Garden Room

 

The garden room has always been my favourite room with its vaulted ceiling and light, south facing aspect. In summer I like to sit with the large patio windows wide open and enjoy the sounds and scents wafting in from the garden. We haven't done anything to the room during the five years we have been here, I liked the Laura Ashley birds of paradise wallpaper but the wall lights were a bit old fashioned and Paul said the pine panelled ceiling was very dark and dated. Eventually I decided it was time to redecorate but I did warn Paul that the room would look very different!

orangey pine ceiling and old fashioned lights

First thing was to get the electrician in to remove the wall lights. Then we arranged for Colin the Decorator to come and paint and paper the room. Paul has always done the work himself before now but the vaulted ceiling was a step too far. It was the right decision because the ceiling took no less than four coats of white paint to cover the orangey pine.

work in progress

“Mural?” Colin said, “I've never done one of those before!” Well, there's always a first time. I had decided that I wanted a flavour of an Edwardian orangery so I had found a classic botanical mural for the length of one wall. The ceiling would be painted white with one cross beam left unpainted and clad to resemble solid oak. I had sleepless nights wondering what the heck this was going to look like!

garden room mural - no trace of Laura Ashley

Well I am delighted with the result. Paul did an excellent job with the 'oak beam'. Colin said he really enjoyed putting the mural up (especially after four days of painting a white ceiling).

a shame about the air con unit fixed to the wall but it's essential in hot weather

The sofas are perhaps not ideal for the room but they are so comfortable I am never getting rid of them. It's still my favourite room.

the mural looks even better in the evening with the lamps on