Art Without a Collection

There are so many lessons I could teach from this particular design project – you may have seen these photos already. But there are more project note stories to tell. This couple is fantastically likable and fun to design for. Not only do they have wonderful taste, but they are willing to take a few risks, appreciate beautiful things and they let me do my job. When we began to work together, I quickly realized that creating their stunningly finished rooms would require some artwork – and like many people, they simple didn’t have nearly enough to get the job done.

Here are a few slight of hand art notes from this project.

interior design

This grouping of framed images is actually a series of my clients’ favorite bible verses. At first glance, all you see are these repeated striking black lacquered frames filled with slightly aged paper; upon closer inspection, you see what they are. The look is high end, subtle – and it tells a story.


On the wall near the piano, architectural salvage becomes sculpture, on the piano a small original modern art piece. This artist’s things are not inexpensive in full scale – but in a tiny little easel size, easier on the budget. Notice the great juxtaposition of the old and the modern.

interior design

On this table top display, more architectural salvage functions as beautiful sculpture. Those stunning vases are each high cost investment pieces, hand blown by an in-demand artist. The salvage is not a terribly high cost find. The round piece on the stand…I’ll never tell – but it looks a lot more costly due to the things it sits next to because I am an art loving, smart designer.