Swan Studios Mural and Faux Finish Adventures: September 2026

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Bamboo Mural to Hide the Drainpipes

Drainpipes are an essential for house construction. But sometimes they can get in the way of the overall look. Most of the time we choose to simply ignore them and pretend they aren’t there. Not for this homeowner. The pool on the lanai is flanked by the walls of a Casita addition. Previously, I had painted a botanical mural for a Zen feel. The location of the outdoor dining area is to the side of the wall mural and gives a view of the side of the new extension. This side wall is where the drainpipes are placed. Rather than look at the drainpipes, the homeowner requested the pipes be camouflaged by extending the bamboo of the mural. A few favorite backyard birds now fly in the mural as well:

Here’s a closeup look of the side of the Casita:

Ready to change the focus of your Lania? Contact me at Swan Studios Inc

For more art adventures, be sure to follow Swan Studios Inc on :

Face Book Instagram Pinterest You Tube Threads

#outdoormural #bamboomural

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Silver Metallic Faux Grasscloth

There is a simple elegance to Grasscloth wallcovering. The care and installation, however, is not so elegant especially here in SW Florida. The average humidity level hovers in the upper 70s and often climbs into the 90s. It is like breathing water. Granted every home has climate control, but that humidity does find its way in and can affect wall finishes. If the Grasscloth is added into a bathroom there is , of course, the shower steam and sink splashes to contend with. A simple answer to having the look of Grasscloth on your walls without the worry of its upkeep is to have the look faux painted onto the walls.

This Casita bath was literally screaming for a wall finish. With a few tones of silver stria’d on in a horizontal pattern, the room now has the timeless yet modern look of grass cloth:

Here’s a closer look:

For this particular room, the base coat color is SW7646 First Star. Then using a wide flat natural bristle brush the silver is delicate brushed. This look was alternating with Faux Effects Palette Deco in Silver, and a mixture of Flexible Modeling Paste and Metallic Silver acrylic.

The end result is glamorous, looks like wallcovering, and has the added benefit of being easy to care for and holds up even in the steamiest of rooms.

Let’s create your own custom faux finish look. Contact Swan Studios Inc

Follow all of Swan Studios Inc's art adventures on your favorite social media:

Face Book Instagram Pinterest Threads You Tube

#fauxpainting #fauxgrasscloth

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Asian Style Shutter Mural

Shutters are a quintessential look for homes in SW Florida. The traditional plantation style shutters are used both in both the interior of the homes and on the exterior of the homes. Occasionally, they are requested to be painted on in my mural work. For a current homeowner “traditional” meant an Asian flair. Their heritage is Chinese. The mural work started out as a Zen look for their poolside wall. (to see those photos, visit: Florida Zen Mural )

I’ll have more on that in a future article.

Next to the Zen mural was a traditional arch window. Rather than leave the window “undressed”, Asian style shutters are now painted on either side. For extra flair, Asian fret work Is painted above the arch.

The end result is “traditional”, Asian, and 3D: