Something Worth Thrifting: Trompe l'oeil
A whimsical touch that still feels chic
It’s no great secret that I love whimsy. Anything that feels artful or interesting is kind of my jam — and certainly that includes all things trompe l’oeil.
French for “tricks of the eye,” trompe l’oeil can be many things, but it’s basically this: something made to look like something else. That might mean a ceiling painted to look like a dome, a ceramic plate designed to appear as if it has fish on it, or a plaster table made to look like a log. Or even a painting made to look like a window, or a rattan table made to look like fabric.
If I find something trompe l’oeil at the thrift store, chances are I’m buying it. In fact, I’ve found quite a lot of it in my time.
A lot of big-name interior designers love the motif, too. Take Kelly Wearstler, who created a stunning tromp l’oeil design in this space by folding a large piece of canvas and painting it to capture the dynamic of the folds before transferring the vision onto silk wallcovering.
The below space — designed by Nick Olsen — features faux-draped walls and ceiling painted by decorative artist Agustin Hurtado. The floors were also painted, to mimic the bed covers, adding even more oomph and whimsy to the space.
I think what’s fun about tromp l’oeil is that it feels at once exuberant and chic. It’s difficult to craft things this way, so these are often hand-made pieces and therefore they look so unlike the factory-made items we’re so used to buying on Amazon and at other big-box stores.
There’s a lot of tromp l’oeil on the secondhand market these days (typically pretty expensive, but worth a look if only to gather inspiration). I love the above vintage trompe l’oeil painting, plaster ottoman, and Fornasetti umbrella stand.
Some more currently available pics: a Vallauris Majolica ceramic wall plate with seafood design, French ceramic woven rope basket, and Maitland-Smith leather book bracket.
One easy way to get the look is with a lamp. Above are two trompe l’oeil lamps I’ve thrifted — one made of terracotta and one of plaster — along with another little decorative plate I sourced for $3!
ODDS & ENDS
I wax poetic about my favorite skin peel pretty frequently, but the brand behind it just introduced something else that’s very fun: lip balms in pastry flavors (rich with peptides and verrryyyy glossy). And they literally taste exactly like what they claim to. I’ve been wearing the pain au chocolat on repeat but the croissant au beurre is also magical.
Ruggable has a bunch of new arrivals and I ordered this one (obsessed with animal prints lately). I also love this green runner, for a kitchen.
God I love a c*nty little chair (something that serves no purpose other than to look cute). This one at 1stDibs is absolutely incredible. These would make incredible dining chairs but, due to the price, might be better-suited for an accessory piece.
Like minds! I wrote about the history of trompe l’oeil a few months back. I also have an obsession with decorative plates and that second plate for $3 is 👌🏻
I learned something new today! I’ve seen the term trompe l’oeil before but never knew what it actually meant. “Trick of the eye” feels like such a poetic way to describe it. There is something so delightful about pieces that make you pause and look twice.
Now I’ll be keeping an eye out for them when I’m sourcing for my vintage shop. Thank you for sharing this… I love when beauty has a little surprise tucked inside.