Inspired Interior | Christian Bérard

My home office is in desperate need of a little decoration -- no matter how many pieces of art I hang the white wall just aren't cutting it.  I'm thinking about doing a little Christian Bérard homage.  Pictured above are the trompe l'oeil architectural details he designed in collaboration with Jean-Michel Frank for L'Institut Guerlain.  What is often mistaken for as paint is in fact grosgrain ribbon and silk cut to resemble Bérard's brushstrokes.  No, he was not trying to fool anyone with his faux architectural details, but that's the beauty of them- they're whimsical and perhaps not all that difficult to mimic?  New York designer John Barman, took inspiration from the Guerlain interior and used Bérard-style brushstrokes to add interest to the otherwise straightforward bedroom pictured above.  In the third picture, Sara Story painted faux molding in the hallway of the Elle Decor Modern Living Showhouse but kicked things up a notch by using two shades of gold paint to create the illusion of a shadow.  Obviously I love the gold. 

Since I rent and actual wood molding are not an option this might just be the easiest way to achieve my very own Rachel Roy-inspired office. Someone bring me a yardstick and a can of paint!

(Images: 1 / 2 / 3/ 4+5)