People are getting creative with their walls in lockdown and we’re dying to give it a go

While staying at home and with plenty of time to spare, creative people are turning to their walls as a canvas, and the results are absolutely gorgeous.

When I was younger, my mum carefully painted murals onto my and my sisters’ bedroom walls, and I can promise you we were the envy of every child we knew. We would race upstairs when new friends visited to proudly show off our beautiful rooms. My sister is currently painting over hers, and as she posted a goodbye to it on her Instagram story, multiple messages from friends poured in to say how much they had loved it.

I’ve noticed recently that people are using lockdown as an opportunity to get similarly creative with their walls, with murals popping up in hallways and living rooms. And why on earth not? They’re totally unique, and even if it turns out to be a total disaster, it’s just paint – you can easily paint over it again.

You don’t even have to be a talented artist (although some of these people clearly are), as you can go for a simple design, or even use sponges or stencils to guide you. Drawing it on with a pencil first will let you adjust until you’re happy, and then start painting. Here are some of my favourite DIY wall murals that I’ve come across, and have me tempted to have a go myself.

Irish blogger Alannah Monks has added a 70s vibe to this bedroom with a groovy strip of stripes that waves across multiple walls. If you want to create something similar, check your straight lines are parallel with a spirit level.

For something you can complete in an afternoon, go for a straightforward design like the monochrome arches in this hallway. You won’t need much paint for this, either, so even a tester pot would do.

Another black and white design, this one shows that you can easily recreate a design you’ve seen elsewhere for a fraction of the cost. The wiggly design of this pattern is also great for freehand drawing, as it won’t matter if you veer slightly off your intended line.

Artist and designer Nathalie Lété has started using her home as her canvas in lockdown, and so far designs have popped up in her kitchen, staircase, hallway, and several alcoves. It’s going to be like walking around a painting by the time restrictions are lifted.

Dublin-based visual artist James Kirwan has been doing commissions for people within his 2, and now 5 kilometre radius, and we love this colourful one one Synge Lane. It’s sure to brighten up the whole neighbourhood.

Proving that you need no artistic talent to create your own DIY wall murals, just a foam brush, this beautiful design is wonderful in its simplicity.

Creating a pop of colour in a hallway, this fun design is a bright and cheerful welcome. It might take some time to get all those little details right, but the result would be well worth the effort.

Designer Lucy Tiffney has been adding some of her well-loved illustrations to her garden shed, and the result is absolutely gorgeous.