If walls could talk… they might say they’d like a mural because it’s now a relatively easy and affordable way to add instant impact to any room, says Jacqueline Wake Young.
They say feature walls are out – well what do they know?
As ‘they’ (interior designers and the like) argue about the merits of decorating one wall in a room differently to the others, the rest of us are happily continuing with this particular design trick, having had it recommended to us for the past two or three decades.
It’s hard to change tack now, especially when it comes to living rooms where we are so used to drawing special attention to the chimney breast wall even if there is not a hearth or fireplace in sight.
We know that fire has been the focal point in even the most rudimentary dwelling for thousands of years and so what if this urge to highlight the place where the fire should reside is primeval?
Influencers can say what they like about faux panelling but there’s no arguing with human instinct.
And anyway, look, we’re all set up now to have accent walls – there’s even a category of paint called ‘feature wall’ just in case we need a little help in finding something sufficiently distinctive.
Of course, it doesn’t have to be paint, it could be wallpaper or even better – a mural.
Oh yes, murals are big right now – partly because they are well, big.
They cover a large area and so they can make a major statement with relatively little effort and, in some cases, expense.
B&M for example has launched a range of affordable murals, giving high-end retailers a run for their money.
B&M spokeswoman Leah Rogers explained: “A mural is the contemporary counterpart of wallpaper and should be considered like a piece of art, rather than a repeat of a pattern or print.
“Murals are incredibly easy to apply, and come with simple ‘how to hang’ instructions. Simply line up, cut and paste, hang each strip and trim the ends to complete the mural.
“The finished effect is an incredibly bold design that adds high-impact style to your interior – an affordable and simple way to completely transform your home.”
As for the range of murals, that’s big as well now, from dinosaur kingdoms and rainforests to pretend brick and oversized flowers.
Let’s see what ‘they’ say about that.
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