|
 (ARA)
- Trompe l'oeil, or "deceive the eye," is a time-honored
decorative effect for adding architectural details, textures
and even furnishings or whole scenes where they do not really
exist. Today, thanks to sophisticated printing techniques, trompe
l'oeil images once achieved only by master painters are available
on wallpaper.
So realistic looking is the stone
wallpaper in the First Class Male collection by S.A. Maxwell
Co., that, without touching it, most people would never detect
that it's actually a pattern printed on washable, durable, matte-finish
wallpaper.
A great tool for creating or
enhancing popular lodge and mountain cabin looks, this wallpaper
can turn a simple fireplace into the focal point of a room. Install
it on both sides of the fireplace or use it to create a faux
stone chimney. Add a rustic wood beam mantel and hang your favorite
catch above it. You can hang art or objects on this stone wall
without a heavy-duty drill bit. And unlike the real thing, the
stone on this fireplace can be wiped clean with just a damp cloth.
|
To add the drama of stone pillars
to your mountain retreat, measure the width and height of the
wall. Then determine a sequence of alternating stone pillars
with open space between them. Cut around the edges of the stone
shapes on strips of wallpaper the height of your ceiling and
hang each strip vertically the full height of the wall, allowing
equal space between each strip.
For a different variation on
the rustic theme, use the stone pattern along the lower portion
of the wall to create a chair rail. Or add a touch of country
to your kitchen with a stone soffit above the cabinets. |
|
City or country, this faux stone
wallpaper makes a great fortress in a child's room. Install it
36 inches up from the floor, trim the top edge to outline the
stone shapes, and put cloud wallpaper above it.
An entirely different feel is
achieved with the trompe l'oeil bookshelf in Maxwell's First
Class Male collection. It brings warmth and tradition to any
room and when used at the end of a hall or stair landing, actually
seems to extend the space.
The same pattern can define different
areas within a large room. On the far wall of a master bedroom
it can signal a separation between the sleeping area and the
entry to the master bath. Use it to warm up the living area of
a great room in which the kitchen, dining and family room are
all open to each other.
The ultimate English library
can be achieved with the addition of faux bookshelves on either
side of a fireplace or up to chair-rail height along the bottom
of the walls. As a finishing touch, install a subtle textured
or striped wallpaper above it. Set the right tone for your home
office by installing a faux bookcase or two on the wall behind
your desk. And in any room, disguise a door by turning it into
a bookcase. |
