My heart sinks when I visit an office or a beautiful home lived in by people with great interests and personality but with no art at all or maybe just some generic images or family photographs. Avoid the dull and vanilla. Live with soulful and bold art that speaks to you and about you. Scroll down for a mix of quiet and daring interior design ideas that I have encountered over time and which will surely inspire you.
Next week I will be attending Art Basel. To compensate for the splendor-at-a-prize that is to come, this week I cover art that is accessible to all budgets. I am not a fan of labelling art as affordable because price should not be the main selling point. More often than not, what is presented as affordable is glorified-IKEA art, lacking interest and ending as pure décor bound to come out of fashion. However, there is a lot happening online that is worth having a look at because it is fun, innovative, sensitive, aesthetically mindful and it is a click away. I have hand-picked works which range from under £100 and up to £8,000. What is not to like?
This week I am sharing a real dilemma. As a matter of fact, my dilemma. I am freshening up the living room at home and I have been looking up for a rug. I love textiles for the texture and character they add to a home. I don’t mind in what form they come: tapestries, upholstery, rugs or an interesting fabric scrap that has been framed to admire. I walk barefoot and the floor is dark wood so my starting point was simply a soft rug with a light background. Below are my options… Suggestions on how to untangle this one are welcome!
I meet Niloufar Bakhtiar Bakhtiari on the Monday after Frieze week. I thought the madness was behind me. However, as soon as she greets me into her Chelsea residence in London, she tells me she will be receiving for installation, during our interview, a piece she just bought at the art fair.
Functionality and art’s use value bring art and design intricately linked together. The domestic and our relationship with art in lived environments implies that we surround ourselves with objects which inspire us and in turn give away our interests and taste. Without a doubt, art defines our identity. Also, in the most mundane daily activities like eating, seating or reading we can find joy, drama, glimpses of the surreal or, why not, peculiar challenges through the objects themselves that we use.