Marilyn Monroe Pop Art Kitchen Mural

by Artist Marco Kooiman

ROME, ITALY - In what may be the first Marilyn Monroe pop art kitchen mural ever painted, celebrated pop artist Marco Kooiman turned a dark, small kitchen into something unique, fresh, and fun. With a few dollars, a stroke of creativity, and a bold brush, the talented artist converted this kitchen from plain Jane to sensational fame.

Kooiman's hand-painted Marilyn Monroe mural makes a big "pop" in this small kitchen.

Before & After Photos

Prior to the renovation, the owner of this small apartment (about 38 sq.m. / 400 sq.ft.) felt that it desperately needed a brighter atmosphere and an overall facelift. The apartment's small living space holds just one bedroom, one bathroom, and a tiny kitchen which must also serve as a living room.

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One window in the entire living space provided rather poor lighting in the dark cherry wood kitchen. While the wood was beautiful, the space required something lighter.

A Blank Canvas

To brighten things up, the owner decided to paint everything white to give the apartment a more minimalist feel. This livened up the living area and made it appear bigger than it actually is.

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The nurse who owns this apartment decided not to stop at painting the kitchen white but to actually convert it into a unique one-off piece of art. Enter Marco Kooiman, a brilliant young Dutch painter and graphic artist who was born in Africa, grew up in Canada, and now works at his own Rome-based studio.

In Progress Photos

The owner gave artist Marco Kooiman complete creative freedom over the project and wanted a kitchen mural in his pop art style. Hence the birth of what may be the world's first Marilyn Monroe kitchen... pop art style.

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To create the pop art kitchen mural, Kooiman recalls, "I had to prepare the panels of the kitchen and give them three coats of white paint. The kitchen counter and base were painted a dark purple because those are the parts that get the most wear and tear. Any scratches or superficial damage are less visible with a darker color. I used the same color in the actual rendering of Marilyn Monroe as to give continuity to the entire project."

End Result

"The result is fresh, quirky and fun," says the artist. "I also think it reflects young couples living in urban Rome or Europe for that matter."

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The end result is not only a fantastic piece of Marilyn Monroe pop art, but a fabulous kitchen as well. Kooiman concludes, "During this time of economic hardship and uncertainty, we are forced to become inventive, flexible and more importantly... creative."

He clearly accomplished that.

Article by John Hake for Kitchen Design Ideas.

Artist Marco Kooiman is currently living and working in Rome, Italy.

If you love the multicolored modern flair of this Marilyn Monroe pop art kitchen, you might also enjoy the gallery of modern multi-colored kitchens.