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Artists on Instagram that you NEED to follow… Part I
art filled spaces I’m pinning right now (and how to get the look for a little less)
Think Like an Artist, Not Just a Designer
Hi again, friends! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that you’re here, reading this. As anyone who has spoken to me knows, I love talking about design and being creative. It is my way of problem-solving in a world full of unsolvable problems. War in Gaza and Israel that never seems to end and thousands of innocent people that suffer as the result? Figure out what color to paint my client’s ceiling. Trillion dollar debt? Plan the perfect layout to a difficult living room. Balance a healthy lifestyle and be happy with my current body situation while dreading every iPhone picture despite my body positive attitude? Devise a way to DIY a vintage lamp into a wall sconce. It is my way of controlling my own little piece of the collective world we share. It might seem trite and sure I could volunteer but this is my way of making the world beautiful. I am soooo much better at relating through unspoken gestures than pleasant conversations. When someone tells me that I’ve taught them how to listen to their own creative impulses, I feel like I’ve saved another soul. So in other words, thank you for being here.
my favorite wallpaper + art combos
Hello, intrepid design lover! As you may know, I love helping people even if they can’t afford my design services. I think EVERYONE should have a beautiful home.
It might be a little bit weird, but one of my favorite things to do is fantasize about wallpaper… am I the only one? I especially love pairing different themed wallpapers with unexpected art. Like putting a tropical wallpaper with an uber modern print, etc. It’s the unexpected element that gives your space that chef’s kiss. Below, I’ve put together some possible art options for popular wallpaper. Enjoy!
large art for (somewhat) little money
One of the toughest assignments I give myself as an interior stylist is finding large art that doesn’t suck. If you google “oversized art”, you’ll know my plight. It’s a lot of hotel art and badly pixelized digital prints. And what do you consider large art? I would say anything over 55” on the longer side. Anything huge is simply a matter of luck and a 4AM trip to the flea market. And even then, the likelihood of finding something in pristine condition is low, so be prepared for dings and scrapes.
The other design dilemma is the affordability. If I have over $6K to spend, I’m in business. But often, my budgets are a total of $15K for one room, which includes sofas, chairs, rugs, paint, wallpaper, etc. I can’t spend half the budget on a singular piece of art and leave the rest of the room blank!
So what is a budding interior stylist to do? Well, I get my search engines ready and my filters primed. I’m always on the hunt and here’s what I’ve found lately… my suggestion for you is that if you need large art now, purchase these right away because I have no idea how long they will last.
how to build an art collection
I'm such a tease. No seriously, I've been teasing you on how to find and buy art and I haven't got to the good stuff yet. Because if you're reading this, you seriously want to know WHAT YOU SHOULD BUY!!!!!!!!!
no fail steps to make your house look cool
Hey there, all you cool cats! You asked for it and now I'm delivering. You want to make your house look cool. And I'm not talking about how to make your house look expensive, well-styled, or even well coordinated.
How to pick art: part 2
Hello! I've been putting off my blogging duties this weekend - I've been experiencing major migraines and just couldn't look at another screen. Plus, my keyboard is not working so typing has become even more difficult! But duties call and I can't leave you hanging on my next installment on how to pick art for your home. ICYMI, here is my first lesson:
https://www.melaniethomasdesign.com/post/how-to-pick-art-the-basics
My next lesson is in
how to pick art: the basics
Chances are that if you've landed here, I don't need to explain why picking out the perfect art piece is integral to your interior design. BUT if you really want me to spell it out --
ART IS THE SPARK THAT SETS OFF THE WHOLE PROJECT.
how to become a maximalist (and not max out the credit card)
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for tuning in. Every week, I have oodles of ideas to write about but alas, due to the slow moving glacier that is my home touch up, I have no new content myself.
get the look without copying
We've all done it. You're flipping through your favorite pins and you come across a jaw-dropper living room. A "stop everything and let's analyze every detail" living room that is absolute perfection. And then you get to the resources and you -- no judgments, I promise -- add everything to your cart. Or even worse, you pin the image and the algorithms deliver the exact products from the pin. That's how they get you! And boy is it tempting to just copy everything you see in that one photo, but I'm here to tell you: "You're better than that." I was definitely guilty of this when I saw Emily Henderson's redesign of Bri Emery's living room:
large scale art
Hello and happy "Day Before You Officially Start Your First Work Week in 2021"! At least that's how I feel. Although, with the new work from home model, more people are working past the regular 9-5 M-F. What else are we going to do?