Art & Design August 25, 2008

Design trends don’t influence fine art; rather, fine art influences design trends.

Art is becoming the dominant feature in the design world. Now, more than ever, rooms are being designed around the art instead of the décor. New techniques and cutting edge innovations in art are leading the way for other design trends. The bold graphics prevalent in much of today’s fine art are influencing simple, clean lines in décor with less decorative furniture.

Art and design have always been related, but today, experimentation and personal expression are the name of the game. Homeowners are using art to make a personal statement – your art choice has to inject a fresh outlook and say something unique about your home and you. As such, designers often prefer to have their clients select their own art that reflects their individual taste and personality. Read more on how to start with art when redecorating.

Current trends

Alternative mediums – Make an original statement with innovative techniques such as art combining texture-rich mediums like resin, oil and other mixed media.

Graphic art styling – The geometric and abstract styles and color palettes of the 60’s and 70’s are making a stylish comeback.

Ready, get set, decorate! April 23, 2008

Ready, get set, decorate!

A wonderful way to create interest in your interior décor is to design with art sets. What exactly does that mean? Pair two or more works of art that compliment each other to create interest on a wall.

That could mean pairing works with similar subject matter, colors and framing for an organized and synergized feel, as with this set by Gary Benfield below…

… And this set of four, a selection from Dali’s Divine Comedy…

Or, if you’re décor is more daring and eclectic, you can even match works of art with different content, colors and dimensions. In this scenario, ensure that there is a common theme that draws the art together into a synergized collection.

The example below utilizes the common thread of etchings, that is, all of the works in the collection are hand colored etchings by Impressionist Masters. Sometimes, the seemingly haphazard arrangement of the works lends to the final overall interest of the display.

View the artworks by Renoir and Cezanne featured in this collection…

Fundamentally, an art set is a group of two or more pieces of art that work together as a team. Large art sets can be used to fill up the space in large rooms and create a focal point. Smaller sets work beautifully in smaller rooms or to compliment the focal point in larger rooms.

You can place a smaller art set on either side of a large work of art or mirror, you can hang sets diagonally in stairwells or living rooms to add interest, as in the example with Miro’s works below…

…With your imagination and the diverse ArtRev.com art collection, the possibilities are endless!