How To Be Purposeful With Color: Bailey Li’s Evocative Murals and Listener Q&A
In this episode, I talk with Bailey Li, a self-taught artist and interior designer known for her powerful murals and bold, emotionally driven spaces. We walk through a few of her standout projects, always shaped by what a client wants to experience, emotionally, in a room. Bailey believes design should reflect not just who you are, but who you're becoming. Then we move on to a listener Q&A regarding how to choose a color palette for your whole home and what to do with empty rooms while they wait to be furnished over time.
Watch this entire episode on YouTube HERE
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In this episode, I talk with Bailey Li, a self-taught artist and designer who’s built a name for herself by creating bold, emotionally-driven spaces. What makes Bailey’s work stand out isn’t just the murals or vintage furniture—it’s the way she taps into her clients’ personal stories and translates them into the design of their homes.
Her Design Career Started with a Painted Floor
Bailey didn’t set out to be a muralist. In 2018, she was working with a beauty salon client who wanted marble floors but didn’t have the budget. Bailey offered to paint the floors instead. She’d never done it before, but she gave it a shot—and the result looked close enough to marble that the client loved it.
That moment launched a new direction. She started painting more, experimenting with texture, and eventually NBC featured one of her mural walls on Open House NYC. From there, her mural work took off.
She Uses Her Clients as the Muse
Bailey doesn’t just pick a color palette and go. She starts with her client—their personality, their goals, what they’re going through. In one project we discussed, she created an 18-foot mural inspired by a woman who was going through major personal changes. Bailey designed large, abstract butterfly wings in rich colors like fuchsia, purple, and orange. It wasn’t literal, but it clearly conveyed transformation.
She also incorporated gold and copper leaf—materials she uses often because of how they reflect light and shift throughout the day.
Her Own Home Is a Testing Ground
Bailey lives in a converted firehouse loft, and she uses it to try out new techniques and ideas. Her space is filled with textured walls, vintage pieces, neon signage, parasols, and even a chair mounted on the wall.
She described it as “magical,” but what I noticed most was how many of the items had a personal story. The chair, for example, had been used in an underwater maternity shoot for one of her friends. The space isn’t designed for other people—it’s designed for her, and it shows.
She Designed a Headboard That Changes with Your Mood
Another client—someone Bailey described as a successful, style-conscious bachelor—wanted a custom mural and a unique bed. Bailey collaborated with an architect to create a 10-foot tall headboard that lights up with color. The light colors can be changed to align with different chakras or moods.
The wall behind the bed is a painted mural inspired by natural stone, with veining and metallic flecks that make the surface look textured and touchable.
She Turned a Bathroom Into a Paradise Inspired by Stevie Wonder
One client wanted her bathroom to feel like paradise—specifically inspired by the Stevie Wonder lyric, “makes me feel like paradise.” So Bailey painted leafy botanicals that climbed from the tiled wall up onto the drywall. She used tile in various green and teal shades and added gold leaf light fixtures to tie the whole room together.
Bailey also added mirrors that were meant to look like they belonged in nature—irregularly shaped and soft-edged. The goal wasn’t to recreate a literal jungle, but to create a place that felt like escape.
Her Advice on Confidence and Creativity Is Simple
I asked Bailey where her confidence comes from, and she gave a surprisingly grounded answer. She said that when she’s in the middle of creating, she doesn’t worry about confidence—she just focuses on expression. It’s only afterward that self-doubt might creep in.
She also admitted she sometimes tweaks a piece too much and ends up starting over. Her advice? Focus on what you’re trying to express. Let go of how others might respond. The most important thing is to get the idea out.
Bailey’s approach isn’t about following a specific style or design rule. It’s about understanding the person behind the space and building something that supports who they are and where they’re headed. Her spaces are layered, yes—but not for the sake of it. Every choice connects back to something real: a story, a memory, a goal.
If you’re someone who feels stuck trying to get every room “right,” Bailey’s process might help you think differently. Maybe instead of asking what looks good, ask what matters to you.
Until Next Time!
– Zandra
Links Mentioned In Episode
Photos Provided By: Bailey Li
