and fruits I get from Ollin Farms, and eggs from by backyard chickens. And my pup Maki is always ready for a trip to the dog park around sunset.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Honestly, there are almost too many people! My business partner and friend Frank Wetenkamp has been there the whole time with love and understanding. We have had whole crews of employees in the past who poured their own passion into the company, and our current Lead Plasterer Marjorie Russow is a solid human and friend with a great sense of humor, who always lifts up the vibes on site. We have so much gratitude for our clients who trust us with their homes and businesses, especially when we were first starting out and didn’t have a large backlog of completed work to showcase. And building relationships with other architects, interior designers, and builders, including ShelterBelt Design, Shape Architecture, BOSS Architecture, Alvarez Morris, Fuentes Design, Annabode, Silver Lining Builders, and many others, has helped propel our brand.

Website: https://livingplasters.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/living_plasters/

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