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A View On Perspective...

34 comments


Hi Folks , Flori here again..
This will only be a mini blog for me, as I haven’t many photographs to show you regarding this project I’m afraid, but as I have been busy adding makeover ideas recently, I decided to take a look through some of the old photos I have taken and downloaded to my PC, to see if I could find some old ideas that might prove useful and lo and behold..this one popped up!

I have a small narrow section of pathway near the OH’s cave, (Oops! sorry, meant shed)..that had me scratching my head for the longest time..It lead up to a tall stone wall of the next property, so really had little use at all as it came to a dead end.
After a lot of pondering, I decided that a Perspective Arch trellis just might be the answer..

Now these are good, but expensive for what they are and they usually come sprayed in a solid shade of dark green or brown. Not the most exciting of colours, and they don’t enhance the perspective effect in my humble opinion.

Digging deep, I purchased the trellis and tried not to show pain as I paid for it..I’m sure I whimpered a bit as the moths leapt from my open purse..
Getting it home, I then put on my ‘arty’ head and pondered some more..

(Now this is the point that I really wished I had taken photos before I began my project..Guess who forgot?)

Using a black garden paint, I concentrated on painting the main centre of the trellis, and gradually ‘dragged’ the black up through the arch effect. I made sure that the paint became fainter as I pulled it through by blotting off any excess before applying.
Once dried, I then added a light blue to the ‘face’ of the arch and blended the two colours as they met..
(This was later changed to a two tone green when I repainted it the following season which I think I preferred).

It isn’t perfect by a long way, but it certainly adds dimension and gives the impression of shadow, light and distance which is what I had hoped to achieve.

We completed the look by fitting the perspective trellis onto a large mirror set against the back of the stone wall, and the use of selective planting to enhance the perspective effect.

The OH built a wooden corner Pergola to add height to the area, and fitted clear Polycarbonate panels as a protective roof in case of showers. (This also doubled up as a covered area for him when working outside his shed so he wasn’t daft!) A small foldaway table and chair set completed the project.

Sometimes we can amaze ourselves at what we can achieve with a little bit of va va voom and the odd paint pot or two!…
Hope you enjoyed and may it help inspiration flow in your garden too… Love Flori \0/x

Combining two tone colours helped ‘lengthen’ the perspective..Black paint in the centre and fading into light blue on the outside.

OH looks on during close up.. (testing his supervisory skills!)
Jasmine ‘Fiona Sunrise’ planted during dormant state. This is the best yellow leaf climber there is..A really lovely Jasmine, but can be a bit of a monster..bewarned! LOL!

Offset view, and wiring being put in place for garden lantern above arch..

Retaining the black centre of the arch but now adding two tones of green to enhance the lengthening effect. Planting now includes Clematis and Roses too..

The OH added a simple corner pergola to add vertical interest and provide a climbing frame for planting..(Yes, that huge green thing on the right is his shed!)

A polycarb clear roof was fitted as a protective covering, plus a small foldaway table and chair set completed the project and added a stylish simple touch.

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Comments

 

That is an amazing effect Flori I thought it was a real pathway underneath the trellis...You have made it look so very realistic with the painting... a work of art my friend... I really love it! ;-))

14 Oct, 2012

 

Why thank you Rich! This was done a few years back now, and my OH keeps expanding his workshop so it is creeping into this area..Time for a major tidy up methinks..lol I have just ordered the skip! hahahahaha..\0/x

14 Oct, 2012

 

Is that really flat trellis ? Brilliant !

15 Oct, 2012

 

Wow Flori,that is amazing ! I love it..I have difficulty in realising the pathway trellis isn't real..so convincing,and the pergola with a roof is a great idea..well done to you both:o)

15 Oct, 2012

 

Looks great! I don't think I've seen perspective arches in NZ, but what a fabulous idea for a narrow difficult space. You are obviously quite a creative person.

15 Oct, 2012

 

Crikey Flori you've outdone yourself this time! What a clever, creative person you are with not only this but the lovely mural too xxx

15 Oct, 2012

 

Very clever Flori. Looks fantastic.

15 Oct, 2012

 

Flori, you are such a clever and talented lady. Wow, I never would have thought of doing a paint job like that and it does transform the whole effect of the perspective mirror. The OH has made a terrific job of the pergola with rain shelter too hasn't he? And I love your table and chairs with musical theme! Perfect. I just love little nooks and crannies like this with tables and chairs. It's funny, because my garden is full of chairs that I hardly ever sit on! lol x

15 Oct, 2012

 

Oh Wow!!! Straight into my favs Flori. I would need a painting by numbers kit to achieve that effect Lol. I love the pergola too, it all has that Mediterranean holiday look :o))))xx

15 Oct, 2012

 

Hello all\0/ Thank you for all your favourable comments.. Yes Diane, it really is just flat trellis! The effect is created all by the perspective lines. I have just enhanced this by using paint zones that's all.. This trellis usually comes in just a solid green or brown finish. It still looks ok, but using your own choice of colours works much better.. Bit of advise though, if you try this, stand back often just to check the illusion you are creating. It is really hard to see when you are up close to it!

Thank you Bloomer, my dear friend, and Dwyllis, glad you liked the finished effect. It really suits a difficult area..

Thank you Pam..Being as artistic as you are, I thought that you might appreciate this illusion..

Hello Snoopdog, nice to meet you Steve! It really is just a flat one piece trellis I promise! lol..The illusion is enhanced by the mirror at the back which we added to it.. This trellis is expensive for what it is (£60 plus in a GC, but check out ebay) it can make a great decorative effect though. The actual pergola and roof were an afterthought, but then again still help towards creating the illusion.

Thank you Cinders..It is always lovely to see you on my page.

Nooks and crannies in a garden are always a challenge aren't they Karen, but I guess I enjoy having to think out of the box because of them..I am like you my friend, having seating in varied areas of the garden, and seldom using them, though this covered area is really handy in the case of sudden downpours lol!.. Seating helps provide focal points and makes you see a garden from different perspectives too, which is not a bad thing.. Creating perspective via an illusion goes back in history to the times of the Greeks/Romans. We just borrow from the history of Garden Design..

Lol! Thanks Annella for popping me into Favs..The painting combination looks more complex than it is my friend, honest! The secret is just 'pulling' the colour through so far and blending it..It would work just as well if I had painted the outer sections dark and the inner sections in a lighter colour, the illusion of distance would still be created, maybe even more so.
Sometimes it is just trying different things to find out what works for you and is the most pleasing to the eye. Only wish I had thought to take photos at the very start so you could see how this illusion was achieved..\0/x

15 Oct, 2012

 

A great idea Flori. I am going to look online for some of this type of trellis and try 'painting' it in my paint program. It should be easier to see the finished effect then and when it works ....buy the paint...lol. Thank you for posting this I had never heard of this type of trellis before... ;-)

15 Oct, 2012

 

Ah we live and learn my friend..lol..Great idea about trying it out in a paint programme on the PC first as a prototype first Rich..Good thinking!! lol \0/x

15 Oct, 2012

 

love the effect of this Flori, really good idea, once planted around looks like a real pathway to another part of the garden :o))) x

15 Oct, 2012

 

Thats quite an amazing effect.

15 Oct, 2012

 

Thank you San, and you too Drc..I really appreciate you both looking in and posting comments on my page..\0/x

15 Oct, 2012

 

your welcome :o)) x

15 Oct, 2012

 

WOW!!!!!!!!Flori that is amazing I think its really lovely, at first I too thought you could stand under the actual arch and then I carried on reading, you are so clever and certainly have an artistic eye and touch, hubby has done well also, its a another lovely area...

15 Oct, 2012

 

This is wonderful ... looks really cosy :o)

15 Oct, 2012

 

Thank you Lincslass and you too Hywel..I really appreciate your feedback on my blog...It looks far more complex than it is, but it does give a great illusion and really looks like it extends a small area..Tricking the eye is an old Garden design tip that goes back hundreds of years, and still works as well today as it did then..Thanks for looking in on me...\0/x

15 Oct, 2012

 

I can see you have a very creative imagination Flori....maybe you could come around her and sort out my garden.....lol ;-)

15 Oct, 2012

 

Hahahahaha..I am on my way my friend..Put kettle on..LOL! \0/x

15 Oct, 2012

 

Just plugged it in Flori !! :-))

16 Oct, 2012

 

I find when trying to paint lanscapes perspective is really difficult......

16 Oct, 2012

 

I was the same when I used to draw Pam, though I know that it is one of the golden rules in art, lol..As this was done for me, all I had to do was work out what colours suited it best..It is amazing the effect you can get though..Hope all is well with you my friend..Raff sends a smelly lick..lol\0/x

16 Oct, 2012

 

Hi Flori .. interesting pics and blog :o) x

16 Oct, 2012

 

Thanks Terra..This is a project that I did a while back now, but sorting through some old photos brought it to mind.. Inspiration can come in all forms..lol \0/x

16 Oct, 2012

 

I had to keep going back to look at this. Its brilliant. It really looks like a long passage. The pergola just finishes it off .

16 Oct, 2012

 

Absolutely magical, I still can't get my head around the fact that it's not a walkway.
Well done you're a genius.

16 Oct, 2012

 

Thank you Rose, and you too Valadel, what lovely compliments your comments are! It is just a different way of using paint really, the perspective design was already on the trellis so we can take little credit for that lol..We just used a few tricks to enhance it that was all..but it just shows what can be done..\0/x

16 Oct, 2012

 

You did a great job Flori thanks for sharing your ideas ;-)

16 Oct, 2012

 

Ooooh Flori, I want to step inside that trellis and see whats beyond, amazing effect, you clever lady it's super and the pergola & table and chairs has made it a nice corner to sit & 'spy' on OH when he is beavering away in his workshop! Perfect.

17 Oct, 2012

 

Wow flori love this ... May have to copy that idea ..brilliant .. going back to study it now .. in favs too .

17 Oct, 2012

 

Thank you Rich, Grandmage and Cris..I am so glad that this has been so well received..\0/x

20 Oct, 2012

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