Okay, here it goes! My Top 10 Favorite Art Installations from 2019. Get ready for 10 stunning interior design ideas! First of all, THANK YOU so much to all of my clients who invited me into their homes and offices last year (either in person or virtually!). I am so grateful to have worked with each and every one of you!
I know these types of posts usually come out at the end of December, but recently, I have been scrolling through my phone trying to organize SO. MANY. PHOTOS. (uhhh can you say, quarantine project?!). Remembering these past client installations has brought the biggest smile to my face. So, in case you need a little #interiorinspo in your own home, here are a few STANDOUT moments from last year that continue to inspire me – as I hope they do for you, too!
10. The one with these bejeweled beauties…
Two words: Ashley Longshore. She’s a contemporary pop artist, successful business woman, and feminist icon (who happens to paint many other feminist icons!). No room in the budget for an original Longshore painting? She offers FREE PRINTABLE coloring pages of several of her famous series, including her “Iconic Women.” You can also see her latest work by following her extremely irreverent and hilarious Instagram page!
9. The one featuring the cutest art collector…
Meet a tiny art lover with some seriously good taste. He chose this pair of fine art prints, titled Olympia Rises (left) and Dancing at Dawn (right) by the artist Julia Contacessi. These prints on canvas are offered through Minted.com and are available in a variety of sizes! Love the look? Minted is taking 15% off everything for the home with code TOGETHER at checkout through April 27!
8. The one that was pretty in pink…
Original art in a nursery? Yes please! These sweet floral paintings on paper are by NoVa area artist Laura Gunn. Can I let you in on a little secret? Those custom looking gray rustic frames (with white matting!) are from Target and cost only $30/each!!
7. The one with those famous dogs…
I ask you, is there a more perfect piece for over a piano??! This is a fine art photography print by the American artist William Wegman. The dogs are two of his many beloved Weimaraners and appear regularly in Wegman’s work.
6. The one that went up in time for the holidays…
This stunning giclee reproduction on gallery-wrapped canvas is also by Laura Gunn (the NoVa area artist). Her abstracted compositions, for which Gunn is most known, evoke the memory of some far away landscape (or seascape). Love the look? You can shop Los Lomas, a similar piece on the artist’s website that is available in multiple sizes.
5. The one that was grid perfection…
This installation is grid magic! The client knew she wanted these framed vegetables displayed in her dining room and I suggested that we try arranging them in a grid on one wall. The result? Perfection! I was getting some serious Any Warhol Campbell Soup Can vibes from this installation. I love the way it turned out!
4. The one with all my favorite ladies…
This project was so much fun!! The client contacted me looking for assistance in selecting a piece of art as a surprise birthday gift for his wife. He was so pleased with my selection of proposed artwork that he ended up choosing two pieces! Read my post on how the entire process worked, from initial concept to final reveal.
3. The one that took us to the beach…
This gorgeous original painting is by DC area artist and gallery owner, Martha Spak. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may recognize her name! She is one of my Artists to Get to Know Now. Spak is best known for her ethereal landscapes and soft abstract paintings. You can see more of her work in person by visiting the Martha Spak Gallery at the Wharf.
2. The one with 16 individual encaustic panels…
This fantastic piece is titled Hey Y’all by DC area artist Gina Cochran. These are encaustic (wax!) on wood panels. Upon seeing this piece, I immediately fell in love with the artist’s use of color and her whimsical sense of pattern. Moreover, it’s not a coincidence that a second grid has appeared on my favorite’s list. Grids are tricky to install. Getting all of the pieces to be equally spaced apart from each and level takes time and hanging expertise. But when all is said and done, the results of a well displayed grid are just WOW!
1. The one with those fiery orange poppies…
I first saw these orange poppies by NoVa area artist Laura Gunn at her studio. Immediately, I thought of this client’s space. That fiery orange color was going to pop against her apartment’s deep teal walls. Originally painted on unstretched canvas, I took these pieces to be stretched and framed before delivering them to the client. When install day finally came, the paintings transformed this space. The poppies became the focal point that this room needed and provided the perfect counterpoint to the teal. Ultimately, it was this combo of orange and teal that skyrocketed this installation to the no. 1 spot on my favorite list for 2019!!!
Ready to say goodbye to the blank walls in your own home? Want to make my top 10 favorite list in 2020?! I am now offering virtual “in-home” consultations. Contact me today to get started!
Looking for more interior design ideas and wall art inspiration? Check out my Artists to Get to Know Now page to see which DC area artists I think are fabulous! And don’t forget to read 10 Reasons to Visit the 2017 DC Design House, a post you are sure to love!
Lauren I love the way you showcase local artists almost as much as I appreciate your sense of the perfect fit for the available space.
Thank you!! The Washington DC area has so many talented artists working here! I love featuring their work! And of course, I love finding the perfect pieces for my clients’ spaces!!
Thanks so much Lauren! What a treat to be included in this!
So happy to be able to include your fantastic work on this list! It was a treat to install this piece for your collector!!