Faux Painting, Faux Rocks

The project: The owner of this gas station in Norco, Calif., spared no expense to make his business stand out from the rest. Inside, the floor was coated with a 1⁄4-inch stamped concrete overlay, and steel tracks were embedded in the concrete. Concrete “rocks” blend nicely with the trompe l’oeil “entrance to the mine shaft” (aka men’s and women’s restrooms), and the ceiling absolutely blazes with color. The walls have a nice faux finish, and the bathroom was even given a coat of Venetian plaster.

The results: This gas station requires two to three deliveries of gas each day, while the “plain-Jane” station across the street gets only one.

The moral: Given a choice, customers will patronize a business that is more pleasing to the eye.