Today we’d like to introduce you to Merri Pruitt.
Hi Merri, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We are Merri Pruitt and Jimmy Littleton, a wife and husband, and the owners of the decorative painting company,
Pruitt-Littleton Decorative Artists. Our business is located in the Heights neighborhood, a quaint older neighborhood in Houston.
I met Jimmy Littleton in 1985 in New Orleans. He was a neighbor, formerly a graphic artist, and had started his own painting business.
I already had gained some local notoriety in decorative painting. I had completed the restoration of the bar at the Columns Hotel , on St. Charles Avenue.
It was time to get some assistance on the many incoming commissions , so we successfully joined forces.
I soon I realized Jimmy has a skill set that is complementary to mine. He is organized and detail oriented, and excellent at drawing. I’m better with color and creating the messy finishes. Our partnership has been described as yin and yang.
It worked out because we have been married , AND fulfilling commissions for 41 years ! Our customers are always challenging us with their creative ideas.
In the beginning, we painted ceilings , floors and walls all over the Gulf South . It was great exposure working in the interiors of the mansions and hotels in the French Quarter and the Garden District . Most them were filled with rare Antiques and sumptuous furnishings and unique art. Sometimes it was nerve-racking not to spill paint!
Top tier designers sent us all over the Gulf South and as far away as Tuxedo Park , New York. We traveled to New York to paint a checkerboard floor, and woodgrain a library. “Have paintbrush will travel ! “
Gerrie Bremermann, the grande dame of New Orleans design, commissioned a painted floorcloth for her acclaimed Antique shop on Magazine Street. It was wonderful to be recognized by her , and she directed work to us.
Our painting projects were featured in National and Regional magazines, books and periodicals.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course ,there have been difficulties in our lives. The the ups and downs of being self employed is tricky. We’ve had medical issues , and dealt with caretaking of family members.
Our biggest challenge to date happened in late August 2005, when a category five hurricane , named Katrina blew into New Orleans. It left six feet of a murky stew of water, and other toxic substances in our house for several weeks. The flood waters totally destroyed our art studio on the ground floor.
We boldly ventured to Houston, to re-establish our decorative painting business, where we had family members. Starting over in a city where we had few contacts ,was an incredible challenge.
My brother , Captain Randy Pruitt, who had rescued us out of New Orleans, gave us a place to live in the coastal community of Kemah, Texas, forty-five minutes south of Houston.
All of photos and our portfolio had been destroyed in the floodwaters. Luckily ,we had set up a website with examples of our finishes before Katrina.
After seeing the website, decorators, Antique dealers, and homeowners in Houston put us to work. We were starting over from scratch , but we had many years of experience from which to draw .
Our New Orleans home sold, and we found the perfect old bungalow in the Houston, Heights. It is centrally located, with an art studio already built behind it.
Members of the Bayou City have been incredibly supportive of Hurricane Katrina victims.! We were ready to bring the New Orleans aesthetic to H-town..
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Today if you visit our studio, you will be greeted by two friendly cats, Roxanne and Catherine, and a feisty 45 year old parrot, named Maknotkin. We are working on a variety of commissioned projects in various stages of completion..
Many of the repurposed furniture pieces, are dark wood vintage pieces going from “granny brown” to more fun and bright colors, using our unique paint techniques.
Working with a local cabinetmaker, we can build a custom piece of furniture for a particular space as well such as mirrors, cabinetry, tables and bath vanities.
Some of the furniture pieces we paint are inherited from older family members, and have sentimental value to the client. They just don’t fit into modern interiors, so we refurbish them by special paint techniques.
Our painted flourishes include faux tortoise-shelling , faux malachite, marbleizing, and woodgraining. We will add freehand painting and enhance a piece with gold and silver leaf. Restoration work is part of our repertoire. Large gilded mirrors have been brought to us, after they have fallen off a wall to be put back together.
Many samples are featured up on the walls of the shop. When clients walk in, they are overwhelmed by the variety of finishes on view !
Also we have the capacity to paint floor canvases in a style suited for your interior design. All our work is hand brushed and prepped correctly so the paint won’t peel off! We have projects that are still in homes after 35 years!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
I couldn’t find an art related job, after graduating from college and moving to New Orleans. So I taught taught myself decorative painting and faux finishes by reading books on the subject. This was way before access to DIY videos on the internet!
My philosophy has always been “FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT”!. So I created a portfolio of samples and started cold calling decorators and contractors.
When an Antique dealer on Magazine St. asked me to stencil the walls of her shop, I jumped at the job.
Many commissions followed from that first project, including restoration work in older historic homes , and painting floors in shops.
This is a business built on personal relationships. We have earned the trust, and had the same repeat customers for many years. Clients are now our friends, and we are even working for their children too.
A fantastic break was given to me early in my career. A decorator called me, and asked me to quickly paint clouds in a bathroom on Audubon Place. (One of New Orleans most exclusive neighborhoods. )
The client , the New Orleans British Consul, was having a special ” secret guest ” that upcoming weekend.
The whirlwind of cloud painting was completed just in the nick of time.
That weekend, I saw a photo in the newspaper of the client with his “secret guest”, Princess Margaret . The bathroom I had just painted was for a Royal Princess! The result of seizing an opportunity , turned into a first success!
We did a lot of inexpensive work in the beginning, and participated in Art Auctions, and Designer Show Houses.
Gradually word of mouth spread, and before long , we had a discriminating clientele. Networking and heavily participating in social media is so important these days, especially in a city as large as Houston.
We have found a few mentors over the years, who have inspired and guided us. In return, we have mentored many of our decorative art assistants . Some of our assistants have gone on and used our techniques , in their own businesses. We love passing our knowledge along to a younger generation.
Pricing:
- price varies according to the job or finish . Customers are given an estimate before work begins.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pruitt-littleton.com
- Instagram: merripruitt
- Facebook: Pruitt-Littleton Decorative Artists
