Twelve years after a major downsize to a charming custom apartment, my darling, vibrantly active and passionate client wanted a fresh renovation. When we first met and reviewed what had been designed those many years ago, I’ll admit I wondered to myself what could be an improvement over the original! But guess what?! The few changes in paint, carpet, and bedding, ending up with re-hanging and redesigning Nancy’s art fine art collection of 110 pieces (oh, yes), was a thrilling and tender project.
I’d like to walk you through several of the rooms of art and the process (undoable without the help of my expert assistant, Fred). A total of 14 hours went into the design process, with almost every piece of art finding a new home for a fresh look. It was indeed a satisfying project and a fine example of the perfect placement Black-eyed Susan clients count on.
We started in the personal office (a very active place!) of Nancy’s home. As a designer, the experience was exceptionally delightful because she was so trusting in my approach and most agreeable to every suggestion. She listened to my “eye” and gave me free artistic license to complete the project using the best practices of scale and design, with a little bit of whimsy thrown into the mix!
I began by taking a visual inventory of the whole collection (remember the count, 110!) Some rooms were designed by color, others by subject. Size certainly comes into play and the addition of several items such as mirrors, plates, and vintage silver brought the unexpected!
Two things came into play for this room:
- Mix things up a little
- Nancy’s colorful hat collection needed something that would compliment this art form in itself. The black and white seemed perfect.
- This wall is the focal point when entering the office, and really upon leaving the foyer. This collection of favorites fit all the qualifications and together, she and I were thrilled!
Excuse the working shot including ladder, paper patterns, and hammers! This collection was all about the beautiful aqua color, and personal memories of family and favorite places…a tender and delightful desk view.
In the beginning, there was this!
This is a screen shot from my can’t-live-without Samsung Note 9 phone. Using this, I can write measurements on the photo, document placement and have a pattern in place. (Once you begin taking one photo out of your layout to mount on the wall, it’s a necessary piece of the puzzle.)
Next, comes this…
Fred’s template for each wall design … genius! Kitchen theme with chickens & cows
Nancy had pulled all of these images (some her own photographs, others drawings and top center a fabulous abstract painting. A wall in the kitchen featured this group of favorites. I always start with arranging the grouping on the floor, giving me a chance to mix things up and get the perfect placement my eye is known for.
This project took a total of three days, with 14 hours to design and hang–so watch for my next installment of The Art of Hanging Art, when we will continue with the dining room and living room! Can’t wait to see you again.
