Trompe-l’œil & the Painted Illusions of Liguria

Last week, I found myself head over heels for something I didn’t expect: the windows that aren’t really windows, and the shutters that never open.

Along the Ligurian coast—especially in the postcard-perfect towns of Camogli, Santa Margherita, and Portovenere—you’ll see building after building dressed in trompe-l’œil. It’s an old French phrase that means “deceive the eye,” and that’s exactly what these painted facades do. They mimic architectural details so perfectly—arched windows, balustrades, carved stone—that you genuinely have to pause and stare to figure out what’s real and what’s illusion.

There’s something so delightfully cheeky about it: a whole coastline in on the same playful trick. Was it to save money on real architectural flourishes? Was it an artist’s whim turned tradition? Whatever the reason, it’s deeply charming. And for someone who prints patterns for a living, it was like falling into a real-life sketchbook.

I left Liguria with my phone full of photos and my brain buzzing. Expect to see a little trompe-l’œil energy creeping its way into my work soon—maybe not fake windows, but certainly more playful illusion, architectural references, and painted storytelling.

Sometimes inspiration doesn’t whisper—it shouts from the walls.