400 Square Feet

Art is so personal.  What makes a Picasso is a discussion I'll let others lead but I am grateful to art and people who live with it.  In my recent apartment spruce up, I looked around and realized that like having an aol email (yes, it's true and yes, it's still in business) and mom jeans, art can get dated or no longer represent my current "vibe."

So I did something really effective;  I took every single piece down.  Suddenly my freshly painted walls were feeling like a blank canvas and I allowed myself to think of new ways to arrange my favorite pieces and I parted with a few that had supplied their joy and needed new homes.

I found that some pieces just needed a new frame while others needed new arranging as some pieces were just ok or even silly on their own but in a pack, throw a punch.  As a big believer in the gallery wall for art,  it shows instant personality, especially when the gallery is full of personal articfacts and pitcutres.   West Elm has the best frames with lovely linen backing that look much more expensive than alternatives found at Target and start at $12.  Keeping the frames all one color like black or white crossed another decision off the list  (though I love to mix in some metal like below too).

A mass of frames is nice but adding in a few non framed items to keep things more interesting.  Here's a picture of a cool picture tacked up with Japanese tape that makes instant art so charming.

Need art but wondering where to go?  Art isn't something that I go to the mall and get but rather pick up a piece here and there and it tells the story of my travels in ways that words don't. On the hunt for new pieces, I've been hitting art schools like SCAD which features student works and ships nationwide. If you are lucky enough to have an art school in your town, consider contacting the school to see when their next student show is.  You could be buying the next great thing for a song.

Like Match.com for dating or streamline.com for ordering takeout, 20x200 brings great art home. They give artists a way to sell their creations as prints but still retains the cool factor because only 200 are actually printed.   (You'll also be seeing their program with West Elm this fall but definitely check out their own site as well for the very best selection.)

 Zatista is another online retailer that brings art to your front door and has a wide collection of art presented.   Lastly, VintageandModern has terrific art too.  Am a big fan of their photography in particular.


Life large and with great art,
Frances