A thing of beauty is the simplest way I can describe an enchanting mural.  Murals bring beauty to an otherwise bland, flat, one dimensional surface.  The artist starts with nothing but an idea and suddenly a wall comes to life.  I am always impressed with anyone that has artistic talent.  I prefer a computer.  I can cut, paste and navigate my way through a maze of fonts to come up with an appealing web page...but to craft an elaborate picture on a wall.  Well...I am awe struck.

I recently hosted a shower for one of my best friends.  She opted to have her shower at our friend's $1,000,000 PLUS...house.  While that number doesn't mean what it used to...it still gets you some decent real estate in Northern VA.  It is always fun to crash the home of someone who has some serious coin.  High end window treatments, massive kitchen islands, plantation shutters, etc.  it is all so fun to view.

Upon entering this massive home, I was immediately struck by a mural that she had above her fireplace on her 20ft ceilings (hello...).  I know...20ft ceilings seem to now be standard in the local McMansions that litter the Metro DC area.  Still it was a gorgeous site.  I was so taken that I contacted the woman who completed the work.  Her name is Kari Cannistraro.  Her work is beyond gorgeous.  She does everything from Italian murals on a full wall to a gracious castle that adorns the wall of a lucky little girl.   You can view photos of her work on her website.

Now here is the too cool factor.  She can mimic/match furniture, accesories, patterns, pillows, etc in your home to the mural she is creating.  I have a credenza in my dining room that has a distinct and detailed design that runs throughout the piece.  She was able to take the attributes and color palette of the piece and bring it to life on the wall.  The vines, soft petals and delicate color choice add a warm and interesting glow to the room.  LOVE IT!!  Next up is my little girl's room.  Final note, I found her prices to be very reasonable and she was a lot of fun to collaborate with during the project.  She can be found at http://www.ovidioart.com/