Style Trends: Designing the Home With Art

Choosing art can be intimidating. After all, galleries are not always warm and fuzzy places. Even though I have a background in art and design, it can still be challenging to find pieces that I resonate with. When it comes to art, I always advise my friends and clients to start with what they like.

Making a few trips to galleries and museums is a great way to discover your personal taste. Art is not always a painting. Art can be anything that elevates the ambience of a space, adding soul to a home. One of the first questions I ask is: What are the pieces you wish to showcase that are already in your collection? I often get the answer that existing pieces are either not the right size or are in the wrong color of frame.

There are many different approaches to consider when it comes to how to display and frame art. Framing can either elevate a piece or overpower it. A frame should match not only the artwork but the space around it. Selecting the right kind of glass is important as well. I always opt for museum-grade, non-reflective art glass. It’s impossible to completely appreciate a piece if the details are obscured by a reflective glare.

Art can be displayed in many ways. Well-placed alcoves, table-top easels, and pedestals are some great options to display to the greatest effect.

Dining room

During my last trip to the Paris flea market, I found five panels of 19^th-century chinoiserie wallpaper. Two panels had water damage, so I decided to frame three eight-foot panels in a gold leafing frame, creating a dramatic focal-point wall in my own dining room.

Living room

In my recent Lake Sherwood Project, I chose bold artwork to take the lead in the living room space. I selected the pictured pieces by Yunhee Min and Jim Dine. Bright colors and broad strokes are wonderful for catching the eye and creating focal points that draw people into an area.

Formal living room

In New York on one of my projects in a historical building with high ceilings, I introduced a dramatic tapestry paired with contemporary photography to add layers of complexity, while keeping a thread of history.

Hallways

I love architectural etching art, botanical sketches, and line drawings for hallways. Gallery hallways have the greatest visual effect when the multiple works have a similar theme or color but different sizes, textures, mediums, and depths to create visual highs and lows.

Kitchen

For me the kitchen is a surprise area for beautiful pieces. I love the unexpected. I’m also in my kitchen for hours each day so I want my favorite pieces to be in places where I will have numerous opportunities to appreciate them.

Primary suite

At a home in the Wilshire corridor, I chose a large-scale textured wallpaper in soft hues to form the basis for the dreamy color palette of the entire suite in nudes, beige off-whites, and gentle champagnes.

Choosing art for your home can be stressful, but trust me, it’s all about finding what speaks to you. From striking paintings to elegant wallpaper, art brings soul to every space. Whether it’s your dining room, primary suite, or even the kitchen, there’s always room for art to shine. So, let your imagination run free and fill your home with art you love.

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