HAPPY LABOR DAY! PLUS 3 WALL ART MOODBOARDS FOR 3 DIFFERENT DESIGN DIRECTIONS

I've been taking this holiday weekend very literally and laboring nonstop to catch up on a bunch of design projects.  I worked all day Sat and Sun and tomorrow I'm finally gonna knock off and head to the beach with my little guy because the water is pretty much at it's warmest temp of the year, and Benicio has recently discovered the thrills of boogie boarding!  In about 10" of water but still, when you're a shorty that's something, and he gets SO excited about his little whitewater rides and wipeouts :)  Cutest. Thing. Ever.

 

 

So I thought I'd share these art moodboards that we presented to a client recently.  Remember our Beachwood Canyon project, the slightly coastal, Americana vibe house design with lots of blue and white that I shared with you here?

 

 

We came up with 3 different directions for wall art that our client  got to choose between.  We called them "East Coast Traditional,"  "Organic Modern Abstract," and "Traveled & Eclectic." (I think I overuse the term "organic modern"... I say it all the time!  Gotta come up with some new descriptions I guess.)

 

If anything catches your eye, most of these pieces of art are actually shopable and can be found on the project pinterest board.

The "East Coast Traditional" collection included botanical prints, Audubon images, nature paintings, and some chinoiserie art:

 

The "Organic Modern Abstract" board was a bunch of abstract art (duh) and some museum fine art prints (which is a trick I love to use when building an interesting but affordable art collection. See my tips here and here):

 

And the "Traveled & Eclectic" moodboard had some really beautiful Moroccan tile photography and vintage 1930s travel advertising posters:

 

 

(art sources compiled here)

 

Just as I suspected my client picked the "East Coast Traditional" moodboard (with just a dash of "Traveled & Eclectic) because it's where she's from and it makes her happy to have it around.  Which is really art's only requirement in my book, by the way ... it should make you happy!  It needn't be expensive or coveted and sought after by anyone else.  At the end of the day if you walk by it and it lifts you up, success!

xoxo,

MORE COOL ART POSTERS FOR YOUR AFFORDABLE WALL ART COLLECTION

I know I'm posting really sporadically right now, but it's ONLY because I'm so under the gun to get the Clad Home store open to the public.  Thanks for understanding, and just know that I'll be back in action here soon.  For now though, here's an update: 

We're moved into the new space now and it's functioning as our office (or at least it will be today after we get our desk and chairs delivered.)  We've begun to receive shipments of furniture and decor, but I know that I really don't want open up shop or have any type of grand opening until I have the whole space just how I like it, and it's not there yet!

I've been sourcing like crazy all the things I need to bring into the store to make it a layered, collected, awesome shopping experience. The whole decision to open a store came about so quickly that I was definitely not up to speed with all of the wholesale resources that it takes to stock a store like this.  That's my call out to all you artisans, painters, makers of beautiful things out there, especially California-based, who think you might have something cool for the store.  I'm especially looking for painters because I have a lot of wall space to fill!

Speaking of wall art, here are some awesome art posters I've been buying, similar to those in the Matisse post I recently did about collecting art museum and gallery show posters.  They're all around $10-$50 depending on the size you choose, and I think they all have just the right mix of colorful graphics with an artsy foreign vibe to be a really interesting addition to any gallery wall.  And let me tell you, $50 for

1 // 2 // 3 // 4

1 // 2 // 3 // 4

 

The Chief in the headdress reminds me a lot of these prints that Domino sells by artist Jenna Snyder-Phillips ...

 

 Can't you see any of those prints looking great in a gallery wall mix like this?

(all photos via)

In other news, we finally shot the Little Tokyo Loft project this past weekend, and I must say it's one of my favorite projects to date!  Can't wait to share the pics...just need to get it published first :)

xoxo,

 

HOW TO: START AN ART COLLECTION WITH AFFORDABLE GALLERY PRINTS. THE MATISSE EDITION!

Hello again!  Happy to report that I'm back from my little birthday trip to Baja feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to go another round :)  While the pace of life in Todos Santos is luxureously slow and languid, the pace of life here in LA is decidedly not.  So I've hit the ground running, what with the store renovation happening right now as we speak, and some exciting client projects underway too!

 

I'll share a few vacation pics soon, I promise, but today I'm passing along one of my favorite art buying tips, plus a 40% off discount code that ends today, so don't miss out!

 

One of the most important aspects of design is also one of the most expensive and daunting.  Wall art.  It can make or break a room, and when you're on a budget it's no small feat to find stuff you truly love at a price you can actually afford.  

Which is why I'm a longtime lover of old museum art prints.  I'll often pick them up in thrift stores for just a few bucks, the more obscure the museum or artist, the better.  Printed in French or German or Dutch?  Even better.  I love the intellectual European salon quality they bring to a space (does it make me a pseudo-intellectual if I'm only in it for the pretty factor?  Say no :)

 

What's more, these types of prints are always on ebay (search keywords "museum art poster" or "vintage museum poster") and are even sold new at incredibly affordable prices.

 

via

Henri Matisse is particularly easy to hang on your wall.  His simple compositions have such an appealing graphic quality to them, and the bright and clear color combinations make them winners amidst almost any decor.

(posters via)

 

Check out these inspiration rooms that each feature colorful, bold wall art as their centerpiece...

(all room photos via)

The following are just a few of the big selection of Matisse prints available on Art.com for $25-$200.  Right now there's a 40% off everything sale with the coupon code FKD773 (and don't fret if you miss it because they run these sales often.)

 

(all prints available here.)

 

 

This should really be just part of an ongoing art series where I bring you ideas and inspiration for affordable wall art of all types.  I'll try to keep this up, because it's a dilemma I'm constantly having to face, so I'm sure that many of you are too. 

In the DIY realm I've already shared some DIY abstract line art, an Alexander Calder copy, all the DIY wall art I made for my One Room Challenge space, and tipped you off to another of my favorite tricks, enlarging giant photos.

Enjoy the weekend!