Recently, I was invited to weigh in on the Redfin Blog for an article about unique places to install a mural in your home. It was an honor to be selected as an expert in the mural arts field for this article, along with so many artists from around the world. Here’s a teaser about the write-up:
If you’re looking for a unique art piece that’s sure to make a statement in your home, why not hire an artist to install a mural? Murals are a versatile art form that can transform any room from boring to one-of-a-kind. Whether you are looking to show off your style in a simple way or create a grand entrance, there are many places in your home where you can install a mural, both big and small. To help you get started, Redfin reached out to muralists from Vancouver, BC to San Diego, CA, including us, to give you our best tips of unique places you probably haven’t thought of to install a home mural. From powder rooms to foyers, Check out Experts Share 28 Unique Places to Install a Mural to see what we had to say.
Redfin Blog, written by Ryan Castillo
In celebration of the article, I thought it’d be fun to share some of my favorite installation locations in the past. Plus, unique spots I’d love to install a mural in your home, based on some of my local artist faves.
Cool Installation Locations from My Mural Portfolio
Even though I only started painting murals in 2019, I’ve already gotten to paint some really cool locations. Check out this selection of past portfolio works to gain inspiration for your redecoration project.
Floor-to-Ceiling Meditation Room in an AirBnB
This installation at Sunshine House was actually the inspiration for my expert suggestion on the Redfin Blog, included below:
With so many iconic historical examples, like the Sistine Chapel and Library of Congress, it’s surprising more people don’t opt to install a mural on the ceiling in their home. Vibrant skies, lush greenery, abstract geometry, or trompe l’oeil scenery go a long way to make any room feel more expansive while evoking enhanced states of relaxation and contemplation, especially when combined with meaningful symbolic elements.
I was asked by the client to create a meditative mural, with ties to the Blanco River while incorporating tropical plants and dark floral elements. I was so excited that she chose this portal to another dimension with trees, clouds, stars, and UV-reactive moon phases across the ceiling.
Calming Entryway in a Home for Survivors
This was a piece I created in the Sanctuary Gardens home for domestic abuse survivors. Inspired by lotus flowers emerging from the mud, we created an entry way mural that would bring peace to any survivor that walked into the home. Imagine walking into your own space and feeling at ease with beautiful art around you.
Fantastic Fence Along a Driveway
I painted this fantastic frog and tropical plant mural on a parking lot fence at Ani’s Day & Night. A fence mural is a fun way to add personality to a driveway or outdoor space. This one also doubles as a cute photo opportunity for anyone who stops by!
Bold Colorful Picnic Tables for an Outdoor Patio
Murals can go on more than just walls and ceilings! Here’s a picnic table I live painted during an event at Native Bar & Cafe, covering it with purple flowers and tropical plants. You can always give your outdoor aesthetic a bump with a bold, colorful picnic table.
Beautifully Adorned Birdwatching Blinds
Here’s an unconventional mural location for all my ranch owners out there. Camo-covered box blinds feeling a bit too drab? Give them a kick by putting a mural on entrance side. You’ll also be relieved to know that the bold colorfulness had no effect on the frequency of wildlife visitors over the camo paint job. If anything, the area wildlife became more cultured with their own gallery moments around the property.
Fantasy Fun on a Retaining Wall
Retaining walls are BEGGING to be painted. I spray painted this fun scene on a retaining wall at El Tacorrido. If you’ve got a big cement eye-sore, consider throwing a mural up there. It’s also a great way to discourage tagging and other graffiti for any public facing spaces.
Extra Inspiration in a Gym Space
Lastly, here’s a brand mural I did at CrossFit REP. Inspirational quotes and imagery can make your gym space into somewhere you actually want to be. Plus, imagine how cool your gym selfies are going to look with a killer mural behind you. What a flex!
Unique Places of Mural Installation Dreams
Fortune smiles on me through the tons of inspirational folks I’ve met in Austin’s booming mural scene. Everyone is so very kind and they all put up some phenomenal work. Here’s a selection of their projects that keep me inspired to keep growing and honing my craft.
Bold Exterior Statements On Arrival
I mentioned the meditation room mural I did at Sunshine House earlier. My mural is not the only one gracing the walls of the home. There is an amazing outdoor piece done by artist Avery O Designs, featured muralist on Netflix’s Queer Eye‘s Austin season, gracing the front of this house as soon as guests pull up. I would love to do a big outdoor statement piece like this someday.
Pull up to a Magical Garage Moment
Sadé Chanell is a friend, prolific mural artist, and up-and-coming nail artist with an ethereal fantasy style. Her public works include the “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” mural on South Lamar, the Bumble collab “Love Always Austin” mural on Lavaca, and the “Vote” collab mural for Mexi-Arte. She also created this wonderful Texas-inspired garage mural for the Abali apartment complex. So often we leave our garage walls bare, but this piece inspires me to dream of all the possibilities of what a garage could be!
Create a Poolside Paradise
Voted 2021 Best of Austin Muralist in the Chronicle, Zuzu Perkal has a bold and colorful style that is unmistakable. She’s constantly creating and has partnered with brands like Still Austin, Mighty Swell, and the Austin City Limits music festival. Here’s a gorgeously colorful tropical mural she did poolside at the W Hotel, that makes me fantasize about creating a poolside paradise of my own someday.
Grow a Garden of Creativity
One of my favorite local artists, Mixed Hues, graced her own garden box with this sunflower-inspired work. You may recognize her style from the South Lamar Be Well murals, her gifts at Blue Genie Art Bazaar, and in many other public arts installations around town. I love gardening and would love to work on a box garden like this to help you grow creatively in the future.
The Room of Your Kid’s Dreams
Laced and Found is a muralist duo with roots combining the best of street art stylings from New York and California. They’ve done too many gigs to even name and run one of my favorite supply shops in town, Vandals Container. Here’s a wicked cool Gorillaz-inspired wall they did in a kid’s room, that makes me hope for more cool parents to hire me for an equally sick kids room someday.
No More Boring Water Tanks
Kimie Flores is a renowned street and tattoo artist. Her surreal works have been on walls all around Austin and she’s been invited to paint at festivals around the state, including SXSW, ACL, and the Beaumont Mural Festival. Here’s a water tank she did at the outdoor entertainment venue Dreamland Dripping Springs, proving that water tanks can be more than utilitarian.
Roll in Style with a Car Mural
Britt Johnson is an epic muralist and mentor, who travels the world creating bright and colorful works of art. She’s painted in Bali, at Art Basel in Miami, and at the Loretta Lynn Ranch. She was also hired by the USA Olympic Swimming Team and Toyota to paint this car, inspired by James Cumberland’s tattoos. Can you imagine what a statement you could make riding around in a custom art car like this?
Make those Bathroom Mirror Selfies Pop
I was incredibly fortunate to have Everyday Research as a mentor and tutor when I was learning to spray paint. He and his partner Britt (mentioned above) travel the world creating murals in all kinds of exotic locations and festivals, including Reggae Fest, Illfest, and Hulaween. While his work is often super colorful, he made a bold statement in black text, covering the bathrooms at Arlo Grey with the Korean Cinderella story. Honestly, what a cool backdrop for mirror selfies.
Harness Your Inner Badass with a Graffiti Bar Area
Basically the Shepard Fairey of Austin, street artist Goodluck Buddha has seemingly covered every corner of the globe in his signature wheat pastes. Seriously, pay attention because his little Buddhas are EVERYWHERE. Here’s a cool bar area he did at Wanderlust Wine Co that makes me ponder the possibilities of how I could spice up a tap wall.
Let your Patio Transport you to Another Planet
Juan and Rosemary Villegas have always been on my list of inspiration icons. Legends in the Austin-area, their fantasy worlds are whimsical and full of exquisite details. Here’s a jaw-dropping trompe l’oeil set of murals they did on a tiered patio area. Truly the stuff of dreams!
Book your Mural Today
Feeling inspired yet? Well, you’re in luck! While most of the talent in this list is already in incredibly high-demand, my bookings are open and I want to help you beautify your home space. All you have to do is reach out.
Learn more about my process and book a consultation today from my Rates page.