Collective Elegance

Maienza-Wilson Design

I've got a project I'm working on that's going to involve me painting the rest of the day (hopefully I'll have pictures soon), but I wanted to post a few pictures for you guys first!

Miles Redd

Stephen Sills

Richard Holley

Carrier and Company 

Ralph Lauren

Home of Jeff Lincoln via NYSD

White Webb

Patrick Printy via Elle Decor

Can you tell that I love eclectic-styled rooms? 

I hope you are having a great week and enjoying the first buds of spring!

Invaluable - Plein Air Provincial

Welcome to the third and final edition of my Invaluable series where I've been illustrating how to incorporate artwork into the home! So far we've looked at two very different spaces: one featuring old school landscapes and one featuring colorful abstract works. Today I want to look at my favorite genre of painting: plein air! 

Dining area by Peter Dunham

"En plein air" just means "in the open air" in French, but it is often used to describe a style of painting where the artist is capturing not just the landscape, but the atmosphere of the place where the piece was painted: the salty air, the warm sun, etc.

Painting by Lovell

I think one of my favorite types of decorating is what I consider to be California style. But, really, it is more likely California designers' interpretations of French Provencal/country style. Whatever you want to call it, it usually features colorful fabrics, comfortable furniture, and plenty of these "plein air" paintings.

Paint - Curtains - Loveseat - Lamps - Rug

I would start out with either white or pale blue walls. Then I'd start layering on some texture, like these linen curtains and a nubby striped rug. A floral is a prerequisite for any good country house (especially one with a French accent). A pair of bright green lamps would bring a pop of color and a little unexpected crispness to the room.

Reese Witherspoon's living room by Kristen Buckingham via Elle Decor 

The artwork is so subtle in spaces like this, but it is setting the scene and creating a mood in the space.

Invaluable Painting by Albert Namatjira

I would love to have this pair of paintings! Just look at the light in them. You really get a sense of being in the middle of the Australian outback.

Invaluable Painting by Albert Namatjira

Living room by Kathryn Ireland

Suzani by Ayatcreation

I would add in a colorful throw like this since it has such a lovely balance of cool and warm tones.

Chair - Table - Paint

An old farm table, bistro chairs, and fresh flowers add to the bright but casual look.

Sitting area by Schulyer Samperton

Eric Stonestreet's living room by Nathan Turner via House Beautiful

This slightly masculine room by Nathan Turner looks so stylish but, more importantly, how comfortable does it look?! I just want to dive into that corduroy couch!

Invaluable painting by Maslanka

Now it's time to pile on the pillows!

Dining area by Schuyler Samperton

And I mean LOTS of pillows....

Stripe - Lotus - Quadrille - Fig - Floral - Dot

I created this combination of color and pattern because, like with the suzani above, you are balancing the warm tones (i.e., reds, pinks, browns) with the cool tones (i.e., blues, greens, lavender, grey). You also want to balance modern prints (i.e., lotus and fig leaf) with cozier, traditional ones (i.e., stripes and cabbage rose).

One more by the fabulous Ms. Samperton

Again though, it's all about what you love, and what makes you happy and comfortable.

Thanks so much to Invaluable for all the artistic inspiration! And I hope all you readers visit again soon!

Invaluable - New Traditional

Bedroom by Graci Interiors

Hello there! So we're back again for the second edition in my series featuring the artwork of Invaluable!

Painting by Frank Henry Shapleigh

I often think how nice it would be to have paintings like you would see in a museum, hanging around the house like it's no big deal. But the idea of going to an auction house and bidding seems very intimidating. Well, Invaluable takes the formality right out of the picture and connects people directly to original art that can turn regular Joes (like me) into "collectors"!

Bedroom for Kips Bay Showhouse by Alexa Hampton

I was raised in a proper 1980s Southern home, with lots of chintz and Victorian antiques around. Some might think it stuffy, but I loved it. It didn't hurt that my Mom is a rockstar when it comes to putting rooms together. And, although she's ventured away from the rich red chenilles and vibrant Lee Jofa prints of my youth, in her heart, she is still a traditionalist. This apple fell a bit farther from that tree, but I will admit that my roots are still firmly planted there. I like to think of my style as "new traditional", like the hip young(ish) version of that old Victorian style. Ha!

Painting by David Johnson

I think people tend to see landscape paintings as sort of stuffy or imposing as well, but they SO aren't! They are all about the beauty of nature... and color... and light. Plus, they're typically housed in equally fabulous gilded frames, which brings glamour to a space.

Atlanta Symphony Showhouse bedroom by Melanie Turner

I would play up that sense of glamour and drama, while melding it with more modern elements. Imagine a bedroom with walls in a deep, elusive color like Benjamin Moore's "Sharkskin"  below...

Hung with precisely placed paintings like the Invaluable ones...

Bedroom by Phoebe Howard

Then I would use pastel hues and nubby fabrics to soften the space....

Screen - Lamp - Chandelier - Tables - Fabric

I love the proper English side tables and linen screen combined with the more modern lighting and chinoiserie fabric.

Shelving display by Phoebe Howard

Dark/light, soft/nubby, wood/gold... All those juxtapositions keep things from feeling too stale. Then each element shines!

Painting by Henry Hunt

I hope this helps illustrate what you can do with just a few key pieces in a room, including beautiful artwork. It really just comes down to bringing together the things that speak to you, and making a space truly yours.

Good luck and I hope you have a great day!

Invaluable - Contemporary Color

Elizabeth Bauer Design

Whenever I'm working on a space, I look at the layout, furnishings, curtains, etc. But the one thing that probably gives a room the most personality - and the thing that can punctuate the personality of the owner so well - is art. I've done posts about this in the past, but I was recently approached by Invaluable to do a different sort of post. Invaluable is an auction website devoted to the sale of all manner of beautiful paintings: abstract, landscapes, portraits, watercolors. However, they understand that figuring out how to make those pieces work in your home can be a challenge. That's where I come in!

Invaluable painting by Marie Raymond

In order to give you some inspiration as to how to incorporate artwork into your own home "gallery", I thought I'd create three very different spaces in three different styles, all featuring artwork currently on auction at Invaluable.

Living room by Jolene Ballard and Amanda Malson of Domicile ID

Foo Dogs from FeelinVintage on Etsy

For the room in today's post, I'm imagining a bright feminine space, full of fun and life. First, I would drench it in a color like Benjamin Moore's "Cactus Flower".

Then I would bring in accessories that complimented the boldness of the color, but put a cool, glamorous, modern spin on it.

Chair - Leaves - Pillows - Bar Cart - Pottery - Lamp

How fabulous are those Chiang Mai Dragon pillows! Indigo blue, hot pink, and leafy green make such a great color combination too. And don't forget a little bit of gold!

Then I would do a light, modern style sofa atop a fun floral rug like this....

Rug by Safavieh

But then you need your artwork!

Living room by Angie Hranowsky

I love how Angie Hranowsky's work usually involves a good dose of color and a really good dose of abstract art.

Invaluable painting by Rod Withers

 I would do a few mid-size pieces like these, hung vertically, maybe over the bar cart.

Invaluable painting by Roberta Harris

Is this painting not fun?! There is just something so playful about it.

Entryway by Jonathan Berger via House Beautiful

I think "playful" is probably the best way to describe this kind of room. But what better way to start and end your day, than in a space that makes you smile?

Invaluable painting by George Kleiman

I already talked about my obsession with oversized art here, and this piece certainly fits that bill. It clocks in at a whopping 70 inches tall by 93 inches wide! Love it!

No matter what pieces you choose, the key is to have fun and not take the whole thing too seriously. It's your home and you're the one living with it, so make it a place you love!

More fun with art next time so stay tuned!

All That Glitters

May or may not be gold?... I just researched this and, apparently, "all that glitters is gold" is a misquote from Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice". It's supposed to be "all that glisters is not gold". Who knew?!

Katie By Design

Anyway, I'm not feeling particularly chatty today, so I'll let these beautiful photos speak for themselves. I love all the mirrored, metallic, gilded, and glossy accents in these rooms. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Veranda

Lilly Bunn Interiors

Suzanne Kasler

Alice Lane Home

Alice Lane is a designer I've only recently found via the Pink Peonies fashion blog, when they worked together to create this insane closet!

Yvonne O'Brien

I love that Ms. O'Brien's talent spans across such varied projects, from estates on a golf course (like the one above) to tree camps in the wilderness of Africa.

Kay O'Toole via Cote de Texas

Veere Grenney via Veranda

And last but not least......

Victoria Hagan

Sooooo pretty! I love how she touches on art deco, but without making it a theme. It just shines.

Well it looks like I may have a fun little experiment coming up soon. I've been meaning to do another "Take Home" post, where I sort of build a room from scratch - based around one inspirational element - and now I've been approached to do just that. How fun! Stay tuned!