Murals are an amazing way to transform a space, adding color and interest to a wall, ceiling, or an entire room. One of the earliest art forms, murals are inherently different from other forms of paintings in that they are organically connected to the architecture of the spaces they adorn. Murals are often designed not only to incorporate the architectural details ofa space, such as arches, pillars, and fenestrations, but they can dramatically alter the sensation of spatial proportions through the use of artistictechniques like trompe-l’oeil, or “tricking of the eye.”

In ancient Pompeii and Ostia, the walls and ceilings of nearly all buildings, both public and private, were painted in murals that encompassed a wide range of images, most notably landscapes, the still life, and figured scenes. Mural decoration reached its peak in popularity during the Renaissance period with such renowned artists as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. (www.britannica.com)

While murals may be less common today, they are still very relevant in the world of Interior Design. No one understands this better than local Houston artist Dircene Martins. Born and raised in Brazil, Dircene has had a passion for painting ever since she was a young girl. Dircene brings beauty to everything she touches, whether it be a traditional canvas, a wall, or an entire room.

In the two images below, we see how she transformed a plain entry wall into a magnificent piece of modern art.

Dircene was recently commissioned to paint the interior of the Kohinoor Restaurant in Spring, Texas. Below is a photo depicting the rich blue, gold and silver hues she used in this project.

In this next mural, Dircene utilizes trompe-l’oeil herself to create a sense of three-dimensional depth. This landscape draws you in and pulls you onward into the art itself. I could get lost in its beauty!

I fell in love with Dircene’s vibrant personality and beautiful artwork the moment we met and am excited to finally have the opportunity to enlist her talent on one of my own Interior Design projects. My clients have a space carved out in their new-construction home for a doll-house, a quaint 10’x10’ room with a high vaulted ceiling and oversized window for lots of natural light. We wanted to create a whimsical and magical space for their two young girls to play and we have commissioned Dircene to create a mural of the night sky on the ceiling that spills down all four walls, encompassing the inhabitants in a sea of clouds. A custom blown glass light fixture will hang like a bouquet of balloons from the high ceiling. Below is a sneak peak of Dircene’s concept and I absolutely can’t wait to see the end result.


The next time you would like to update a space or add art to a room, go bold and consider a custom mural. Visit Dircene’s website for more inspiration,  www.dircenemartins.com.