Murals are really having a moment right now. With maximalist trends already at the forefront of design, this decorating style is well-suited, but furthermore, it allows people to be a little innovative with their interiors, producing really individual and unique creations. If you've been sitting looking at plain walls, wondering how you could bring in some excitement and interest into your space then take a look at our Artisan Special Effects range. By using paint you can also produce something fully bespoke, selecting colours and application techniques that are right for you.
Not a stranger to bold pattern and interior statements, Lily, who is the creative storyteller behind the inspirational Instagram account @layered.home and blog of the same name, recently got to work producing this show-stopping mural in her lounge. By using Craig & Rose Chalk Wash paint in Blue Ochre and a selection of our chalky emulsion colours, she successfully replicated the magnificent atmosphere of the night sky. You can read more about her experience on her own blog, layered.home.
As you can see from this fabulous shot of the full wall, the Chalk Wash paint really helps to create that varied vista, imitating the natural beauty of scattered, fading light so effectively.
Chalk Wash is available in four colours and is applied to the wall in a two-step process, over the top of a base coat of Chalky Emulsion. It's now really easy to achieve texture and depth across a flat surface or large area. To find out more about the colours available and the application process, have a read of this previous post.
Lido Blue was used as the base colour.
As with all of our Artisan effect paints, we suggest that you practise the application process on a separate board where possible to allow you to discover your prefered result. Chalk Wash needs to be applied over a base coat Craig & Rose 1829 Chalky Emulsion which has been painted at least 7 days prior, to ensure no moisture remains between the two layers. To achieve the dark night sky effect, Lido Blue was used which is a modern mineral hue and proved to be the perfect inky blue-black needed.
During this trial process, you can also experiment with different tools and materials to see what technique might work best for your wall. Lily tried out rags and sponges but in the end, she used bubble wrap to create a more distinct pattern.
The final stage of the process was to add some lighter highlights and of course, the forest tree skyline. Lily added a small amount of Marble Dust to the Chalk Wash paint on the final coat, lower down on the wall before starting the detailed work. Once the backdrop was dry, she lightly drew the outline of the trees using a pencil and then hand-painted the shapes in Zeitgeist, using a sponge for a textured surface.
Lastly, Lily used a small brush and a little more Marble Dust for the finishing touches, a scattering of stars across the sky.
We'd love to see your wall mural creations! Share them with us on social media by tagging us in or by using the hashtag #craigandrose.
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