Artfully designed, built to deceive

Even in the best of homes, things are not always as they seem. When it comes to design and decoration, however, faux can be a friend. What you may sacrifice in authenticity, you are likely to gain in practicality and cost.

The French have long called this two-dimensional parlor trick trompe l’oeil. In Southern California, with its indoor-outdoor lifestyle, the idea of transforming one material into a household object that looks like it’s made of something more precious is just plain clever -- and as Hollywood as a 3-D movie.