Designers' Portfolio

Designer's Notes

Mystery writers, Cordelia Biddle, and her husband, Steve Zettler, better known to readers as Nero Blanc of the Crossword Mysteries series, commissioned a trompe l'oeil stone-block fireplace (with a twist) in their modern Philadelphia townhouse. The stone blocks are riddled with faux bullet holes, moss, graffiti and weeds, and also feature a painting of the Biddle family crest. Painted illusions of a ceremonial flag, an "I Like Ike" button and a torn handbill berating President Andrew Jackson all add personalized touches to this eccentric trompe l'oeil centerpiece.