Oct 6

Statement Art

Posted in art, Uncategorized

As I posted about art yesterday I thought I’d share a few more rooms where the focus is on the amazing artwork. The room above is one of my favourites, because of the colour scheme but also because of the mix of styles and shapes. It mixes geometrics (box pleating on chair upholstery, rug) with curly, feminine lines (side table, curtain fabric, wall sconces) and the textured, industrial style of the painting. It’s something unexpected, like pairing pink chairs with polkadots with this rough, masculine painting that to me can makes a room successful.

Beautiful pastels, where the painting is the focal point of the room (above).

I threw this one in for my friend Kimberley, who’s a doggy person (plus, how cute is this? Art doesn’t need to be serious!).

Love, love the impact of this giant painting, and of course all the greys (above).

This is such a fun, happy room and I love the big, bright animal painting for a family room!

I think this piece (above) is beautiful and really interesting - I’m wondering if when my kids are a little older I could give them a giant canvas and ask them to paint their version, because to me it really looks and feels like a story told in pictures.

Love the blues here and the ‘map’ carpet, but also how the wall appears to be part of the overall piece (above).

I absolutely adore large-scale photos as a statement art piece, and I posted about it here.

I’ve had this picture saved for ages (above), because it appeals to me so much- the dark grey walls are a great backdrop for the bright painting, but also love the mix of furniture and the mirror reflecting the potted tree.

How pretty is this (above)?

Every now and then I go through a real modern Scandinavian-inspired period where I crave a dining room just like this (above). Love that painting!

comments: 0 » tags: , ,
Oct 5

Art with Mood

Posted in art, neutrals

This photo (above) caught my eye as I wandered through the Architectural Digest website the other day, and I’ve been a little bit obsessed with it ever since. I think my love of good art (good? I guess art appreciation is inherently subjective but I think most of us think we can recognise ‘good’ from ‘bad’) was instilled in me early by my artist mum; our house when I was growing up was always full of paintings and sculpture by mum and by other artists, some of which I’m lucky enough to now have in my home. When we visited other countries the first stop was always the galleries (and the churches). And now, the two things I could happily spend my last pennies on are paintings and real estate (and perhaps one day I will have some pennies to indulge in these things!). The thing that strikes me about the paintings above are that they are all abstracts, and all in the same warm greys and neutral tones. I love the shades of grey in the furnishings and the paint of the bookshelves (and the men’s clothing). This collection and the whole arrangement has really inspired me to start something similar.

 

Also on the topic of beautiful artwork paired with shades of grey and warm neutrals, this hallway is one of my favourites. That wall colour is my all-time fave colour, and a dark grey hallway filled with books and amazing artwork is truly a version of Heaven for me :)

comments: 3 » tags: , , , ,
Mar 9

Large-scale photographs as art

Posted in Photography, Uncategorized

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

In that way they are like abstract paintings, but also more interesting because they are of people or scenes that we recognise and that can really set the mood for a room (though of course abstract paintings can also set a mood). As a budget-friendly option I like the idea of taking a quirky family photo and having it blown up and stretched onto a big canvas.

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.

comments: 5 » tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Jan 3

Hanging Art: Picture Walls

Posted in art, collections

elle decor

Yesterday’s post on Rita Konig’s apartment has got me thinking about picture / art walls. There is definitely an art to hanging art. Even arrangements that look unplanned are most successful when some thought has gone into the layout. The general rule that I work by when hanging a lot of differently-sized frames is to start with the biggest piece (but don’t necessarily hang it in the centre) and work outwards. You can work in a grid fashion with even spacing between each frame or a circular pattern for a more casual, accidental look.

traditional home

My all-time favourite (above) that I use as a benchmark for my ‘etching wall’ at home. I hope one day it will look something like this! I love the mix of frames -black, gold, timber - but that all the art is colourless, just drawings and etchings. I love love it!

Domino

the white company

mary macdonald

via zatista

top: tom scheerer, bottom: eric cohler, via eyespy

absolutely beautiful things

traditional home

above three images via decorology

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
comments: 2 » tags: , , , , ,