"Art and Accessories” typically fall near the end of the list when designers set out on the beautiful journey of creating their spaces.
I’ve been guilty of this myself! Even as a fine artist, I had this line item at the bottom of my interior design projects because it was my learned habit. Not anymore! I challenge us all to prioritize decorating with original art and accessories throughout our design process. There’s no question that when we honor the artwork, the success of the space is practically guaranteed.
Decorating with original art and the energy it creates
There's a lot of psychology that goes into designing a space. Interior design should elevate your life, work, and experience through the spaces you inhabit. Artwork is no exception. When the right artwork is installed, there’s an added energy field...like a new living thing whose presence is felt within your being.
I have the unique fortune to create the magic of both luxury interior design and original fine art together. For every new piece of commissioned original art, my client and I stand there for a moment and admire how it looks and to feel the energy the original piece brings to the space.
I've always believed that things hold energy, and am someone who is very sensitive to that energy. Turns out, there’s a word for it, “nunchi”. Many people have this sensitivity to the energy field that things have. Interior Designers have a talent for speaking the language of spaces – understanding what it’s saying and what it needs. The magnetism of a painting or a sculpture is unmistakable for art collectors and connoisseurs, and as it turns out, for our clients as well. The presence of well-curated, original artwork is mesmerizing, enhancing a well-crafted room design.
As designers, we understand how to “listen” to a space. The architecture has a language, the materials have a language, and when put together they speak to each other -- and to us. One can sense quality labor: the way in which the tile was set or the way the millwork was installed - either quickly without care or with delicacy and precision. Our job as interior designers is to recognize these cues, listen to the space, understand the people that will be living there, and ultimately bring together a multitude of elements that compliment both the structure of the house and the household. It’s no easy feat. One could say, an art form in and of itself.
Quality is experienced through visual cues, like how straight the stitches run along the trim, as well as tactile cues of high caliber material like the way velvet feels. The collaboration of material and craft emanates an inherent energy field. The same goes for fine art. Decorating with original art - high quality, handmade pieces resonate more deeply in our spaces.
On the other hand, pieces that are mass-produced have less impact on your well-being. What’s the point of building a beautifully well-designed room if you’re looking at blank walls, or even cheap junk from Home Goods? When someone buys a piece that is mass-produced and reprinted a thousand times, it feels generic, which is not what you just spent four or five months creating! The details matter so much in a space – that’s what gives it the designer’s touch.
Consider decorating with original art throughout your process
The end of the project is not the time to speak to your clients about the “Artwork and Accessories”. Oftentimes, designers are left to just get something to fill the space. If you are just putting something on the wall to fill space, does this reflect how our client conducts their everyday life...just filling space? Instead, we like to give them a visual cue that inspires them and brings uplifted energy to their households.
I enjoy having a conversation of value with our clients to help them learn the impact that decorating with original art and high-quality decor has on any atmosphere within your home.
It's easier than ever to purchase an original piece of art.
The cycle of art is that it brings joy to those who experience it. Then those who experience it can bring joy to the rest of the world.
Decorating with original art that is designed for you
There is great value in experiencing an artist's work in your everyday life. Explore different mediums and consider mixing them within your spaces. I'm honored to deliver contemporary custom artwork to my interior design clients and private collectors, as well as other interior designers, architects, builders, realtors, and stagers who have acquired pieces to elevate their projects.
Each project is unique and personal - so not only are you decorating with original art, but decorating with original art that is designed specifically for you. The power and energy a commissioned piece creates is unmatched. I feel honored to create personalized art that works in harmony with my clients’ households and lifestyles and that helps uplift them to their highest potential.
If you are interested in our private commissions, you can click the link to find out how you can easily incorporate personalized fine art into your projects.
Bring the Artwork Higher
There is a serenity and a sacredness to museums that is unlike any other. I’ve always been drawn to the immense energy and power of these cathedrals of creativity.
It is art. It is the power of human essence in physical form that so many people around the world find truly entrancing.
And there’s no reason we all can’t have a little sacredness in our own homes.
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, it’s to respect the art - to elevate it so that you and your home are elevated in turn.
If you are interested in my own original art or in Elan’s design services that focus on the importance of art and decor throughout the home, please reach out at any time. The space of your dreams is only a breath away.
Sending love and luxury,
Eryn