USING WALL MURALS WITH ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

DECEMBER 30, 2020| speedproimaging

When you look at the exterior of a building or step into the interior of one, what grabs your attention? Usually, some interesting detail or design element makes you pay attention or take notice. When visitors come to your business, you want them to notice what you have to offer and feel compelled to work with your company.

One way to grab people’s attention is to install a wall mural, either on the interior of the building or the exterior. A wall mural can do more than make potential customers and clients notice you. They can also make your team feel happier about being at work and increase their workplace engagement. If your company’s building has unique architectural details, you can use those design elements as inspiration when creating your wall graphics.

Take a look at the benefits of using wall graphics for architecture and see how you can design a wall mural that works for your business and with your building.

WHAT ARE WALL MURALS?

Wall murals are works of art or design that take up all or part of a large wall. Although traditional murals are painted onto the wall, printed wall murals consist of media that attaches to the surface of the wall. You can remove the mural when the time is right, rather than painting over it. Depending on the location of the mural and the type of design or images used on it, it can be made from various media. Some common materials include:

• Photo paper
• Canvas
• Cast vinyl
• Laminates

A wall mural can be located in the lobby of a building to welcome visitors and display your company’s brand or logo. You can also install a wall mural to dress up a conference room or hallway in your office space. Retailers can use wall murals to show off their products or add visual pep and excitement to an underused area of the store, such as the wall behind the checkout counter or a blank wall in the changing rooms.

WHAT IS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN?

Architectural design refers to the process of creating the elements or components of a building or structure. There are many styles of architecture in the U.S., from Art Deco and Neo-Classical to contemporary and modern. The architectural style of your company’s building depends in large part on when it was built and where it’s located.

Design elements vary from style to style. For example, a common element of Classical and Neo-Classical buildings are large columns. Contemporary buildings often feature asymmetrical elements, soft, rounded lines and lots of glass.

The materials used in each style also differ. Contemporary buildings are often made from raw or natural materials such as glass, wood and concrete. Neo-Classical buildings are often made from stone or brick, while Art Deco buildings consist of smooth, shiny stone, metal and stucco.

BENEFITS OF USING WALL MURALS FOR ARCHITECTURE

When designing a wall mural for your business, it’s best to create a design that nods to the architecture of your building and plays to the strengths of your building’s style. Wall murals that coordinate with the surrounding architecture help grab people’s attention and get your brand’s message across. They can also create a sense of belonging and calm when a visitor comes into your business. For example, if you install a historic-looking wall mural in a building with many classical elements, people who see it are likely to think that it belongs there. They might even believe that the mural is part of the original design of the building.

If you create a wall mural that clashes with your building’s architectural style, the effect can be jarring. For example, if you install an abstract, loud mural in a traditional building, visitors might feel uncomfortable but be unable to put their fingers on what exactly is bothering them.

HOW TO DESIGN ARCHITECTURAL WALL MURALS

When you’re creating a wall mural for your business, pay close attention to the design elements of your building. The team at SpeedPro is happy to work with you as you create your mural. We can act as consultants and offer you guidance and design advice so your wall mural adds to your building’s architectural design rather than detracting from it.

As you work on creating your wall graphics, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Match shapes and colors: The shape of the images or designs used in your wall mural should coordinate with the shape of the building’s architectural details. If there are many round, soft shapes in the building, use round, soft shapes in your mural. The same is true of colors. While you don’t have to go with a monochrome color palette, the hues you choose should complement the color of the building and the other colors used in the interior.
• Match styles: Coordinate the style of your wall mural with the architectural style of your building. If your business is located in an Art Deco building, create a mural that reflects that style. If you know the style of your building or the name of the architect who designed it, try looking up interior designers and artists who worked in the same style to get some inspiration.
• Consider the mural’s location and use: Keep the purpose of the mural and its location in mind when you’re designing it. An exterior wall mural might have considerably different requirements compared to a mural placed in a room without any windows.
• Play with materials and texture: The appearance and texture of your wall mural can vary based on the materials you use for it. You might want to choose a texture that coordinates well with the architectural style of your building. Photo paper can work well with a contemporary architectural style, while a textured canvas might work best with a more rough-hewn building style.

WORK WITH SPEEDPRO TO COORDINATE YOUR WALL MURALS WITH YOUR BUILDING’S ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

You might have a vision for how a wall mural will coordinate with the architectural elements of a building. But you might not be sure how to translate that vision into reality. SpeedPro can help. We’re experts at large-format printing. We’ll work with you to transform a design idea into a functional wall mural. We’ll also help you install the mural if needed.