Mural Suggestions - Room by Room
Having a mural or trompe l'oeil painted in your home is one of the most personalised
forms of decoration your could opt for. They can reflect your personality, maybe show
painted views of places you have visited (or would love to visit), or they even can
indulge your sense of humor with a convincingly painted glass of wine in a niche
waiting for somebody to try and pick it up.
Because of the myriad of possibilities it can be difficult to decide just what sort of mural you would like
& where you would like it painted.
Room by room I can help you on this journey with some of my own suggestions.
The Hallway
Hallways come in many various and sometimes irregular shapes.
They will also have many doorways leading off them and probably a staircase as well.
Unless the hallway is very spacious it would be a folly to try and implement a scheme that is overly
ambitious and inevitably would not be appreciated.
Lots of hallways are narrow and tend to be transitional
spaces rather than somewhere to stop and admire the decoration.
A formal scheme can work very well,
maybe with stone blocking and ornate trompe l'oeil plaster-work.
Stone blocking for example has what I call
a shallow trompe l'oeil effect - that means it can be viewed from many different angles and the 3D effect would still work.
It could also be continued along the walls along a staircase to the space above.
Sometimes there may be one wall, maybe
opposite the entrance door or a wall at the end of a narrow hallway, that is crying out for a touch of trompe l'oeil trickery.
An urn or decorative vase in a niche is an obvious suggestion but, maybe with the addition of some car keys, wallet &
loose change and maybe something else considered mundane, the gap between illusion and reality could be bridged.
After all, everyone tends to leave their car keys in the hallway and the painted ones could add a little pathos on the hectic
mornings when your real car keys have gone missing.
A painted trompe l'oeil doorway is another suggestion, especially if the
hallway has an imbalance that needs addressing. For example say there is a doorway on one side of a staircase and not on the other
- by painting a doorway it act as a balance and will look very convincing (if executed well) as it will not look out of place.
Sometimes on galleried landings you will find that some areas lead to a blank wall and nowhere else - an ideal spot for a bit of trompe l'oeil magic.
The Dining Room
In this room the walls are generally clear because the table will usually be at the centre.
A dining room needs to be a vibrant and dramatic space, something to impress your dinner party guests,
challenge the senses and spark the conversations.
For this same reason you will find that red is quite a popular choice for the wall colour.
Classical themes are ideal - maybe using architectural features such as columns, pilasters & stone
blocking to give the room some harmony and formality. Maybe even a portico above the doorways if the
wall height will permit it.
A classical urn in a niche would be a simple trompe l'oeil feature to include, maybe with a
stray glass of wine sharing the ledge - with the addition of some ice the urn could serve as an irreverent ice bucket
for a champagne bottle.
A classical theme can be developed to include Arcadian landscapes, drapery and maybe the
odd perched exotic bird.
Also, for more decorative elements, look to the Baroque and Rococo architectural
styles of 17th & 18th century Europe, especially if you desire a more extravagant & theatrical look.
The Lounge / Sitting Room
Because people tend to spend more time unwinding in these rooms it is important that a
mural scheme does not dominate or scream out for attention.
It is very likely that a lot of wall space will be utilised in displaying family photographs, not to mention the flat screen television.
A subtle paint or decorative effect might be all that is needed.
A simple colourwashed wall could be developed into an old wall / crumbling effect - maybe with some exposed brickwork
and some occasional cracks - this will act as a backdrop rather than a focus.
If you do decide on a landscape I would suggest keeping the colours subdued and maybe even monotone
so they will harmonize with the furniture & fittings in the room.
Architectural details and motifs can be painted if you want to give the room a more formal ambiance but this should not be over done.
The Kitchen
This is often the hub of the home where the family regularly gathers but unfortunately
there is usually a lack of wall space due to the kitchen units and tiling.
The space above the units
could be utilised in the form of a painted frieze, a culinary themed one would be very apt or maybe
something floral.
An orange or lemon tree would be an effective feature to have painted, if possible try to
have them flank a feature in the room, maybe one either side of a window or the cooker.
Cast shadows will further enhance the 3D effect.
If there is a suitable wall available you may wish to have a
Mediterranean style window painted, maybe looking out onto Spanish olive groves or lavender rows from Provence.
Convincingly painted louver shutters can further enhance the illusion
The Conservatory
To give this room a relaxed feel consider the Tuscany region of Italy as a source of inspiration, especially
for when you use the conservatory during the summer months.
A crumbling wall effect can look extremely effective
and can also be painted along those awkward dwarf walls you usually get.
A variation with the crumbling wall effect
is to add architectural elements like pilasters and pediments, these too can be given a aged effect with stone chips
& cracks.
Another idea would be to use a garden theme (being a conservatory) and have some trellis work painted onto
the walls with some climbing grapevines or wisteria.
Such a painted effect could be done in a realistic trompe l'oeil style
or a simplified decorative one, maybe even a stenciled design.
The trellis can be painted as if attached to the wall or could
offer tantalizing glimpses of a countryside landscape beyond.
Usually you will find that there is higher than normal wall space
where the conservatory joins the outside wall of the house and this area of wall above the doorway would be ideal for a
trompe l'oeil feature as it will not get obstructed.
A simple portal window would be effective, opening onto blue skies with
maybe a couple of perched birds. Or even a niche with an orange or lemon tree.
Mural Suggestions - Room by Room, Part 2
|
