Big Bedroom Bugs: Bringing Joy to the Francis House Bedrooms
I was absolutely delighted to be invited back to Francis House Children’s Hospice to continue our collaboration. After the rainbow corridor project, the team wanted to bring that same sense of playfulness into five of the bedrooms, this time the bugs needed to be bigger! 🪲 🐌 🐞
I LOVE painting bugs, so this was a real treat.
Initial sketches of some room bugs
The Design Process
Since these are personal rooms, we wanted to ensure the walls didn't feel "fussy." The goal was to add warmth and character, not to overwhelm the space.
Helen, from the hospice team, had a brilliant practical idea: we tested the bug sizes on the walls using A4 paper before committing. We eventually settled on A3-sized designs, which I mocked up on my iPad to ensure the scale was right for the rooms.
Bringing the Bugs to Life
Because some of the rooms were still in use, I had to move from one room to the next as they became available. I painted between 3–5 bugs per room, connecting them with "trail-lines" that flowed across the walls. This approach helped the bugs feel like they were a considered part of the room decor, rather than just isolated stickers.
One of my absolute joys to paint was the slug - it was my first time painting a slug on a wall, and it turned out to be a real favourite! 🙂
Meet the Residents
I want to give the stars of the show their own moment. Here are some of the giant bugs that have moved into the rooms at Francis House - from the friendly slug to my favorite flying buzzers! 🐞🐛🐌
It’s been such a privilege to see how these murals have helped transform the spaces. A huge thank you to the team at Francis House for having me back! 🐞 🪲 🐌 🐛
Here’s a little video snippet of some of the finished bugs in their new bedroom home at Francis House Hospice 🤩
See more of my work at Francis House:
You can see how these bugs started as part of the Giant Rainbow and Bug Mural in the corridor or take a peek at the Magical Stage Mural I created for the playroom.
