Murals are having a moment. Designers are using them to add instant character and one-of-a-kind style to any space. From creating a focal point with a single, scene-setting wall to establishing fully immersive environments, murals make any room an intentional experience that’s truly unique.
Driving the trend is a deep desire for interiors that feel curated, not cookie-cutter. Homeowners are craving spaces with emotional depth—rooms that feel collected, storied, and unmistakably their own. Murals do that in a big way. They help the room tell an expressive story and transform walls or ceilings from a background player to the star of the show.
Make a Statement
A common way to add a mural is the single-wall statement. A significant elevation of the single-color accent wall, today’s statement murals are more like large-scale artworks, anchoring a room without overwhelming it.
Designers use murals to create presence when placed above or behind beds, to add a pop of color to a game room, or to cover expansive walls in stairwells, hallways, or other areas that can be difficult to accessorize. A statement wall visible through a doorway adds drama that elevates formal spaces like living or dining rooms. The key is adding a mural where one expansive image can add a big splash of style or set an emotional tone in the room.
A pastoral landscape framed by custom molding, a bold jungle print, an abstract shape, or wash of color can provide depth and atmosphere while allowing the rest of the room to breathe. And don’t forget the ceiling for an unexpected design element that elevates the eye.
Statement walls are excellent for impact without total immersion. They’re particularly effective in rooms lacking any strong focal point or to set off strong architectural features.
Surrounded by Story
Harkening back to old-world traditional styles, the immersive mural is growing in popularity as styles have shifted toward the comfort of past eras. In living and dining rooms, walls are often enveloped in a continuous forest scene in muted tones. Half baths and powder rooms might be wrapped in a sky full of fluttering butterflies, exotic birds in flight or singing in branches, or oversized florals blooming in jewel-box colors.
These 360-degree environments create a sense of place that transports the room’s inhabitants into imagination, creating a sense of escape within the home.
To keep immersive from becoming overwhelming, restrained palettes, tonal shifts, and thoughtful integration with architectural details look sophisticated. Or go bold and theatrical to lend a space a distinctive, designer style that energizes and inspires.
Where Craft Meets Custom
Officially, murals are defined as a painting or other work of art (e.g., tile or fresco) executed directly on a wall. Murals for interiors today primarily range from fully hand-painted works to made-to-order wallpaper printed to exact dimensions. Both can be beautifully done.
Work with a local artist. For matchless warmth and charm, commissioning a custom mural to be painted directly on the wall or ceiling by a local artist allows for true collaboration and one-of-a-kind results, especially on areas with architectural quirks.
Made-to-measure wall coverings. For ready-to-hang historically inspired prints or bold patterns in a wide selection of hues, custom wallpaper murals with made-to-size programs are available through many design suppliers. Or check out websites like Etsy or Walls Republic for custom and semi-custom options that are often available in a variety of substrates to fit your project.
The key isn’t the method—it’s choosing a mural that suits the space, the timeline, the cost, and how permanent you want the statement to be.
A Lasting Impression
Ultimately, the appeal of murals lies in their ability to tell a story, mark a moment, and reward confident design choices. They’re a unique way to add color, pattern, movement, and a dash of the unexpected. Used as a single statement or a fully immersive environment, murals move beyond decoration to create spaces that feel emotional, distinctive, and highly personal.
The Magic of Murals — A Designer’s Perspective
A Dramatic First Impression by Lisa Van Dyke, Principal Designer, Riverwoods Interiors
Murals have become a go-to design move for creating rooms that feel memorable the moment you step inside. As Lisa Van Dyke, Principal Designer at Riverwoods Interiors, puts it simply: “Murals are a great choice in the home because they spark interest and tell a story.” In this living space, that story begins immediately upon entry.
The home is anchored by a strong black-and-white palette, clean-lined and modern throughout. Rather than introduce a contrasting color moment, Van Dyke leaned into that restraint, selecting a mural that amplifies the home’s graphic clarity while adding depth and atmosphere. The result is striking without feeling busy—a space that feels intentional, composed, and quietly dramatic.
“For this particular mural, we wanted to stick with the black and white theme of the home and also bring the outdoors in,” Van Dyke explains. The forest imagery does exactly that, echoing the vertical rhythm and natural calm of the landscape just beyond the windows. Rendered in tonal shades, the mural introduces pattern and movement through repetition rather than color, setting a distinctively dramatic mood that is carried throughout the residence.
One of the most compelling details is the mirror placed at the center of the mural composition. “The mirror in the center reflects the window which shows the evergreen trees outside in the center of the black and white mural,” Van Dyke notes. It’s an unexpected moment that deepens the connection between interior and exterior, layering reflection, light, and imagery into a single focal point. The effect feels thoughtful and immersive—almost cinematic—without overwhelming the room.
The mural also serves as a powerful backdrop for the furnishings. A black grand piano reads as sculptural against the soft forest imagery, while modern seating in black and contrasting light neutrals provides balance. Linear sconces reinforce the mural’s verticality and add an atmospheric glow, keeping the space feeling contemporary and cool.
Van Dyke emphasizes that execution matters just as much as selection. “My advice for choosing a mural is to choose something that you won’t tire of or is not trendy,” she says. “But most importantly, choose a wallpaper installer who understands how to do murals and is very meticulous. It will make all the difference!” In this space, that attention to detail is evident—proof that when chosen and installed thoughtfully, a mural can define a room with confidence and lasting impact.
The Magic of Murals — An Artist’s Perspective
Range, Personality, and Scale with Local Artist Chelsea Blosil
For muralist Chelsea Blosil, large-scale painting has always been about possibility. “With a career spanning over the past 18 years, I’ve had fun with the art of large-scale mural painting,” she says, “bridging the gap between imagination and reality for a wide range of clients.” Her work spans professional environments—office boardrooms, break rooms, hallways, and franchise spaces—as well as community-driven projects for nonprofits, local schools, and donated murals for hospitals and service groups internationally.
That range is evident in the two projects shown here, each revealing how murals can shape a space in entirely different ways. The ceiling mural created in collaboration with AMB Design—still a work in progress—turns an often-overlooked surface into a defining design moment. Rather than remaining neutral, the ceiling becomes an expressive canvas that adds personality and surprise while reinforcing the room’s sense of individuality.
“I love using color and creativity in my work,” Blosil shares. For this children’s room, she leaned into bold, organic shapes layered across a soft gray ground. Muted blues, warm ochres, and earthy neutrals drift overhead, creating movement that feels playful but balanced. “I ran with the idea of bold shapes for this children’s room,” she explains. “I wanted to create a unique ceiling pattern to blend with all the patterns and color being added into the room.” Subtle personal details are woven into the design as well like disguising the clients’ names in the design.
In contrast, a wall mural for a different project highlights another side of Blosil’s work. Saturated and vibrant color, strong geometry, and a graphic approach give the space a bold, energetic personality. Where the ceiling mural feels whimsical and immersive, the wall-forward composition is confident and dynamic—demonstrating her ability to shift style based on the needs of the space and the client.
“It’s fun to merge the world of fine art and murals with high-end interior design,” Blosil says.
Outside of mural work, Blosil balances her practice with custom canvas art and family life. “When I’m not painting, you can find me cooking up a yummy meal for my family or around the campfire on a weekend adventure with my husband, little boy, and golden retriever,” she says. Living close to the Wasatch Mountains offers constant inspiration. “I love being inspired by what’s around me and collaborating on unique ideas, bringing in bold color for the wide range of clients I work with.”
