Art Hound

I’m really excited to launch this new series, Mix & Match! Instead of focusing solely on art, it focus on matching art and furnishings. Decorating and buying art are both very personal endeavors, so the point here is to provide examples and discuss some ways for pairing art and furnishings. Hopefully you will find it inspiring but also feel free to be creative and use your own sense of style to mix and match on your own!

Why this combo?

I selected Elderly (2009) by Icelandic artist, Heimir Bjorgulfsson to balance the more polished elements of this room. At it’s best, art brings energy into a room and adds an element of complexity. The hardest part of decorating with art is finding the right balance between synchronicity and complexity. The last thing you want is a room that still feels flat even after adding art. And on the flip side, when art is totally out of place, it upsets the whole room and calls attention to the lack to coherence.

Achieving the right level of “pop”:

Bjorgulfsson’s painting matches the room’s warm color palette, while the hot pink is really unexpected and commands your attention. The painting, which is chaotic, loose and surreal, may not be an obvious choice for this mix of modern organic and glamorous furnishings. But when you take into account the recurrent theme of geometric shapes, Bjorgulfsson’s painting, with its highly graphic elements, makes sense in the space.

Rug: Madeline Weinrib N/A

Chair: West Elm $599

Chandelier: Patrick Townsend $450

Sideboard: CB2 $399

Coffee Table: CB2 $299

Bowl: Patricia Urquoila $83