February 1, 2013

There are some universal symbols which young girls seem to gravitate towards: hearts, peace signs, flowers, swirls. I can’t explain this phenomenon, I just know it exists. I can recall when I was eight years old, possessing a shiny Trapper Keeper donned with heart bubbles, rainbows, and lots of Lisa Frank and Scratch & Sniff stickers. I tapped into my inner eight-year-old for this project!

The design problem: a mom I met needed to solve the dilemma of what to do with a fairly large (11′ wide) window-less wall in her daughter’s room. The room is painted Lighthearted Pink (Sherwin Williams color). It didn’t take long to get a clear sense of what would appeal to this young girl. Just by entering her room, I got a glimpse of her style. Here are some considerations:

  • I wanted to incorporate the wall color into the mural, as well as other light, pastel colors.
  • I also didn’t want it to go to the floor, because she likes to put small furniture against the wall, as well as her toys and collections.
  • I wanted to be sure to make a smooth transition at the bottom of the mural so that it didn’t end abruptly.
  • I wanted to incorporate some personalization. I painted the first letter of her name, “L” into the mural, but at first glance it looks like just a giant swirl! (Look just right of center!)
  • The last design consideration is that I wanted the mural to be appealing to her for many years to come. So, it had to have some sophistication.

After seeing the mural design, her mom said that the only thing that little Miss “L” would want to have added is some glitter!! Although, she said it tongue-in-cheek, I was able to find a way to add some classy “bling”! I simply glued a few faceted gems to the mural where the harlequin squares joined. It adds a little sparkle and lots of charm!

Here is the “before” shot of the blank wall
Here is the “after” shot
Here is a photo of the progress, this is just the main elements without all the details

Here are some more detailed photos of the completed project:

For a look at photos of this project and other murals I’ve completed, please click here to view my Flikr album. Or click here to visit my website!

One of the most exciting results of the finished product is that little Miss “L”  really LOVES the mural so much that her mom says she sits on her bed staring at it, and it is very calming to her. I had approached this more as a decorative mural than an interactive one, so that is a nice bit of serendipity!