Decisions, decisions

Do you ever stop yourself from buying something you love thinking that its use is too limited?

I almost did that last Spring while redoing my daughter's room.

painting/chair/planter/pillow /pouf/desk

I walked away from this fab mirror that was a mere $50. All I could think was, "I don't need a mirror" and "What if she hates it? Then I am stuck."

Silly me. I saw that mirror in vignettes on Pinterest and it reminded me that I won't necessarily always be in this house and they are growing up and leaving so I will other places to use the mirror when circumstances change. Luckily, my short-sightedness did not hurt. The mirror was still at the store a few days later.

I put together this board to see how I might use it in an entryway or little office nook. Can we just talk about that pouf? It was love at first sight. I was thinking I should just buy it or two then I saw the price. Yikes!

Have you ever walked away from a purchase that you are kicking yourself over?

Thoughts on displaying art

In looking at the many varied images that display art in ways that I find pleasing I began to notice my own favorites. I am talking about more than just hung on a wall versus tabletop or bookshelf display. I have been thinking about the particular details that make up the context for display of two-dimensional art.

I'll show you a few examples and share my personal tastes along the way.

In the first photo the art work is propped on a mantel and layered. It also is an asymmetrical  assemble of art and objects framed by a symmetrical collection of objects.

I find it quite pleasing but in my own home might feel as though something were missing in this over-mantle arrangement.

This layered asymmetrical art arrangement seems to ground the work on the wall above and the work above seems to call attention to the collection below.

This is, to me, is perfection.

I could be persuaded to prop a piece in front of a mirror as Miles Redd has done here.

 

Propping paintings on the floor is evocative of an artists studio and is a common site in my own house. A house full of rambunctious kids may not be ideal for this type of display but its awfully romantic in a bohemian kind of way.

The idea of grouping a piece of art with another collection based on color, era and other similarities is intriguing to me although I might choose differently than this example.

Gallery walls and salon style installations are big buzzwords these day but nothing new. I particularly enjoy them when there is a theme of sorts.

Figures, caricatures and portraits are my favorites to group as you will see in the next two examples from my house.

a corner of my dining room

My college aged son's room

The choice whether to display art collections vertically or horizontally is a matter of taste and context in the space.

The Pink Pagoda

 A horizontal installation can bring life to a wall that is too wide to hold one work with any impact. My favorites either way include more than two.

I love vertically hung pieces on a narrow wall.

I have my own hang-ups (pun intended) about displaying art. 

Do you have rules that you adhere to?

What is your favorite way to display art?

Pagoda mirrors

I love pagoda mirrors. I mean who doesn't right?

They are suited for mantles and entryways and dining rooms that need something over a console or buffet.

They are not for every house or budget. This one from Circa Who is $2800. Another was on eBay for $1500.

Circa Who

The thing I like best about pagoda mirrors is...

that there is now one in my house!!!

Imagine me screaming that and jumping up and down like the people one The Price is Right!

That is how excited I am, especially since the price was right. It amounted to about what the sales tax would be one one found in a retail store.

I have Kristen of Pursuing Vintage to thank for this. She emailed me about an estate sale nearby. At first I dismissed the idea entirely because my husband and I agreed on a spending fast where we buy nothing but food, gas and essentials.

Then I peeked at the offerings and saw the mirror. Despite my inner curmudgeon telling me it would be gone already, too expensive and that I dare not buy anything, I went.

Let's just say that Mr. Design du Monde was none too pleased about this but he was not mad enough not to style the whole thing. He hated the varying blues in my porcelain set up so I scurried about the house bringing pieces for his approval. He is insisting that the painting next to the mirror is wrong looking so I better fix that. He is a styling fiend!