DIY Network

Trompe l'Oeil Rug From "Bare Walls" episode BRW-109

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Figure A Figure B Turpin created a border that suggests an elaborate cording. Painted tassels at each corner echo the passementrie trim on the room's accent pillows.

The sunroom's elegant flagstone floor needed warming, so Nancy Golden's guest, Gigi Wright-Turpin, of Fairytale Design Studio, drew inspiration from the fabrics and colors to create a trompe l'oeil rug directly on the floor (figure A).

The honeycomb print suggested a bee design to Wright-Turpin, and she set about to create a pattern of bees in a honeycomb (figure B). Using all the colors from the room's palette, she followed these steps to apply the design to the flagstone.

1. First she primed the surface and taped off the area. (Tip: Mix the primer with the paint color to save a step.) Then she painted in the base colors of each part of the rug.

2. She sponged a faux finish on the body of the rug and added stripes to the blue border.

3. She made a cardboard template for the sections of the honeycomb. After finding the exact center of the rug and, starting at that point, traced the honeycomb design on the entire area. Next she used a light color to line the individual honeycomb sections.

4. For added dimension, she side-loaded a brush with a darker color and shaded three sides of each honeycomb. Then she added the bees. (Tip: Use a good pair of kneepads to save yourself a lot of discomfort when you work on this type of project.)

5. After the paint had dried completely, she finished the surface with polyurethane, applied with a long-handled roller for convenience.

The Bare Facts: Once you paint a floor, you need to seal the paint with a clear floor sealer appropriate for the type of floor you're painted.

RESOURCES :
Trompe L'Oeil: Creating Decorative Illusions With Paint
Model: 0891348883
Author: Roberta Gordon-Smith
February 1998
F & W Publications Inc. (North Light and Betterway Books, Story Press, Popular Woodworking Books)
Website: www.fwpublications.com

Trompe L'oeil with Stencils: A Step-by-Step Guide. . .
Model: 0855328711
Author: Lynda Mills

Trompe L'oeil Stenciling
Model: 0806928514
Author: Jocelyn Kerr Holding

Delta Paints
Delta Technical Coatings Inc.
Whittier, CA
Toll-free Phone: 800-423-4135
Website: www.deltacrafts.com
Website: www.homespirations.com

GUESTS :
Gigi Wright-Turpin
13019 Lady Slipper Lane
Knoxville, TN 37922
Phone: 865-671-6093
Fax: 865-671-6094
Email: fairysigns@aol.com
Website: www.southroadenterprises.com
Fairytale Designs of Knoxville