10 Ways To Transform a Room With A Single Painting!

I love reading your comments - it adds so much to the post and more often than not someone will point out something I haven't noticed and I'll look a the home tour from a new perspective. Yesterday,  for example, someone pointed out that there was no art on the walls - and it was in no means meant as a negative - more an observation that a home without art can also be interesting.  So today, I thought I would go to the opposite extreme and take a look at how a single painting can transform a space. When I was writing my first book, Modern Pastoral, the photographer James Gardiner and I captured a beautiful home in the Hudson Valley designed by Jersey Ice-cream Company. One of the things I noticed about the work of Tara Mangini & Percy Bright is how they apply art (mainly portraits, but also landscapes and still life) to bring the look together. Here are ten fine examples:

I found this fascinating, how about you?

Did you have a favourite?

It has totally spurred me on to look out for more original art for my walls. These are often good sources: 

Flea markets

Charity shops

Etsy*

Ebay

Do you have any other suggestions on where to source original portrait paintings? Perhaps some wonderful, modern artists?

I'm going to need to be careful though - there was a painting in my childhood home of my great, great, great grandfather who was an Admiral. My Mother used to have to cover it up with a sheet at night because my sisters and I were so afraid of it! There was something about the way his eyes followed you around the room. Did you have any paintings like that in your home? 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Jersey Ice-cream Company  / some credited to Beth Kirby

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Fifty Shades of White In a Beautiful Swedish Home

If everyone else goes right, go left (so the motivational quote goes). And as current interior trends entice us to add more colour to our homes - there's one lady who has stuck fast to her passion. You might recall Malin Nilsson's beautiful home in Råå, on the South West of Sweden from a Christmas post back in 2016. And I was excited to see from her aptly named instagram feed VittVittVitt ('white white white), that her home still pays homage to her favourite shade. It's a minimalist look that requires attention to detail and a love for texture - and Malin has it in spades, you just need to look closely!

Above: Stoff Nagel candleholder, Bertoia chair*, Chunky knit blanket*

The walls and ceilings have been painted in 0500 by Flügger. The woodwork (doors, skirting boards etc) has been painted in 0502 (also Flügger) to breath life and depth into the overall look.

Boxplay sofa by Claesson Koivisto Rune.

Texture in the form of shag-pile, metallics (how fabulous are these chairs?!), velvet and rattan help to heighten the visual impact of the space in a subtle yet cosy way.

Vintage chairs from Johansson Design mode Vinga, Gubi semi pendant*. 

The flowers add instant colour to the space and have also been arrange in a fairly relaxed, 'wild' way which brings softness to the room.   

So, what do you think? Does it stop your colour-dabbed paint brush in its tracks?  

It certainly makes me realise that white will always be 'right', even if I might just add a little more colour to my own home here and there this year. 

Other beautiful white homes to feel inspired by: the serene white home of a designer, the beautiful white farmhouse of an interior designer and a stunning white studio with vintage finds. 

Also; when is white too white?!!

For the colour fiends out there: this archive. 

Have a lovely day!

Niki

PS I have the worst cold today so if I've made any errors / I've used words that are a bit off it's because everything is a little hazy today! Any great remedies out there?! 

Photography: Malin Nilsson shared with kind permission

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