Art with Photos.com

Hi Everyone! It's hard to believe that Lucy's room is done.  I've been thinking about all the other projects I need to tackle this winter in the house - some not fun (like tuck pointing our basement foundation walls) and some exciting - like sourcing art for our living room.  Speaking of art, what did you think of the art selections in Lucy's room?  I loved the gallery wall and Erika Huddleston's amazing painting.  And I really love the way Lucy's little bookshelf wall turned out with that fabulous Slim Aarons print!

We  got the print from Photos.com and I am now obsessed with cruising their site to find art for the rest of the house and for some of my design clients. Because they are part of Getty Images they have a huge bank of images to draw from and some amazing classic press images that you've seen before.  The framing and matting options are also nice - simple gallery frames and options to print on canvas and paper.  Here is a round up of some of my favorites, which I think would make great Christmas gifts for that discerning aesthete in your family.

Left to Right / Top to Bottom-
Swimmers and Surfers on the beach by Jason Hawkes: I know that beach photos are all the rage but I still love this - the humanity mixed with nature!

Verbier Vacation by Slim Aarons: I am loving all of Slim Aarons' work on Photos.com  It has such a modern quality.  This ski mountain photo is a fun take on that.

Girl Snorkelling by RJW: There is such moodiness to this piece.

Vogue 1949 by Clifford Coffin: Very poppy and graphic!

Fort Peck Dam by Margaret Bourke-White: I love the architectural quality of this and how the light and shadow plays

Matryoshka dolls for sale at souvenir shop by Holger Leue: Artistic but still sweet. Would be great for a kid's room

In Flight by Arthur Elgort: I love how editorial this is.  A recognizeable model but a funny pose and interesting companion.

White Cow by Jojol Photography: This could look so cool printed large in any number of settings.

What are your favorite pieces?  Are you eyeing anything for any art-lover friends and family this holiday season?

Urban Farmhouse: The Playroom

We're nearing the end of our concept boards for the Urban Farmhouse Project.  Just the second guestroom left to show after this.  And even more exciting is the fact that my client moved in a week ago and we are finally starting to install, get things placed in their proper positions and see the spaces come together. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, here is what we came up with for the playroom. The playroom is upstairs and most of the bedrooms come off of this space. It is flooded with light and has great views (as well as a really fun little reading nook bench off the side).  We wanted it to be kid friendly, eclectic and colorful and we also wanted to utilize some existing pieces the client had (like the media console). Here is our concept board.

And here is a photo of the little reading nook so far:

And the gallery wall over the sofa:

Can't wait to get everything unwrapped and set up!

Off the chART -- Rephotography

In early May, mainstream media was buzzing about the Richard Price exhibition at the New York Frieze Art Fair.  In a nut shell, the artist displayed giant size screen shots of random people’s Instagram photos.  You can read more about it here.

The exhibition is thought provoking on so many levels.  Without delving into the complex debate on internet privacy issues, I was inspired to focus on concepts of re-photography and appropriation.   In the simplest terms, this is when artists take existing objects or images and transform them into a different context.   Duchamp's Fountain and Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup Cans are two popular examples.

Here are some wonderful finds of current artists exploring this challenging genre.  

1. Hollie Chastain  "Gather It Up 12" collage on book cover

2. Roma Ieri "Judy e Kelly le gemelle di James Stewart" photograph
3. Betina La Plante "Now and Then" photograph
4. Franz Falckenhaus "Memory 57" collage
5. Johwey Redington "Life’s Pace Quickens" Encaustic, oil, and found objects on wood

-Jessica B

Off the chART -- Fiber Art

As the annual May Impressionist and Contemporary auctions in New York come to a record-breaking close, I wanted to highlight a genre that has interested me recently -- Fiber Art. There is something about the vivid colors and textures that I keep coming back to. I am amazed at how these artists can transform simple threads into voluminous sculptural pieces.  Check out some of these finds you can grab for under a $179.4 million!

1. Gabriel Dawe torres de satélite + site specific installation at centraltrak + gütermann thread, painted wood and hooks + 7' x 14" x 16' + 2011
2. Elizabeth McTague Macrame wall hanging 24 inches wide and 28 inches long
3. Karen Margolis Yin-yang, 2015 14x11”, Watercolor, gouache, map fragments, thread on Abaca
4. Jose Romussi  Embroidered vintage black & white photograph
5. Jennifer Reifsneider Landfall (Inverted Mercator) 2012, thread 113" x 80" x 10"

-Jessica B

Off the chART

As Jess mentioned in my blog introduction, prior to joining Nest Studio I was a VP at JPMorgan Private Bank’s Art Advisory group. Without going through my whole resume, my department basically helped high net worth clients (AKA the super wealthy) through all stages of art collecting. I accompanied art experts and clients to auctions, private home visits and gallery tours.

This exposure to museum quality art collections cultivated my own preferences in the most unfortunate way.  I could never buy what I loved. For me it was two worlds divided. One was with prosecco, Picasso and Pollock. The other was the clearance section at Pier One Imports.

Since my budget was so minuscule compared to my clients, I humorously coined the term chART.  It’s an umbrella term meaning “cheap art.”  From a definition standpoint, chART includes the $59.99 fully-framed mass produced paintings found at Homegoods, Marshalls and Bed Bath and Beyond.  Over time I realized that chART may not be cheap at all.  Take a look at the price tags at high-end retail mall galleries or seaside tourist cities.  Often times it’s commercial and costly.

Luckily the art world isn't truly a divided black and white space.  An entire spectrum exists between the competitive urban art market and the more generic retail chART.   Artists, even if not prominently featured in galleries or the mainstream press, are still making unique, interesting and affordable art.  And with the advent of websites like etsy and 20x200 there are so many more venues for these creative individuals to market their work.

Over the next several months, I’m excited to explore these younger artists and help us move off the chART.  Stay tuned for more on topics like fiber artists, photography and street art.

- Jessica B.

1. Nike Schroeder
2. Alberto Seveso
3. Sapling Press

CURATED NEST: If Walls could Talk

There's no better way to add personality to your space than with a gallery wall.

It's also a fun way to include your selected art pieces with fun projects that your kids made for you. Take Joy Cho's studio for example...

1. Beet via Crate & Barrel

2. Baby Alpaca via Sharon Montrose

3. Dior Dame via ZGallerie

4. Kodiak Brown Bear via Davies Babies

5. Quiet River via West Elm

6. Arise via Minted

7. Slow Ride via Jay Fleck

8. Yellow Sun via West Elm

 

- Cori

DESIGN BLUEPRINT: urban country

Do you love country style living, but you're a modern city girl at heart? Don't worry, there's a design solution for this. In fact, there's always a design solution for mixing styles.

This dining room, found on Studio Paterakis, is the ideal result of pairing modern and country style dining rooms. It's chic, yet comfortable.

Mid century modern chairs, plus the all-white palette help ground the space in a modern aesthetic. While the trestle style table, banquet seating and pitcher vase make this room perfect for casual Summertime meals, year-round! 

You can also spice it up with cool lighting to add a finishing touch.

DESIGN BLUEPRINT

Framed Art /

a. Restoration Hardware

b. Restoration Hardware

Chandelier / MGBW Home

Pitcher / Target

Table / Blu Dot

Chair /  Dot & Bo

Banquet Bench / Sears

 

- Cori

 

CURATED NEST: Color

Whether you're shopping for the closet or home, finding inspiration in different places is often times the best way to design. Like this inspiration artwork by Mary Heilman via Tate for example... Colors you may not be on the hunt for just might end up being your favorite objects.

1. Pendant / Y Lighting

2. Pillow / Society6

3. iPhone Case / Ban.do

4. Dress / Topshop

5. Clock / Society6

 

- Cori

Client Project Completed

A while back I blogged about a residential project that I was working on locally in Short Hills.  Well, the project is finally complete and photographed (it was complete a while ago but getting around to photographing it was another thing).  I redesigned my client's living room and did a small revamp on the dining room as well as overhauling her teen daughter's bedroom.  Here is a reminder of what her living room looked like before. I don't think she'd mind my saying that it was dated and a bit stodgy.

 And here is what the design board I created looked like.  We wanted something neutral, clean and sophisticated.  Sort of a Restoration Hardware, Gregorious Pineo type look. 

We purchased a lot of new items, but I'm also happy that we got to personalize and reuse things in the space as well. The small side table I did a refinishing project on looks great in the space and holds meaning for my client. We reupholstered a chair she had from her parents and added nail heads to update it.   We were also able to use some vintage framed family photos above a cabinet that she already owned.  The mirror above the fireplace had previously been in the dining room and many of the accessories were items she already had (along with items selectively purchased from Target and Homegoods). The gallery wall also happens to include pieces by her daughter and myself (ha!).  I love how it turned out!  The little reading / game nook is probably my favorite part. It's so inviting and I love the light! 

I can't wait to show you the small things we did in the dining room to tie it into the space and the major transformation in her daughter's room.  Stay tuned.

Photography courtesy of Pablo Enriquez

New Series: Design Blueprint

Please welcome Cori Magee to the Nest Studio Blog. Cori is a good friend, graphic designer and fellow blogger (you can find her at her blog Pretty Haute Mess).  She will be doing a new series here at Nest Studio called Design Blueprint.  Take it away Cori:

Welcome to the first of many 'Design Blueprints' where I take a room worth coveting and break down all the design elements so you can get the look for your own home.

I love this living room by Suvi Sur le Vif. You can see the room's evolution on her blog. The space is modern eclectic, meets a bit of navajo, and there's a perfect balance of it all. The white walls, modern gallery wall and light floors beg for a bold black sofa. While the area rug and throw pillows provide softness and color to the modern space. Don't be afraid to mix patterns and colors. The key is to coordinate the right color tones and the right pattern scales. 

The simple ceiling light is perfect. Schoolhouse Electric has lots of cool fixtures like this, whether you're looking for a ceiling light, sconce, pendant, chandelier, etc.

BLUEPRINT:

Sofa / Ikea

Ceiling Light / Schoolhouse Electric

Throw Blanket / Room & Board

White Candle / Dwell Studio

Rose Candle / Pier 1

Coffee Table / Architonic

Blue Bowl / Heath Ceramics

Tan Bowl / Heath Ceramics

Tray / Hay Shop

Area Rug / Fab.

Pillows /

  a. Zinc Door

  b. CB2

  c. Toast

  d. Zinc Door

  e. Zinc Door

  f. Ferm Living

You can select any artwork you like, but keeping the frame colors basic black and white helps maintain the modern element. Also, notice that there's no super bright artwork to take the spotlight. Rather, all of the pieces work together, both in tone and vibe.

Society6 is a great place to source art. You can purchase the print, art printed on canvas, framed art or even the art on an iPhone case if you want. It's a fun place to shop and there's lots of great artists just trying to share their work.

Of course, a more organic way to put a great wall gallery together is to collect pieces over time. Maybe you found a great pice at a flea market and another at a fancy gallery. However you like to put artwork together, make sure they are true to you and are pieces you really love. If you love each piece, it will all come together somehow...

BLUEPRINT:

Mirror / CB2

Art /

  a. Isaiah K. Stephens

  b. Ruben Ireland

  c. The White Deer

  d. Britt Bass

  e. Ruben Ireland

  f. Corinne Reid

  g. Ylva Skarp

  h. Nicole Cioffe

 

- Cori

A final sneak peek: The Powder Room

I posted a while back about our amazing Cole and Sons powder room wallcovering. Well, they did end up shooting the powder room for the Woman's Day shoot and it's not all that different than the photo from my original post- below (with a bit more styling):

However, I wanted to give you a sneak peek at the other minor progress that WD didn't shoot. Not knowing what would be shot and what wouldn't I figured I'd better get some art up in the powder room.  I had an extra gallery wall frame lying around and I figured I'd use it.  Keeping with the monkey business theme,  I did a little contour sketch of some bananas. I like that it keeps with the whole tongue-in-cheek theme of the room.

Alright guys, that's it for the sneak peeks.  I think I'll have to move on to more posts about the work I'm doing for clients, progress in the yard, and at some point, what's going on with my mess of an office.

A final sneak peek: Breakfast nook

OK, I realized after I said that the living room was the final sneak peek that there are a couple more spaces I wanted to show you guys. First off is the breakfast nook. Not all that much has changed. But if you recall, it looked like this before.

I wasn't crazy about the artwork. I sort of just hung those two pieces there temporarily. Then in the process of unpacking (yes, we are STILL unpacking) I found some of the photos from our old gallery wall and thought they'd work out nicely here. I like that they add some personality and there are pops of black and jump off the wall.  So much better than before.

Switchin' it up: Bye bye ladies!

Settling in and unpacking in this house has been a gradual process.  I can't believe I'm saying this but we have been here 7 months now and there are still some boxes we haven't fully unpacked. That is a little scary.  So when I started to furnish Bryan's room naturally I hadn't unpacked everything related to his room.  There wasn't the same amount of space for the gallery wall over his dresser as there had been in our old house so I moved what we fondly refer to as "the ladies" to the corner next to his book ledges (the ladies is actually a batik of a man and a woman both with pierced ears wearing indigenous garb).  It seemed to work there but something wasn't quite right. Here is what it looked like and what Bryan's room usually looks like on a good day when he hasn't dumped the content of each basket and bin onto the floor.

As I continued unpacking, of course, I found more artwork. I discovered my little Chinese paintings that had been next to his book ledges before.  Since they worked in that placement in LA I figured they would work here.  Luckily it was easy to take out the single nail that was holding up the ladies and the two new pieces covered over the hole nicely.  Viola!  So much better no?  Stay tuned for another roman shade DIY for Bryan's room.  Can't wait to get rid of those temporary paper numbers.

Kid's Room Art

It's funny as a designer to have a toddler child.  You are constantly trying to figure out how to corral said toddler's stuff and keep said toddler safe while also maintaining a sense of design in your home.  Sometimes you're successful, and sometimes you're not.  This is what Bryan's room looks like on a typical day.

Eventually he will have roman shades, but as you can see, the book ledges are unkempt and his baskets have exploded on the floor.  The plastic toys which I tried so hard to avoid, have come out in full force and aren't exactly my favorite accesory.  I think longingly of the days when he was an infant and his room look so pristine like this.  Anyways, I'm still at it, trying to make his room look cool.  Originally he had a large map over his crib, but the map didn't fit in the bed niche in the new room.  So I brought in these two old mechanics posters that had been in our family room in LA. I actually think they look great here. They are less generic than a map. They really tie into the colors of the room and have a certain "boy" quality that will grow with him. Of course, if he ends up being a car mechanic I will have to blame the art choice.

Puttin' up the art - gallery walls

In the past few days I've managed to do a lot of unpacking of all of the art that was sitting in our garage and found the time to hang a few key pieces.  It really helps to have the parents come to visit so they can look after Bryan and I can knock these things off my to-do list.  And I've also gotten a lot done on the decorative hardware line as well - more on that in a separate post.  In any case, I rounded up some of my favorite pieces and created a gallery wall in the living room. The coloration in the framed artwork really ties the whole room together (not that I intend to keep the orange floral crewel on the wing chair).  I love the mix of pieces.  That large abstract is something my dad bought in college. How cool is that? The abstract botanical prints are something I did in a college print making class and then the others were are gifts from friends and such.  I'm thinking I might add in a few more pieces flanking the main grouping later down the line, but right now I really like how it's working out.  Now, I just need to figure out what to do with those stand-in IKEA parsons tables...

And I hung our orange pumpkin, previously over the fireplace in LA, over the piano. It adds some lightness to a dark corner.

 How are your spring projects shaping up?

Art that looks like interiors...

Living Room by Martial Interiors, Office by Unknown, Bedroom by Larry Laslo

- Lauren

Art that looks like interiors...

Bedroom by Unknown, Dining Room by Jay Jeffers, Hallway by Tirry Cindy and Tom Callebaut

- Lauren

Art that looks like interiors...

Bathroom by Irina Graewe, Living Room by Unknown, Living Room by Deborah Wecselman

- Lauren

Art that looks like interiors...

Living Room by Ronald Bricke,  Dining Room by Doug & Gene Meyer,  Living Room by Kathy Hackman Hutchinson

- Lauren