Powder Room Mural: A Symbol of Joy!
There are many ways to bring in a #senseofhappy into our homes. And for this family, they wanted to usher in joy in a BIG and BOLD way!
After completing a couple of murals during the early summer, I was contacted to take on another powder room project. But not like the one before. This time, I was being brought in to curate a colorful, lively, and joyous space through wallpaper . . . wallpaper that the family wanted me to paint by hand! Now, I must admit that I was nervous, and due to my schedule at the time - and, you guessed it, supply chain delays for materials - my portion of the project got pushed back to November. Now, even though the building materials are still en route to complete this project - being led by another amazing designer - it was finally time for me to work my magic with this mural!
What did I create?
Getting Started
I’ve shared this quote from my father many times, “The worst part about doing something is thinking about it”. And that is a lesson that proves true in both life and home projects! For full transparency, this was the first time I’d ever painted a mural of this scale . . . ever! Rather than dwell in the what ifs, after the consultation with the family, I gathered inspiration through the songs, photos, colors and facts about their culture that they shared and got to pattern making! The colorful abstract pattern above is what I developed for the wallpaper mural!
I pulled the inspiration for the shapes from the family’s love of the mountains, water and nature in general. As for the colors, the couple shared with me a painting their daughter completed that boldly featured purples, lime green, coral and hints of orange; making for the perfect color scheme for this joyful mural! Too, this was yet another layer of weaving in familial ties!
A few sketches later, and vetted approval from the entire family, it was time to bring this mural to life!
Before
Since the vanity, mirror, sconces and toilet are still in transit, I had a blank canvas to work with - and without any obstructions of space! This was the ideal situation! All I needed to do was have the walls painted the base color - and that’s when the project’s first challenge emerged . . .
Because there’s a current scarcity of base paint in stores nationwide, there exists the risk of having the wrong color mixed - that happened to us, and isn’t the first time it’s happened during a project (despite testing samples). But, we were able to quickly correct that by getting the paint formula remixed and reapplied!
The space was a bit too small for me to use a projector to cast the design on the walls. So, I taped up copies of the pattern on the walls, used my drawings as a visual reference, then drew everything to what I considered would be the appropriate scale . . . and yes, freehanded! To be honest, this part of the project took the longest and was the most tedious, which allowed for those “is this right?” thoughts to creep in. I simply told myself “not today” and continued on with what I knew I could do!
Let’s Do This!
Photography: Anthony Hardge
Now that the hard part was out of the way, it was time to start painting! The colors used for this project were Tangy Green, New Orleans, Colorful Leaves, Cockleshell, and Deep Breath by Behr.
Photography: Anthony Hardge
Using the sketch as a guide, I mapped out the color assignments for each shape and filled them all in! The overall painting took a total of two days - for the space that’s roughly 3’x9’ - and an additional half day for outlining the shapes in black. This last step really made the colors pop and live up to the beauty of the sketch!
As a last-minute detail, with a metallic paint marker, I added in touches of brass for a bit more drama in the design . . . and I’m so glad I did! It reigns true, small changes (touches) can yield big results!
Despite the initial hesitation of taking on this job, this ended up being one of my FAVORITE mural projects to date, and served as a reminder to always trust in your ability and craft - after all, I only grew up as a student of the Visual Arts! Too, once I got my rhythm - and the right playlist - this was probably the most fun I’d had during a mural project.
However, the most important reward was getting a chance to witness the family’s reaction to the mural once it was complete - and since they had extended family over during the reveal - the entire moment was that much more impactful; a moment I’ll truly cherish for years to come!
Last, but not least, I must thank my AMAZING Design Assistant - Anthony - for helping me map out, expedite, document, and cheer on the entire mural process! You can accomplish much alone, but as a team . . . look out, world!
And now, to see how the mural came to be - and how fun it was painting it - check out the video below! Too, let me know what you think - who knows, I may see you painting your very own abstract mural next . . . in fact, I hope to see it! And if mural painting is not part of your DIY plans, you know where to find me!
Happy creating!
