City lights

Unleash the artist within you and create a sophisticated cityscape on a living room wall.

Gone are the days of one-dimensional living spaces in predictable hues – contemporary design begs for daring feature walls, statement art pieces and new explorations of colour. It’s easy to fall into the comfort zone-trap when it comes to designing rooms, opting for hues and designs you’ve gravitated towards for years. This is the season of embracing slightly out-there designs you may have pinned to Pinterest boards and colours that deviate from your design norms. This living space is subtle and chic in cool hues like Resene Oxygen, Resene Dalek, Resene Infinity and Resene Silver Aluminium, but it’s daring, dynamic and modern in its design.

Living rooms are the heart of the home, yet all too often these spaces can feel lacklustre and uninspired, devoid of personality and character. By injecting a little more colour and a more adventurous design choice, we can transform our living rooms into dynamic retreats. One designer who has mastered the art of incorporating large-scale murals into living spaces is interior decorator Jonathan Adler. Known for his eclectic and whimsical aesthetic, his use of oversized artworks and statement pieces adds a sense of drama and grandeur to any room, pushing homeowners to think outside the box.

There's a boldness that comes with embracing the unexpected and a willingness to dive into daring choices. What’s certain is this approach will elevate a space from ordinary to extraordinary. Step into this living room and a clever 3D cityscape greets you. A palette of varying blue hues of Resene Oxygen, Resene Dalek, Resene Infinity, Resene Silver Aluminium, Resene Gunmetal and Resene Atomic create this effect. The key to achieving a truly three-dimensional effect lies in the strategic use of deep versus light shades.

Begin by painting the backdrop in Resene Black White, a crisp and versatile hue that provides the perfect canvas for your urban landscape. Next, select your main colours for the buildings – i.e, Resene Oxygen, Resene Dalek, Resene Infinity – choosing darker shades for structures closer to the foreground and lighter shades for those in the distance. This contrast in tones creates the illusion of depth, with the darker hues appearing closer and the lighter hues receding into the distance.

To enhance the realism of your cityscape, vary the heights and shapes of the buildings, using masking tape to create clean lines and sharp edges. You could experiment with different architectural styles and silhouettes, from sleek skyscrapers to quaint townhouses, to add complexity to the scene. We went for an abstract, simple linear city look, but this look would work equally as well with triangle roofs or a horizontal city/townscape. Don't be afraid to mix and match colours and textures. Layering shades of rich Resene Silver Aluminium, Resene Gunmetal and Resene Atomic will add plenty of dimension to your skyline.

A 3D cityscape feature wall adds an undeniable sense of drama and intrigue to a living space, transforming a plain wall into a dynamic work of art that commands attention. The juxtaposition of light and shadow creates a sense of movement. It works particularly well to take the attention away from the TV, which is often central to a living room but not always the most aesthetically pleasing.

There is a fine line, however, between tacky and sophisticated when it comes to illustrated feature walls and murals.

To keep things chic:

• Choose designs that are timeless and sophisticated. While more whimsical motifs might be charming in a child's bedroom, they can quickly feel out of place in a more mature living space. Opt for murals that evoke a sense of elegance and sophistication, like abstract patterns, nature-inspired scenes or architectural motifs such as our cityscape.

• Consider its placement within the room. Placing a mural on a focal wall, such as behind the bed in a bedroom or above the sofa in a living room, draws attention to the artwork and allows it to become a captivating focal point.

• Think about the scale of the mural in relation to the size of the room. Large-scale murals can make a bold statement and create a sense of drama, but they can also dominate the space and feel overwhelming if not carefully balanced. In smaller rooms, opt for smaller-scale murals or consider a partial mural that covers only a portion of the wall, allowing the artwork to complement rather than overpower the space. In this slightly narrower living space, we’ve only run the pattern halfway up the Resene Black White wall.

Accessorising spaces with strong feature walls

When accessorising a space with a strong feature wall, it's key to strike a balance between boldness and restraint. We opted for a tan sofa to contrast the blue tones of the cityscape, adding a cosy touch to the room to keep it from feeling too icy. We needed to create a harmonious contrast with the cool blues and greys of the mural, balancing warmth with coolness for a well-rounded aesthetic.

A coffee table painted in Resene Undercurrent, a rich and vibrant hue, echoes the deep blues of the skyline. This bold choice adds a pop of colour and ties the room together, creating a cohesive look. Similarly, we painted our TV cabinet and a planter in Resene Atomic, a gridiron grey-blue shade that adds a playful and modern touch to the space.

Continuing the linear theme, we added a navy and white striped rug to anchor the room and extend the visual space. This timeless pattern creates the illusion of depth and movement, making the room feel larger and more expansive while adding a little more warmth and charm. Ultimately, a brave design choice like a 3D cityscape feature wall will elevate a living room from mundane to magnificent, infusing the space with personality.

Colours and products mentioned in this article

Styling by Megan Harrison-Turner. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2024