A painted mural can be a fabulously eye-catching feature, indoors or outdoors – and it isn’t just for experienced artists. The possibilities are almost endless, whether you are looking for something to brighten up a child’s room or to create a visual focus in an elegant living room. With a bit of planning and practice, and with the help of the various aids on the market, painting an attractive mural is within reach for most of us.

Inspirations for Murals

Whatever you like to see can become a mural! Landscapes are a popular choice for covering large areas of wall. It could be an enchanted forest for a child’s room or a peaceful vista in a living room. Trompe l’oeil paintings (paintings that deceive the eye into thinking that the image is real) are also popular – for example, faux picture windows that seem to open onto a rural scene, a seascape or even a cityscape.

You can also use murals as the equivalent of hanging pictures. You can choose motifs that match your decor and the architectural style of your home. The old-world look of Tuscany is created partly by the use of painted murals, including views of vineyards and olive groves and decorative grape and foliage motifs.

It’s hard to go wrong with nature images, such as floral motifs. For modern homes, abstract designs or geometric patterns with clean lines can be the perfect finishing touch. In offices, schools and business premises, murals can be a fun addition, giving a workplace an individual, cheerful feel.

Before You Start

Prepare your surface well. It needs to be clean and grease-free. Fill holes and cracks with putty. It may not matter if the surface is a bit rough, depending on what effect you want to achieve. Apply a good quality undercoat or primer.

Choosing Paint

Indoor and outdoor murals will require different paints, with exposed walls needing hard-wearing, waterproof and weatherproof paints and perhaps a sunscreen to make sure it doesn’t fade. For indoors, water-based acrylic paints are an ideal choice. As a final coat, a clear sealer may be needed.

Creating Your Mural

For landscapes or similar pictorial scenes, the first step is to apply your background color and then work ‘forward’ on subsequent layers. The next step might be mountains and trees, with fine detail applied as the final layer. On your background you will need to mark out your chosen design. Most of us will need assistance to do this. If you’re working from a picture or photo, you’ll need to scale it up. Computer software can help with this task.

Stencils make the job even easier for novice mural artists. Whatever motif or style you want, you’re bound to be able to purchase something suitable. An alternative is to buy transfer kits that make it easy to mark out your chosen design on your wall. Then, almost like painting by numbers, you are ready to paint your mural.

As a stylish touch inside or outside the home, or even as a community project, using paint and creating faux finishes can be fun as well as enhancing your living environment.