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!

Welcome to the Jungle

Hello and welcome to Luster Interiors! The blog I started and then sorta kinda didn't post anything on for a really, really long time. Ha! Well, here I am and I've got soooo many pictures saved up, it's ridiculous.

So it's that time of year where I think non-stop about tropical locales and swaying palms and all that good stuff. (If I'm being honest, this is the whole year.... but I digress.) Well I was digging around the other day for pictures of non-traditional landscape design and I hit the jackpot: Raymond Jungles.

As the name would imply, he and his firm tend to work in jungle-like atmospheres, such as this amazing compound outside Miami. I love all the texture: the concrete and the pebbles, the trees and Spanish moss. Each cluster of leaves and foliage looks like a perfectly arranged vignette, yet it still appears so natural.

I think one of my favorite things about it is the lack of a traditional grass yard. It seems like he works with plants that are native to the area and don't require heavy care to survive. The firm's website talks about stewardship of the land yet the execution of these projects doesn't read as limited, but lush and beautiful.

In my head, this garden would be surrounding my glorious little tucked-away beach house where I would pad around the place barefooted, tropical drink in hand. I think in some places, a kitchen like this one by McAlpine Booth & Ferrier would seem a bit cold with the concrete and angular furnishings. But, I tell you, in Florida, in the summer, cold is exactly what you are looking for! The modernism and cooler shades are a perfect foil for the warm temps and riot of color outside.

Heather Chadduck via At Home in Arkansas

I think I would keep that cool, neutral feel going in the rest of the house too. Although I typically use more color, I really love this bedroom. It could be looking out over the garden through big windows or french doors. I'd probably add just a hint of blue as they did in the living room of the same lake house.

Love the stone and the pitched ceiling (and the bar). So great. I really have SO many more ideas for a variety of vacation homes. Maybe I'll have to post some more soon!

Until next time!

OKL Style

Design by OKL stylist Rebecca Robertson

Look at this beautiful mantel surround! The carvings are just beautiful and so unique. It's original to the old brownstone that Today Show's Natalie Morales lives in with her family, but is styled  in such a fresh, modern way with the mirror and x-base stool. Plus those touches of blue that tie into the rest of the room's color scheme. So great. Go check it out here!

Eclectic Collected

Now that's a mouthful!

Living room by Timothy Whealon

I was looking through my files just now and came across these two pictures. I haven't gone through the whole blog, but I don't think I have ever posted them. It's hard for me to believe because these are probably some of the first images I looked at that made me think, "Hmm, maybe this decorating stuff is for me". I think I also discovered that looking at the photos provides some sort of excitement as your eye travels around the room - lingering on each fabric, texture, artwork - and I realized that I wanted to share that excitement with others.

Timothy Whealon

Funny that you can take that much away from a couple of photos, right? I will avoid the 1000 words cliche, but I will say that I never know what I will discover when I look through all these beautiful photos. I understand now (as I did not in the beginning) how much our surroundings affect us and our very emotions. Through decorating and design, you can actually create whatever "mood" you want: relaxed, sexy, exciting, cozy. You also are creating a through-the-looking-glass version of yourself through a space. Well, I suppose some people have homes that are more "staged" than they are "collected", but, ideally, I do believe a home should well-represent the people who live there.

Anyway, I know this is sort of a tangential post, but at least it's accompanied by a great room by a great designer.

Have a good evening!

A Kitchen Teaser

Kitchen by Marjorie Johnston & Co.

So the little house I live in was built in the '20s as guest quarters, and it has a kitchen that certainly reflects that. The ceilings are soaring (with cabinets that do make full use of that space), but the extremely limited square footage makes it a bit of a squeeze. (Think 63 sq ft.... then add a fridge, a dishwasher, sink, etc.) 

Deep gray-blue kitchen by San Fran designer Jonathan Rachman

Take into consideration the fact that I've started doing a lot more cooking at home, and now I cannot stop dreaming of a kitchen renovation! I've got lots more beautiful kitchen photos to show you, but, with my regular computer in the hospital (LOVE Best Buy's insurance program, by the way), it will be a sec before I can post all of them. So here is a sample: a couple of bright, well-planned spaces that are currently inspiring me!

Here's to a great week ahead!

Em

Too long

Here it is: I have no excuse. I have not posted in forever, and it is no one's fault but my own. My apologies. So, with that said, let's get back to it!

Living room by Genevieve Faure - via Architectural Digest

I love this style. Some people have the ability to make each piece, every object in a room, look like a work of art. Your eye happily hops around looking at this thing that is grand and that thing that is diminutive. Just lovely.

By Katie Stassi Scott of Katie by Design

Darryl Carter says, "It's about curating things I love that you wouldn't necessarily think go together." 

Darryl Carter via Elle Decor

Despite the monochrome of this room, it seems like a very usable and comfortable space. Carter certainly has a knack for restraint and the ability to edit. He says that his design is about "discipline and subtlety". I believe I lack both in my own interiors. A friend once entered my house and immediately stated, "Whoa. You have so much.... stuff!" Ha! Although it is not a philosophy I can live, I can certainly appreciate it.

Foyer by Yvonne O'Brien of The Private House Co.

Texture and sparkle and color all in one lovely vignette!

Timothy Whealon

Can you see how each piece holds its own?

Home of Ronald Bricke - via NYSD

Boys bedroom by Sarah Richardson 

Bunny Williams

Doesn't this chair fabric make you think of a sketching by Matisse?

Victoria Hagan

Hallberg-Wiseley Designers via Architectural Digest

Kay O'Toole of Houston via Cote de Texas

This one is a bit grainy, but what a wonderfully rosy glow! I love that Aubusson rug thrown over the table.

Suzanne Rheinstein via Elle Decor

The pic above has probably been posted a million times, but for good reason! The layout, the color scheme, and the classical furnishings are all done in what feels like a decidedly non-traditional way. 

Suellen Gregory via Veranda

Contrast seems to be the key to this room. I love that she decided against symmetry here and did black lamps on one side of the fireplace and white on the other. It creates that wonderful tension that is so visually arresting.

Frank Babb Randolph via Veranda

I could seriously go all day posting these gorgeous pictures. It really is amazing how many original designs that people can come up with. I love the subtle warmth of this particular room. It also reminds me of how my little sister once told me that I had a serious chair addiction.... Looks like I'm in good company with Mr. Randolph here!

I hope you all have a great week ahead and I will post again soon!