Murals are having their moment in the sun and I've had some fun researching them for a current project. The beauty of murals (versus more traditional wallpaper) is that there isn't a small repeated pattern, instead there's one big 'scene'. This allows for much greater impact!
There are two ways to achieve a mural.
One is to commission an artist to create something especially for you and to paint it onto your walls (and possibly ceiling). I did this at a project in Robertson some years ago and while it turned out absolutely beautifully it did cost a lot (circa $20,000).
The other option is through wallpaper that is painted onto your walls. This is a lot more economical but it isn't necessarily truly unique to your property (but the odds of someone you know having the same one would be pretty darn slim!). Basically, it's an affordable way to get that wow factor for your home.
And within this option, there are 2 x sub options(!): to tweak the design to fit your walls (this is the preference) or to buy off the shelf and deal with whatever size it comes in (cheaper but not ideal).
Where to use them
I think there are three main areas you could consider a mural for your home: the master bedroom, the living room and the bathroom.
Choose what mood you want to set for the space, then go looking for ideas (Pinterest is great for this) and put together a scheme how this will work in your space. Look at the palette, the style and the scale of things before committing. Do a mood board if you can with all the elements in it - this will really help you understand if and how it can work. And be bold - if you're want something amazing, you may have to go outside your comfort zone a bit, but it's usually when you do this that you achieve fantastic results!
My current faves
There are sooooo many options to choose from and loads more coming on the market all the time. I find if you love something as a gut reaction, then that's the one that'll work best for you!
It was hard to decide but here are 9 of the most gorgeous mural wallpapers that I've come across in the last week.
1) Kingdom Home's "Romance" landscape mural that is inspired by the English countryside.
2) Milton and King's "Ocean meets sky" mural. This image shows exactly what's on each of the 6 panels that make up the overall mural. This is a delightful and whimsical mural that would be perfect for a nursery or kid's room!
3) Surfaceview's "Winter Garden". OMG, I love this so much. It's so gorgeous and would work in both a traditional style home or act as a lovely contrast to really modern pieces.
4) Phillip Jeffries' "Blossom". This guy can do no wrong! Love the pattern and the rich blue of this colourway. Designer tip: With dark walls, white furniture looks amazing! Also note how you can see the joins quite easily? That happens with grass paper bases and it considered as part of the charm of the material and not a fault. If it bugs you, go for paper based wallpapers rather an grass.
5) Chinoiserie mural. There are a number of similar options out there but I found this one on Etsy and thought it was gorgeous. I included this one as it also has an option for decals for smaller walls that you can stick on yourself - it's really easy (I've done similar before and if I can do it, anyone can!). Re ordering, it's pretty self explanatory but if you have any questions about sizing and how to install, it's advised to reach out to the supplier!
6) Another Phillip Jeffries one....this time with cranes. I'm actually a sucker for anything with birds and I really restrained myself until now to include this ;-) Seriously, click the link to his page and zoom in on the detail of this one....it looks like it's embroidered! Exquisite (and comes in a host of divine colours!)
7) Another gorgeous one from Surfaceview....I mean seriously, I'm dying!!!!!! This would look amazeballs in a bedroom.....with linen bedding, maybe rattan bedhead and a scarlet throw.
8) Komar's "The Fable" is another whimsical one. It would look great anywhere with natural materials and white on white....
And drum roll please......number 9) Back to the Wall's "Moonlighting". I think this is quite mesmerising and again is something that would work in traditional or modern settings!
So, there you have it. The murals of the week, LOL. What do you think about murals in general, and these ones in particular?
If you're after mural inspiration, feel free to head over to my dedicated pinterest board. And if you'd like help incorporating a mural into a room in your home, I have a range of services that can help, but perhaps the eDecorating service is a good place to start!