Live Breathe Decor

vogue living

 My post the other day on a room by Philip Gorrivan got me thinking about using giant photographs instead of paintings. Photographs (they don’t have to be original, a print of a photo would do) bring a modern element into rooms where the furnishings are otherwise classic.

lonny

brad ford

Beach shots – taken from far enough away that you just see the colour and shapes but so that the people are unrecognisable – look particularly great.

rineke dijkstra

 Are you feeling brave? You could try this one (above) at home!

weiss palmer

 I love the 60s vibe of the photograph above, the way the suburban theme suits the banquette-style seating, and how the yellow and green is picked up in the photo. The citrus colours – lime green and yellow ikat – are an updated version of what many of us remember from childhood.

lonny

 This photo taken through a lace curtain (above) is beautiful! So serene yet it has an air of mystery too.

elle decor

 The giant black and white shot of a packed train platform in Ellen Pompeo’s kitchen lends an industrial edge that suits the space (above).

eric cohler

 Ok, so this one may be a painting, not a photograph (above, in a room by Eric Cohler). The yellow doesn’t match anything else in the room, so it stands out, and the colour looks great paired with blue walls and a black-and-white chequered floor.

steven gambrel

 Another beach shot in a room by Steven Gambrel. The subtle blue and yellow in the rug and cushion is picked up in the photograph.

vogue living

A fantastically composed (in my completely ameteur opinion!) black and white photo hangs above a fireplace in Catherine Martin’s Sydney house.