Custom murals can add magic to any room of your home. We all know that paint is one of the simplest ways to transform a space. With imagination and skill, simple paint can be used to create a custom mural to transport the room into another world or era.  If you are creative, you might paint the mural yourself or hire a professional mural and faux-painting expert. A custom mural can work in almost every room in the house.

Trompe l’oeil, which literally means “trick the eye” in French, is a mural technique that dates back to the Greeks and Romans. Trompe l’oeil is a painting technique that creates the illusion of three dimensions on a two dimensional wall. Trompe l’oeil became popular in the Baroque period where it was used on ceilings and walls as well as in paintings.

Custom murals in the kitchen can range from a pastoral scene to a trompe l’oeil still life of vegetables and fruit. Murals can also be used to add visual interest in a breakfast nook or dining room.

A customized mural is a wonderful way to make a nursery or child’s room feel magical. Designs are only limited by your imagination. Popular mural themes for a nursery or kid’s room include safari, garden, space, racing cars, sports, circus, princess castles, enchanted forest and underwater themes. Murals can be as complicated as an entire landscape or as simple as a single animal.

These are just a few places in the house to add a mural. Others include an entry hall or bedroom. A mural can wrap around the room or cover just one wall for a focal point.  Murals can be used in place of wallpaper as well.  All you need is your imagination and paint to create magic.

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Choosing a crystal chandelier is like finding the perfect pair of diamond earrings.  While we all know the four Cs of diamond buying, we’ve come up with the three S’s of buying a crystal chandelier:  Space, Scale and Sparkle.

Space
We can’t think of a single room where a crystal chandelier would be out of place. Crystal chandeliers look wonderful in an entry hall, grand foyer, dining room, kitchen, bedroom and living room.  We love a chandelier in a feminine dressing room or nursery as well as the more typical rooms. Think about your space and how a crystal chandelier could work to enhance your room’s design.

Scale
Once you have determined the space for a crystal chandelier, the next step is to consider scale.  A small powder room would be overwhelmed by a large chandelier.  A formal dining room would feel diminished by an undersized chandelier.  A petite crystal chandelier that mounts close to the ceiling will add whimsy to a small space.  A large room, like a formal dining room or living room, will require more of a statement piece. Be sure to take measurements before shopping.  If you are working with a professional interior designer, he or she will assist you in selecting just the right size chandelier for the space.

Sparkle
Crystal chandeliers add that je ne sais quoi to a room like jewelry does to an outfit. Choose a chandelier that has the right amount of flair for the space.  Crystal chandeliers can have crystal drops and beads in a variety of sizes, facets and shapes—just like diamonds.  The more crystals, the more sparkle. It’s simple really.  For added interest, consider a mix of color and clear crystals or rock crystal for its lightly veined appearance.

Crystal chandeliers like diamond jewelry are designed for every taste, from contemporary with sleek chrome and big drops to ornate with gilt-bronze and hundreds of round crystal strands.  Just remember the three S’s and you’ll find the perfect crystal chandelier for each room in your home.

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