How To Install Paintings In Your Home

Earlier this month, I was one of the featured Interior Designers at an Event at the Baker Knapp & Tubbs showroom at ADAC, featuring current paintings from Anne Irwin Fine Art, Miami Circle, Atlanta.  It was quite an honour, and there was a great turn-out!  Here's one of my interiors featured on the Power Point presentation:

This week, I'm writing on how to install paintings in your rooms.  First, like a recipe that uses quality ingredients and creates a wonderful meal, start by using QUALITY ART (all paintings in this blog are offered for sale by Anne Irwin Fine Art; just contact me for sizes and prices).

And, to clarify, all of the wonderful vignettes shown were installed by: PETRONILLA PEMBERTON, Visual Display Coordinator at Baker's Showroom at ADAC.  Petronilla has a discerning and creative eye, and we talked about how I as a designer use some of her "tricks" of displaying art in my own installations.

Hanging a large painting over a sofa might sound simple, but you'd be surprised how many people hang art-over-sofas TOO HIGH!  Measure the distance of the top of the sofa to the ceiling.  Rarely will you install right in the middle; instead, "weight" the painting closer to the top of the sofa, 6 to 8 inches most-always works. BTW: same applies to hanging art over a bed.

Perhaps you have a small painting, framed or unframed, that just seems too small to hang on your walls.  Try leaning it against a lamp or mirror; the light from the lamp with give it a nice, warm glow.  You might want to place a book or small object to keep the painting from falling, OR just put the small painting on a black plate-stand.

And while we're on the subject of art and lamps, there is NOTHING WRONG with hanging a large painting behind a lamp.  So the lampshade "covers" part of the painting: "Big Deal, only if you cover the artist's signature or an integral part of the painting do I see this as a problem."

3 Paintings from the Same Artist:  you might like the idea of 3 small to medium-sized paintings instead of one large painting.  AOK!  Just space the paintings 4-6" apart from each-other; Voila!

3 Paintings, Different Artist: this can get trickier.  Either experiment on a bare floor, arranging and spacing, OR, there's NOTHING WRONG with hiring an EXPERT (that would be I) when hanging wall art becomes anxiety-ridden or overwhelming.  It's What I DO!

Maybe it's time to treat yourself to a new painting or two.  Give me a ring (404-274-5091); I'd be happy to help!

Keep Calm And Invest In Fine Art!
....Mark.

A little "Retail Therapy" helps the psyche, don'tcha' think?

Once in a while, we all need a little Retail Therapy to help make our lives a little brighter (said Retail Therapy works, by-the-way, when you buy a new sofa, a new bed, or have me re-decorate a whole room......HINT-HINT).  After an uber-productive day of antiquing, errand-running, and stops at ADAC, I stopped at my Barnes & Noble on Peachtree Road and treated myself to these five new (to me) CDs.  

I'm not your "download via iTunes" kinda guy; I like to hear the ENTIRE album, and enjoy listening to new tunes for a month or so, then put them away in the custom-drawers my cabinet-maker made for me when I built my new kitchen 10 years ago (photo later in the blog).

Here's what I bought today:

Mumford & Sons: Babel (see them on TV all the time; wanted to try them)

David Bowie: The Next Day (Bowie is one of my favourites; I have many of his albums).

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Mosquito (my 3rd of 4th of theirs; GREAT road music!)

Sarah Brightman: Dreamchaser (Sis Jill and I LOVE her voice!  Saw her on Broadway).

And Depeche Mode: Delta Machine (another of my favourite groups).

As you can see, my taste in music goes in many directions; perhaps yours does as well.  Let me know if any of my choices appeal to you,.....and give me an idea of which albums I should add to my library.

Only problem IS:  as you can see, I've run out of drawer space!

Keep Calm and Keep The Music Business Alive!

...Music-Mark.