The Art of Living
The one thing that adds the most personality to your home is art. It sets the tone for a room, provides color and pattern, and gives visitors an insight into who you are and what you love. For my projects, I will collaborate with artists on special pieces for client’s homes and even my own home is a gallery of sorts for art and objets we’ve collected through the years. Selecting art can be nerve-wracking for many people, so I have some great tips that will guide you in the process.
Kara Cox Interiors
Bring a Space to Life
The latest piece I’ve acquired for my own home is by Liza Hathaway Matthews, an amazing contemporary abstract artist and textile designer in Baltimore. I selected the beautiful piece above for the new bar we added to our home. It’s a small space that needed color and texture because it has so many hard surfaces. Art can bring an area like this to life like nothing else can. Look for pieces that really speak to you in some way - if you love it, then it’s special!
Kara Cox Interiors
Start Small
People often assume original art is out of their budget or ability to collect. But if you start buying pieces that you love, over time you can amass a collection quickly. I love working with regional Southern artists, so visit your local galleries and look for art and artists that stop you in your tracks. The gorgeous yellow painting above is by Charleston, SC-based artist Kate Long Stevenson.
Kara Cox Interiors
Play with Pattern
Nothing has to match or to fit into the same color palette. Try your art in different rooms and spaces before you decide exactly where you’ll display it. Sometimes the most wow-worthy moments come in unexpected places, like the foyer I designed above.
Live Artfully
Art doesn’t have to always mean a painting or drawing. I choose every item in my home to be beautiful and like a piece of art, from the pieces hanging on our walls to our tableware, glassware, sculpture, objets d’art and accessories. The idea is to select items based on their beauty and how they make you feel. It’s a way to treat yourself - and your family and friends - to something special in those everyday moments, too. After all, life is to be celebrated!
Try these tips to bring more art into your home. And if you need help curating a new look for your home, reach out to my team!
All the best,
Kara