Decorative Finisher - Residential

I-Grace; New York (NY); On-site; USD 41,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Generous paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Life insurance

Job summary

I-Grace is seeking a skilled Decorative Finisher for high-end luxury residential interiors in New York. The role demands interpreting designer references and translating them into repeatable, visually crafted finishes across walls, ceilings, and millwork.

Candidates should bring deep experience with Venetian plaster and other specialty systems, superb hand skills, and a proven ability to maintain craftsmanship in occupied residences. A refined sense of color, texture, and proportion is essential.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of professional decorative finishing experience with portfolio.
• Deep understanding of color, texture, layering, translucency, sheen, and material behavior.
• Strong experience with Venetian plaster and other specialty plaster systems.
• Ability to reproduce finishes from visual references and samples.
• Excellent hand skills and sophisticated eye for proportion and surface quality.
• Experience in luxury residential, hospitality, historic, or museum-quality environments preferred.
• Restoration and conservation experience is a plus.
• Ability to work independently and with a finishing team.

Responsibilities

• Execute custom decorative and architectural finishes on walls, ceilings, millwork, architectural elements, and specialty surfaces.
• Develop control samples and mock-ups from designer references, color direction, photographs, existing finishes, or project specifications.
• Accurately reproduce approved samples across larger surfaces while maintaining hand-crafted variation.
• Match and restore existing decorative finishes when performing repairs or conservation-oriented work.
• Collaborate with designers, architects, project managers, and project leadership during sample development and execution.
• Document formulas, application sequences, approved samples, and techniques for maintenance or replication.

Skills

Decorative finishing

Venetian plaster

Color & texture mastery

Hand skills

Team collaboration

Independence

Job description

Decorative Finisher

We are seeking an accomplished Decorative Finisher with extensive experience executing high-end specialty and architectural finishes for luxury residential interiors.

This position requires more than painting ability. The Decorative Finisher must understand material movement, layering, texture, color, translucency, sheen, scale, and the visual characteristics that distinguish a truly hand-crafted finish.

The ideal candidate is capable of interpreting designer references, physical samples, and creative direction and translating them into repeatable, project-ready finishes of exceptional quality.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Finish Execution

• Execute custom decorative and architectural finishes on walls, ceilings, millwork, architectural elements, and specialty surfaces.
• Produce finishes including, as applicable:
  • Venetian and polished plaster
  • Lime-based and mineral finishes
  • Limewash
  • Tadelakt and related specialty plaster systems
  • Metallic and mica finishes
  • Glazes and layered translucent finishes
  • Textured and dimensional finishes
  • Color washes
  • Specialty paint effects
  • Custom patinas and aged finishes
  • Decorative restoration and selective finish repair

Sample Development and Reproduction

• Develop control samples and mock-ups based on designer references, color direction, photographs, existing finishes, or project specifications.
• Accurately reproduce approved samples across larger architectural surfaces while maintaining appropriate variation and hand-crafted character.
• Match and restore existing decorative finishes when performing repairs or conservation-oriented work.

Materials, Substrate, and Technique

• Prepare substrates appropriately for specialty finish systems.
• Mix and manipulate colors, materials, aggregates, metallics, pigments, and other components to achieve specified effects.
• Understand how lighting, texture, sheen, movement, and application technique affect the appearance of a finished surface.
• Identify substrate, moisture, compatibility, or environmental conditions that may compromise a specialty finish.

Team, Site, and Client Standards

• Maintain consistency between multiple artisans when working as part of a finishing team.
• Protect surrounding architectural materials and maintain immaculate working conditions within occupied luxury residences.

Collaboration, Documentation, and Quality Control

• Collaborate with designers, architects, project managers, and project leadership during sample development and execution.
• Document formulas, application sequences, approved samples, and techniques when required for future maintenance or replication.
• Participate in final quality-control reviews and execute detailed punch-list corrections.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 5–7 years of professional decorative finishing experience, with a portfolio demonstrating high-level specialty finish work.
• Advanced understanding of color, texture, layering, translucency, sheen, and material behavior.
• Strong experience with Venetian plaster and/or other specialty plaster systems.
• Demonstrated ability to create finishes from visual references and reproduce approved control samples accurately.
• Excellent hand skills and a sophisticated eye for proportion, movement, and surface quality.
• Knowledge of substrate preparation and compatibility requirements for specialty finish systems.
• Experience working within luxury residential, hospitality, historic, museum-quality, or similarly demanding environments strongly preferred.
• Restoration and conservation experience is a plus.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with other skilled finishers.
• Professional demeanor and exceptional respect for occupied residences, finished architecture, furnishings, artwork, and client privacy.

CRAFT STANDARD

The Decorative Finisher is expected to operate as an artisan as well as a tradesperson. The objective is not simply to apply material, but to understand the intended visual language of a surface and execute it with control, consistency, and craftsmanship.

Every completed finish should feel intentional, integrated with the architecture, and worthy of a luxury residential environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The Decorative Finisher is frequently exposed to specialty materials, pigments, and solvents, and must work safely around ladders and scaffolding in both active construction sites and occupied luxury residences. This role requires close, sustained attention to detail under varied and critical lighting conditions, and regularly involves working in close proximity to fine furnishings, artwork, and finished architectural surfaces that require careful protection.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands of this position include standing, kneeling, and reaching for extended periods, climbing and working from ladders or scaffolding, and performing precise, repetitive hand and arm movements over sustained durations. The role requires strong manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and a sophisticated visual sense for color, texture, and finish quality.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Salary: $30 – $43 per hour, based on experience.

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Health insurance – medical with virtual visits and health advocate availability, dental and vision
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous paid time off
• Professional development opportunities
• Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• HSA & FSA
• $50,000 employer-paid life insurance
• Legal Plan benefits
• Identity & Fraud benefits
• Pet Solution benefits
• Employee referral bonus
• Employee Assistance Program
• Home & Auto discounts and more