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decorate from the ART, Part One!

August 23rd, 2010 · 1 Comment

When it comes to decorating and finding art, a lot of people have the same questions, “Where do I start? Should my art match my furniture? Or the other way around?”

Well, it really depends what you’re starting with. If you have art you love, then make sure any furniture you buy works with it. Looking for art but have great furniture? You’re not beholden to buying art that perfectly matches your furniture but make sure they complement each other. Another big consideration – what do you want to be the focal point of the room? Art, furniture, little doggy?

To shed light on these questions, Kelly + Olive, super cool Chicago decorating duo, and I have teamed up for a new series, decorate from the ART. The concept is simple: we take a room and show you three different ways you could decorate with art and accessories.

For each room we start off by selecting a few pieces of furniture. Then I pick out three sets of art that all work with the furnishings in different ways. And finally Courtney and Lauren (Kelly + Olive’s real names) finish the room with accessories that tie everything together.

To start, Lauren and Courtney picked out this swanky black and white furniture for our first room. These pieces are modern, bold and over-the-top. Bed by Anthropologie, table by Room & Board, chair by Z Gallerie, and IKEA wardrobe.

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So, for the version #1 of the black & white bedroom I picked out This Big Love by Christine Kesler and Hold by Langdon Graves. Why these choices? I was going for art with a soft and feminine feel that was still very contemporary and sophisticated. I love the combination of the blacks and grays with the soft pink. In this version it was important to me that the art not compete with the furnishings but be complementary and subtle.

Courtney and Lauren did a wonderful job finishing the room with bedding, a pillow, a blanket, an alarm clock, and a funky chandelier. All of the pieces are modern and bold without being outright loud. Overall the theme is feminine, delicate, modern.

Stay tuned for two more art choices and accessories for our black & white bedroom!

Mix & Match: Black & Pink Diamond Rug + Art

May 11th, 2010 · 6 Comments

The other day I spotted and am now coveting this flat-weave Diamond Jungle Dhurrie on Anthropologie. I’m a sucker for triangles and geometric shapes and love pink and black combinations.

I love how unabashedly graphic this rug is in a way that really parallels a lot of current art and illustration, especially that of recent art school grads. In my opinion the rug screams out to be paired with art that mirrors its strong visual elements such as the pieces below. The main overlapping visual themes are triangles, repetition, abstraction and the black, pink and yellow palette.

1. Untitled by Meghan Brady

2. Cat by Marcus Oakley

3. Mercy Car by Esther Ramirez

4. Untitled from Lost In The Discovery by Mike Perry

5. CLK by Christine Kesler

6. Middle Stripe by Cat Lauigan

7. Mountains by Hanna Konola

Christine Kesler Print Giveaway!

January 21st, 2010 · 18 Comments

UPDATE: Congrats to the winner of our Christine Kesler print giveaway, gretchenmist!

Holy smokes! This is Art Hound’s 100th post and to mark the occasion we’re giving away a Christine Kesler limited edition print courtesy of Little Paper Planes.

Christine is a Bay area artist whose installation work combines painting, drawing and paper sculpture. Her cerebral process involves reusing her own materials as well as found objects, adding layers of complexity. Writing and poetry also play a significant role in Kesler’s art.

To win Christine’s print (top left), leave a comment. The winner will be notified via email in one week!

(Please be patient as I have to approve each comment before it posts. Thx!)