Sam Simon: Making Magical

Gentleman, artist, and designer, Sam Simon doing what he does best.

After far too long away from the blog, we make our return with one of our favorite discoveries through Twitter, Sam Simon. Not only is Sam a fine fellow and a fabulous follow, he is also a very talented artist working out of NYC creating custom murals and artwork with a focus on children’s themes. His past clients include trend-setters like Betsey Johnson, Versace, ABC Carpet and Home, Macy’s, the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, and many happy homeowners. As Sam puts it, his goal is to create “work that hangs on your wall as long as you like- but hangs in your heart forever.”

We asked Sam to tell us a bit about the artistic process behind this charming boys’ bedroom mural. The project presented a few design dilemmas, not the least of which was the changing needs of growing boys. Without further ado, here’s Sam Simon-

“This is a shared space for two young boys in a very modern home in Manhattan’s Flatiron District.  The ceilings are soaring, yet the room’s footprint was not. The challenge was to create a beautiful mural piece that would allow for the furniture placement to change as the children grew older. (Currently, there is a crib on the opposite wall, in time another twin bed will be added under the taxi.) I also wanted the space to feel fun and alive- without being overwhelming or garish.  To achieve this I stuck to a relatively tight color palate of blues, browns and touches of red and yellow.  Keeping all of the focal points above average headboard height allows the clients to move furniture elements as the boys grow and their needs change.

A shared bedroom for two growing boys sports a custom Sam Simon mural. Photo: Mae Lee Hacking, co-founder of Here In This House

The over sized, washy block pattern looks super smart, and the horizontal lines give a “grounding point” for images like the dinosaur and vehicles. The washy texture that we achieve by mixing several values of the same hue softens the graphic nature of the piece.   Metallic white bands and silvery stars glimmer as you move around the room, and your perspective and relationship to ambient light changes.  It really looks magical at bedtime!

An over sized block pattern creates the horizontal lines that give a “grounding point for images like the dinosaur and vehicles.” Photo: Mae Lee Hacking, co-founder of Here In This House

Personalization is what I’m all about- everything from the 17 on the fire engine to the lower case “j” and “a” have significance to the patrons.  The letters for example signify the first initials of both boys’ names, and the number 17 signifies the local fire station.

Personalized details are an integral part of the design. Photo: Mae Lee Hacking, co-founder of Here In This House

Detail of wall mural design by Sam Simon. Photo: Mae Lee Hacking, co-founder of Here In This House

My goal is to appeal to both children and adults.  I also always want my work to look as good and clean from across the room or 1 foot away.  I have eyes like a hawk, and have been known to tighten up every line and corner until they look close to machine made.  The addition of tiny details are one of my trademarks- in this instance the passengers of the taxi-cab and fire engine.  I believe it is all about the details, that this is where the magic of fine craftsmanship lives.”

Here are a few more of our favorite projects by Sam-

A delightful animal filled mural in a bathroom by Sam Simon.

Love the polka dot wall with a custom painting by Sam coupled with nursery furniture by the fabulous New Traditionalists.

Painting with truck, boat, and car by Sam Simon.

A green nursery sprouts floral tree patterned walls painted and designed by Sam Simon.

The last line of Sam’s manifesto is “create your very own beautiful world, piece by piece, personal and precious.” Brushstroke by brushstroke, Sam is helping people do just that.

You can find Sam and many more of his magical creations at www.samsimonprojects.com. He can also be found spouting more manifesto worthy quips on Twitter as @1samsimon.