Pretty paintings
A custom wall mural adds a unique touch to a room
Most people use one or two paint colours to give walls a quick and easy refresh. But for something more artistic and eye-catching, a hand-painted mural sets a tone and defines a room in a uniquely creative way.
Not just relegated to exterior walls or commercial spaces, murals have become a fun and personalized way to add colour and style to interiors. Rachel Lyon is an Alberta-based muralist and owner of Rachel Lyon Design Co. Her floral and nature-inspired designs adorn a number of restaurants, shops and private residences in Alberta.
Lyons, who will be at the Paint with Purpose feature at January’s Calgary Renovation Show, says her business has expanded from painting murals in commercial and restaurant spaces to a growing number of home interiors. “The more popular murals are becoming, the more people are getting excited about different kinds of art mediums to use to style their homes,” says Lyon.
For example, hand-painted designs featuring trees, flowers, blue skies and woodland creatures can help keep the feeling of summer at the forefront — even on the coldest days of winter. The artist says she has created trees and flowers on the walls of some homes, and it can be a nice addition to any space, from the living room to a nursery or bedroom.
If you want to try out custom designs or murals in your home, here are Lyons’ tips to adorn plain white walls or surfaces with some colour and artwork.
- Get inspired “There are so many resources online to get inspiration or learn basic painting techniques. Before you ever pick up a brush, go to social media, YouTube or find online tutorials that show you how to take your idea and bring it to life.”
- Practice makes perfect “I would definitely say not to practice on your wall first, and instead, use a large canvas from the dollar store or on paper, to get a feel for the scale. When you are laying out the design, make sure to do it in a similar ratio to your wall. Once you have the design looking how you want, you can map it out from there.”
- Mark it out “Once you’re ready to start your design on the wall, do it with a light chalk first because it’s something you can wipe off. Next, map out the design with a pencil, which is still washable if you make any mistakes. Make sure your design is marked out in full before you start painting.”