The Secret Garden Mural - True Confessions

Have you ever started a project that proved to be too big to really handle? Well, for me, it's been my "Secret Garden" mural. I live in a condo with vaulted ceilings. The front entrance/foyer includes the split staircase down to the lower level, resulting in a wall that is, from mid-stair landing, 20 feet tall or so. A tall, narrow wall is very tricky to deal with.

The pic below is the only one I have of the hallway pre-mural (except the beginning of the stone wall section). A big white boxy place filled with jigs and jogs that was uninteresting and bland.

This is the view from my front door into my living area. The stairwell is to the left.

About 7 or 8 years ago, I decided to create a 360 degree mural based on the theme of "A Secret Garden", one of my favorite children's books. With the help of friends, I started painting - a blue sky with clouds, tall hedge and stone wall heading down the stairs. The focal point was supposed to be an opening in the stone wall that lead into the "Secret Garden" in a feat of trompe l'oeil glory.  There was also supposed to be a faux wrought iron fencing around the whole thing as well. Well, best laid plans go out the window after so many years.  The mural languished about 3/4's finished for the last several years and I decided it was time to get it to a finished place (at least, finished enough to call it a day).

And so, voila - gone is the open door into the trompe l'oeil garden interior and I ended up with a closed wooden garden door keeping the inside a secret.

The sky looms over the wall...

Looking back to the front door. The door on the left is to the powder room. I've debated painting the front door to look like a wooden door as well - what do you think? Too much?

I think, in the end, this mural project has achieved what was intended - even if I didn't completely achieve my initial lofty goal. It added color and shape to a bland space - filling it up with life and warmth. Hey, I'm clearly not a professional decorative painter but I hope this shows that anyone can pick up a brush and give it a try.

And hey, it's just paint. It can always be painted over!


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True Confessions: "The cobblers' children...

... have no shoes". We've all heard this saying. It's so true for so many professions, including my own. Well, more specifically, me. People always say to me "you must have a beautiful house". My answer is yes, but... What I really have is a home filled with half finished projects. It takes me forever to finish what I start. I appear to have a high tolerance for the incomplete. It took me a year to finish the border in my bedroom.

A friend asked how I could stand it. Well... I don't really notice it on a daily basis. But, the truth is, once I actually finished my bedroom, I was thrilled!! Especially on the days I make my bed - but that's a different confession...

So... the point of this is that I need help. While I'm totally finish-line driven when it comes to my clients' projects, I neglect my own. And my biggest current unfinished project is a 4-wall mural in my foyer and stair well. I've been working on this for over 3 years, could be 4, I've lost track. In truth, it was a big project to take on - especially for someone who is afraid of heights and doesn't like 3 foot step ladders, let alone 30' extension nightmares. So, I've had the help of kind friend with ladders and no fears. And still, unfinished.

I'm about half way done, I would guess. My theme is "The Secret Garden", one of my favorite childhood books. I have a painted hedge, stone wall, wrought iron fencing, blue sky and clouds. Plus, there will be a trompe l'oeil doorway that opens into the secret garden. Very ambitious, very unfinished...


This was the newly started project. Obviously, something was needed!


What would we do without our friends!


A little progress (this photo is at least 2 years old!) The current status is the photo at the top of this post, as taken today. Some progress, but nothing to shout about. I plan on documenting my progress on this blog as a way of embarrassing myself into finishing. So, please feel free to post, or email, your words of support, encouragement and criticism. I can take it! I need it!