Octagon Window with Trumpet Vine Trumpet vines help to highlight this unusual window and create interest without overwelming a small powder room. Contact Me about This Picture

For the Berks County Parade of Homes, I was commissioned to design an accent painting for a powder room. We had to keep it fairly neutral, as there was not yet a buyer for the house, and it had to appeal to most tastes. I was thrilled to see the distinctive octagon window, and knew that that had to be the focal point of my decorative painting. Blue trumpet vines and burgundy berries seemed to have a universal appeal. I like to continue the painting design onto the wood trim whenever possible, to highlight the 3-dimensional quality. The trim had a very high gloss finish, so I had to use a shine-remover, also called a deglosser (liquid sandpaper would be one) to take the shiny and smooth surface down to a flat finish before painting on it, so my paints would adhere. After the paint dried, I painted over it with a clear high gloss acrylic sealer only on the wood trim, so it would match the rest of the trim. I could also have used a polyurethane sealer for this. The wall area of the painting was sealed with a flat finish acrylic sealer, since the rest of the walls were a flat finish. Not all paintings require sealer, but it is essential in bathrooms, kitchens, and any place that gets a lot of condensation, splashing, or may be touched a great deal. In a small space like a powder room, both are inevitable.