I was reading through the July/August issue of Elle Decor, cup of coffee in hand and got very excited when I reached the story about the home of photographer William Abranowicz’ home called Soft Focus. The article tells the story of how the photographer and his wife came upon the house and the process they went through over the years to make it he amazing home that it is today. In light of our theme for the month of August and Maria’s article regarding integrating local art into your interior design, I just had to share this amazing article and photos of the photographer’s home. He and his wife clearly have an amazing eye for art and interior design. However, when you look at the photos of the home, what you really notice is their love for art. They have clearly surrounded themselves with photos, painting and other artifacts that mean something to them, the represent who they are and that they clearly enjoy seeing on a daily basis. This is very message, the very idea we work so hard to impart to our design clients and to share within the contents of this blog. Your home should be a reflection of who you are, and that is represented by the things you choose to display and how you choose to display them in your home.
The beauty about the photographer’s home is the casual way in which he displays his art collection. In the living room and gallery, there is no rhyme or reason to how he’s selected to display his art. His collages are asymmetrical and there is no obvious uniting theme to his displays. However, if you inspect the display more closely, you see that there are recurring color schemes that tie the pieces to each other and to the rest of the room without feeling stuffy or forced.
His large groupings include pieces and artifacts of all shapes and sizes. He even places some of the pieces on the floor, leaning up against the wall in a very casual way. This method of art display adds so much interest and texture to the wall however doesn’t feel at all overwhelming. The walls are neutral, letting the art add the texture and interest.
In the hallway, the photographer and his wife decided to give their art collage a more dramatic feeling by choosing a black and white theme. The photos are all black and white as well as the mats and frames. However, you’ll note that there is still variety in the selection of the actual frames and in the fact that some pieces are matted while others aren’t. This breaks up the display a bit, adding more interest. The eye does not get tired as it flows along the wall. He has also tied this into his floor pattern for continuity. The art display and the wallpaper work together to create a very dramatic feeling in this space.
I particularly like this photo of the master bedroom because it shows that design rules are meant to be broken. The artist has installed two fairly large pieces of art, one on top of the other on a fairly small wall. The lower piece is really low on the wall. This adds so much character to this space. It adds balance to the asymmetrical area, tying in the bench. In this case the artwork has more neutral colors and the accent wall color makes the art pop, drawing attention to it.
So much of your personality can come through in what you choose to display in your home and how you choose to display it. Whether you are more formal and structured and choose symmetry and repetition or you more eclectic and free-styling and prefer more asymmetrical, free form displays, you can easily add personal style to your home with artwork. Remember that really are no rules and if you love it, there is a way to make it work. Have fun, get creative and show the world your personal flair.