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Maximalists, rejoice: The past few years have seen a resurgence in bold patterns and colors, resulting in a newfound wallpaper craze. And if you're looking to lean in even further, we'll see your wallpaper and raise you an even more showstopping treatment: a wall mural. Unlike wallpapers, which feature a repeated motif, wall murals show one large image or pattern, either custom-designed for the space (and sometimes even painted right onto the wall) or created with oversized repeats in mind to encompass a large room. Some companies, like Gracie, Fromental, or De Gournay, hand paint intricate scenes on silk or paper rolls, which are then painstakingly installed in a home, with thoughtful attention paid to spacing around doors, windows, and even light switches. Others, like MJ Atelier, may even add three-dimensional details to the panel. In any case, a finished wall mural essentially serves as a built-in artwork—and one that you can even hang more artwork on top of if you really want to flex those maximalist muscles. Read on to see some of our favorite murals from designers and artists.
Custom Landscape
Nashville artist Charlotte Terrell offers clients a one-of-a-kind wallcovering in the form of her commissioned murals, which she handpaints on paneled birchwood—custom fit to the client's room—and then digitally scans for a wallpaper that has the effect of an oil painting. "The high-quality scanner picks up every detail of the painting, including the texture from the plaster, lending the effect that each panel is handpainted," says Terrell, who then adds handpainted details atop the scan. "It is a very personal experience for the client, and often the painting is inspired by a special place to them"—like this one, which draws inspiration from the landscape around the family's vacation home in Maine.
Whimsical Menagerie
The centerpiece—and palette unifier!—of this open-plan apartment by Courtney McLeod is Voutsa's wildly whimsical, incredibly detailed "Menagerie Chinoiserie" pattern, which spans 4 panels of wallpaper (and comes with an installation map to ensure the perfect mural).
Under the Sea
In the entryway of the 2022 Kips Bay Show House Palm Beach, Craig & Company worked with MJ Atelier to affix real seashells to the walls to give this ocean-themed mural an extra textural effect.
Mesmerizing Abstraction
Designer Bailey Li creates handpainted murals for her clients, pulling in colors from the room to create hypnotic abstract masterpieces like this one (watch her at work here).
Circus Fun House
"The dining room was our greatest challenge, but it ended up becoming the most exciting room in the house," says designer Sarah Gilbane of this wild and cheerful space. The theme was vintage Everglades so decorative artist Brian Leaver painted the palms and flamingos over a grasscloth wallpaper, then created a trompe l'oeil tented ceiling. Painting over texture-rich materials instead of straight onto the wall can add even more depth.
Graffiti Style
For his daughter's room in their California home, designer Eric Olsen commissioned artist James Goldcrown to create a custom version of his signature graffiti hearts. (Wondering how to commission a wall artist of your own? Read our guide here.)
Into the Jungle
Inspired by artist Henri Rousseau, Jeff Robinson added a lush mural to designer Molly Luetkemeyer's LA home for a fantastical, jungle-like feel.
Old World Bold
Raji RM warned up this modern home by Piet Boon with several full-wall murals throughout, including this one drawn from an 1807 painting by Louis-Léopold Boilly.
Romantic Garden
De Gournay's Japanese Garden animates this modern yet timeless dining room designed by Studio DB. The romantic mural is a sweet backdrop for contemporary furniture.
Sharpie Masterpiece
For a retreat in Bellport, New York, designer Aamir Khandwala enlisted artist Shantell Martin to go wild on the kitchen wall (using her trademark Sharpie), resulting in a bespoke graphic wall treatment that's also a one-of-a-kind artwork.
Gold and Bold
De Gournay's Sans Souci motif gets a jolt of energy with apple green details in this bold bedroom by Miles Redd.
Great Room Tie-In
Denise McGaha enlisted Bettinger Studio to create a mural that reflected the cabinetry in the adjacent open kitchen of this Texas home to unify the open space.
Dreamy Floral
A Gracie mural in a rich lavender gives the otherwise modern dining room in a Massachusetts house by Mary McGee the feel of a secret garden.
Modern Art
Designer Devin Kirk took inspiration from the hand-painted approach of De Gournay murals but gave it a modern twist by using a stencil to hang paint this hallway. He used Farrow & Ball Stiffkey Blue and Studio Green.
Family Jokes
Here's another fun example of a custom graffiti wall in designer Dee Murphy's Los Angeles home. She commissioned local artist Diego Arturo Mendoza to pay tribute to the family and neighborhood while also transforming a hallway into something much more meaningful and inspiring.
Artful Backdrop
Miles Redd makes the case for adding extra dimension to mural-swathed walls with framed art—even better if it's graphic and modern, to create a beguiling juxtaposition.
Local Tribute
Designer Kevin Isbell gave this media room in an East Coast beach house the royal wallpaper mural treatment with a Moby Dick-inspired masterpiece. Best yet, the mural doesn't stop at the top of walls--it continues all the way up the ceiling.
Primary Color Play
A dining room by Christopher Maya gets a similar high-contrast treatment with red lacquer millwork against a cerulean De Gournay mural and coordinating seating.
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