
An artist has transformed her £1.5million London home into a giant mosaic mural which has taken her 20 years and a million tiles to complete.

Carrie Reichardt, 51, dedicated much of the last two decades creating the 'uncensored' art mural after becoming frustrated by restrictions to her work by galleries.

The mother-of-three is now proudly revealing her own home in Chiswick, west London, as an art exhibit itself and the burst of colour reflects the many different origins and people who have contributed.

She claims that neighbours on the street - where some houses sell for up to £3million - do not have a problem with her new design and are 'fine with it'.

Ms Reichardt also admitted she is not sure whether she has increased or decreased the value of her home following the transformation.

‹ Slide me › The large five bedroom semi-detached home in Chiswick, west London, has undergone a dramatic transformation which has taken 20 years

Carrie Reichardt (pictured) has spent the last 20 years covering her five-bedroom home with millions of tiny tiles to create a mosaic effect

Ms Reichardt (pictured outside her home) has dedicated much of the last two decades creating the 'uncensored' art mural

The mother-of-three is now proudly revealing her own home as an art exhibit itself - the burst of colour reflecting the many different origins and people who have contributed

It is full of smaller, intricate designs and this particular one features an old replica gun which was used to create the effect

Carrie is now showing off the design after she purchased a photobook about the outside of houses and from there her idea blossomed

The house has been surrounded by scaffolding for the last few years while Carrie put finishing touches to the front of the house.

But she is now is revealing her work to the world as the scaffolding comes down and the house nears completion.

She said: 'I started the house in 1997. At the time, I was a community public artist and I was facing people who would tell me what I could and couldn't do.

'I just thought I wanted something that no-one could stop me from doing. The house has been 20 years in the making but it's still a working progress.

'I finished the front last May. Now we're working on the back. It'll probably take another five years to complete because I want to finish my garden as well.

'I suspect it'll become an ongoing thing until I die or find another home to start to decorate.

'Naturally it does take an awfully long time to do a piece like this in between working and having three children and everything else that needs doing - at times it was hard.

'The kids don't even like it that much. My oldest used to hate it. I think she didn't like being in a house that stood out so much, rather than not liking the actual art, though she now appreciates it.'

The vibrant colours and strong political quotes decorating the house are all inspired by Carrie's own interests and the influences of the people who have helped her over the years.

The ceramicist is currently the first visual artist in residence for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and has created large murals worldwide.

Starting off at 30-years-old, Carrie purchased a photobook about the outside of houses and from there her idea blossomed.

Carrie said: 'I got a book with pictures of outside art from around the world and I wanted to make a piece of public art that was uncensored. I was really interested in that whole idea anyway.

'I have the two cars that are mosaiced in the front too. They were displayed at the Victoria and Albert and Coventry Transport Museum.

'I've had various artists come from all over the world to help me with the house. It's been amazing.

Ms Reichardt has used a number of smaller props to help bring her creation to life and is now proudly showing off her transformed home

The vibrant colours and strong political quotes decorating the house are all inspired by Carrie's own interests and the influences of the people who have helped her over the years.

The house was surrounded by scaffolding for the last few years but it has finally been removed after Ms Reichardt completed her project

She has received help from people from all of the world who have visited her to try and speed up the process and the design has been inspired by Carrie's own interests and the influences of the people who also helped her

Carrie said: 'My neighbours don't mind the house and people coming and going, but they've never helped me with it. They're fine with it though'

The artist, who works from her home, The Treatment Rooms, is now so famous in her area that she receives presents on her doorstep from admirers of her quirky art

'I let international artists fly in for a week in March to help finish it. They came from France, Chile, Germany and Spain. They did the top of the house at the front.

'The mosaics are made from a whole mix of things such as ceramic, glass and tiles.'

The house is decorated with various quotes from political and history figures and as such, her work has reached out to many all over the world.

The artist, who works from her home, The Treatment Rooms, is now so famous in her area that she receives presents on her doorstep from admirers of her quirky art.

Sitting in between two average-looking detached houses Carrie's home could stand out from the end of her street, but she claims her neighbours don't mind the bright tiles even if they haven't contributed to the mural's creation.

Carrie said: 'The back of the house has a quote 'All Power to the People' which became a key phrase from the American Civil Rights Movement.

'People always ask me how many pieces of mosaic I've used on the house and I honestly don't know. I'd say there could easily be a million pieces.

'My neighbours don't mind the house and people coming and going, but they've never helped me with it. They're fine with it though.

'I have people knocking on my door commenting on the work and even leaving me gifts on my doorstep. They'll leave books or tiles.'