HOW TO STYLE ALL THOSE ITEMS THAT "BRING YOU JOY"

You’ve cleared the clutter and made way for the things that “bring joy” now what?

We’ve all done it (or half way have). We have all been suckered into the wave that Marie Kondo has created. We’ve maybe folded our clothes into little “sushi” rolls; we’ve lined our drawers with pretty paper and cute little organizers; we’ve cleared our house of all the things that do not spark joy. Heck, I’ve even opened up about my personal Marie Kondo experience on Forbes.

So. Now what to do with all the things we kept that do spark joy? You know, the book collection, the trinkets from travel, and maybe that huge jewelry collection. Because, while her advice is to let go a lot of those items, I politely disagree. I feel that certain objects we collect over time do earn their places in our environments. However, it’s our job to display them proudly and happily - to promote, well you know: more joy.

So here are my thoughts on what do to with all those items, this will ease both sides of the spectrum for you, making your craving for a Marie Kondo perfect space align with that well curated collection you just can’t seem to part with.

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1. STYLED BOOKCASES

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Lisa Gilmore Design | Seamus Payne Photography

Perhaps you have a collection of study books from that education you worked so hard to get. You can artfully display them amongst other collectables that bring you joy. Think outside of the box - art in frames (this is a great area to rotate all that lovely school art your kids bring home!), beautiful vases or gifted items. A nice balance of saturated and negative space is key to not making the shelves look cluttered. Every square inch doesn’t have to be covered, try to let it flow naturally!

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2. ART ARRANGEMENTS

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Lisa Gilmore Design | Seamus Payne Photography

It’s no surprise by now that I am a fan of a good gallery wall. Right? Okay, well if you didn’t know that, now you do - it’s kind of my jam.

However, the importance of a gallery wall is to not feel forced. Don’t go to your closest Hobby Lobby and try to find any old thing to shove in those spaces. All the quotes and monogrammed things in the world will not give it that carefully curated vibe you are hoping to achieve.

Allow your gallery wall to have breathing room and grow over time. Let things mismatch a bit. Fill it with things that mean something, and I promise that wall will bring you joy.

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3. CUSTOM BUILT-INS SPECIFIC FOR COLLECTIONS

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Lisa Gilmore Design | Seamus Payne Photography

When we started working with this client, I will admit, I was a little overwhelmed with her amazing collection of precious pottery, figurines, art deco beauties, books and a growing record collection. I quickly got over that fear, when I changed my mindset and instead of trying to fit all of these beautiful objects in all over her home - why not make a specific place for them to be displayed proudly and adored?

So we got to work designing a custom corner unit with our talented carpenter. What would have been an average dining area (that our client expressed she would never use) transformed into a “music lounge” area. A place to enjoy a glass of wine, chat with friends, listen to records and talk about her collections she has lovingly selected over time.

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Lisa Gilmore Design | Seamus Payne Photography

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Lisa Gilmore Design | Seamus Payne Photography

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4. FURNITURE DISPLAYING

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Lisa Gilmore Design | Seamus Payne Photography

Think outside of the book shelf with how you display your collections. Finding a beautiful piece of furniture with detailed fronts is a great way to organize your books (or other objects), without having them be the center focus of the room. Layer your art and collectables to live beautifully with each other, once again allowing your collections to grow and change with time.

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Lisa Gilmore Design | Seamus Payne Photography

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I think by now you can sort of see the pattern here. It’s all about decorating with intention. Styling the objects you want to talk about, tell the stories of how you found them, or just simply smile when you see them. Your collection can be anything that pulls at your heart strings - that is the whole point of living with items that spark joy.

Now go ahead and fearlessly think of how you want to incorporate those special items into your daily environment!

FEATURED IN RUE MAGAZINE

AN ANTIQUE & ART COLLECTOR'S LUXURY MODERN CONDO

This modern condo located in Tampa, Florida is the home of an avid antique and art collector. This soulful interior design project by Lisa Gilmore Design was featured in Rue Magazine. The modern condo was transformed into a moody artful living space. Featuring navy walls, an impressive art collection, Arts & Craft furniture, Art Deco collectibles, a home library and home office with major style. With wallpaper, fabric and lighting from William Morris, Frank Lloyd Wright & Kelly Wearstler.

Photos Seamus Payne

THE DARK NAVY WALLS ARE THE PERFECT BACKDROP FOR THE OWNER’S ART COLLECTION.

THE OVERALL DESIGNG IS INSPIRED BY THE ART DECO AND ARTS & CRAFTS COLLECTION.

ART CHAT:: SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT ARTISTS

Hey guys, Crystina here! Today I want to chat with you about art and artists worth investing in!            

When it comes to designing the interior of your home, one of the first and probably most important things that comes to mind for me is the art you choose. It’s such a personal and intimate thing - to choose pieces that draw you in, bring a sense of nostalgia into your home, or that simply make you feel good when you walk by it. One piece of artwork can bring the entire design of a room together. While websites like Minted and Etsy are great for quick and inexpensive prints, they typically don’t have the quality of an original piece of work, and they don’t usually support the artist directly. As an artist myself, any chance I have to support a working artist and receive a truly handcrafted, original, quality piece of art is an opportunity I am more than happy to take. It’s so important to keep the maker’s movement movin’, because you simply can’t replace something that is made by someone’s own two hands - their hearts and souls are poured into those pieces and it really creates a more meaningful artistic experience for your home.

When choosing artwork I always encourage people to invest in original pieces that will have longevity and gain value over time. Think of buying art as more than just something hanging on your wall, but also as an investment - something that you can pass down in your family that will garner more than just visual interest over decades. In fact, art is one of the few things that is considered a “smart” investment - and knowing which artists to invest will help you choose “smart” art. A few of my current favorite artists that have gained national attention are painter Brynn Casey of Roswell, Georgia, wood craftswoman Aleksandra Zee of Oakland, California and painter Teil Duncan Henley of Charleston, South Carolina. I was first drawn to these particular artists through my favorite place to discover art - Instagram. But once I learned more about them and the traction they were building across the country I decided to learn a little more.

Being from the coast of New England myself and growing up on the ocean I was particularly intrigued by Brynn Casey’s up close ocean oil paintings because of the way they so beautifully captured a place so important to me. Her brush strokes truly encapsulate the movement of the ocean in a way I’ve never seen an artist paint it before. She’s able to capture light and texture through the use of value and color in such a subtle way. I could envision two of these side by side above a bed for a calming and peaceful atmosphere that truly transports you to the sea side, as if you’re looking out over the ocean from your own bedroom. Not to mention, her prices for an original commission or already available painting are extremely affordable, ranging from $100-$1,000. She’s even garnered attention from Anthropologie, collaborating on a collection with them - which means this artist is only going up in the art world. I’m already scheming up ways to make room for one of these gorgeous pieces in my own home! For more of Brynn’s work, visit her website: www.brynncasey.com .

The next artist whose work I am completely obsessing over, is Aleksandra Zee. Aside from the fact that her perfectly curated Instagram account, @aleksandrazee, makes me want to immediately move to the desert and start living in a California dream, she is one incredible woodworker, and a female one at that - not something you hear of a lady artist doing very often, and I’m so glad she is. Her work evokes the colors and atmosphere of the desert life. She states on her website, “The colors and textiles of the desert truly inspire my soul. I find myself gravitating to natural color hues and designs that I have brought back with me,” (Aleksandra Zee, 2017). I can’t help but be completely mesmerized by the natural grains and stains of the woods she works with and the patterns she creates. Also at an affordable price range for hand crafted work, large scale work, her beautiful wood mosaic wall hangings range anywhere from $400 - $3,000. See more of her work at www.aleksandrazee.com, you won’t regret it.

Aleksandra Zee, 6 x 3 Rectangle, wood wall hanging, 2017. (http://www.aleksandrazee.com/store/        )

Teil Duncan, “Turquiose Hut,”  36” x 48” original acrylic painting on birch wood panel. (https://www.teilduncan.com/collections/beaches/products/copy-of-south-beach-sorbet-36x48)

Finally, an artist who I greatly admire for her grit and passion to make it in the fine art world without being represented by a gallery and who has more than succeeded in doing so - Teil Duncan. Her oil paintings are iconic at this point, and her style of painting with bold, vibrant colors in deep layers, scraped away on canvas to reveal even more depth underneath unearths a whole new level of visual composition. Her subjects and landscapes, while fairly simple, are given a fresh, new perspective with her style of oil painting. Known originally for her bright and summery beaches, she has since broadened her subject matter to include figurative nudes, portraits, animals and most recently still life’s and non objective subject matter. She states on her website, “Inspired by light, movement, surprising color combinations, social interaction, and patterns, I try to collaborate these elements and form abstracted, pixilated compositions,” (Teil Duncan, 2017). She’s collaborated with well known retailers such as One King’s Lane and Crate & Barrel, and has been featured in major magazines such as Vogue, Coastal Living, Southern Living, In Style and Art Mag…just to name drop a few. While at a slightly steeper price point, ranging from $1,000-$5,000  she sells out pretty quickly and in my opinion, you should nab one while you still can! Can’t afford an original? She also releases prints from time to time - which also sell like hot cakes, but art still just as beautiful.  Check more of her out at www.teilduncan.com.

At Lisa Gilmore Design, we believe in supporting independent artists and really try to incorporate their works into our designs as much as possible. Here are a few projects where we had the pleasure of doing just that!

I hope this post has inspired you to find artists that you connect with, art that moves your soul is truly an irreplaceable feeling! 

xo,

DESIGN PROJECT:: TIMELESS MONOCHROMATIC PHOTO TOUR PART III (not so monochromatic room)

You've seen part I and part II of this beautiful residence, the whole space is primarily monochromatic finding interest with textures and patterns.

Well, there is one room in the house that is simply not monochromatic. We really got to have fun with this space. I think I will let the photos speak for themselves...

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Through the glass french doors into the beautiful sunlight family room

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What are those snippets of art I am seeing in the space? Well, my friend, they are exactly forty-four vintage sketches from Men's Vanity Fair. Can you say eye-candy? It really is a feast for your eyes, you can spend hours staring at the walls (good staring at the walls, that is!) at these gents. Each sketch has such a fun story, hanging them in such an impactful way was a no-brainer. 

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A lot of small details went into the design of this home, one of my favorite are these pillows we had custom made from Hermes scarfs. They compliment the antique vegetable dyed area rug so well. 

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Sunshine filters in so beautifully in this space, Mr. Franklin is most happy in his custom fabricated dog bed, that perfectly fits the space!

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It's really hard to decide which area of this home is our most favorite? Part I, II or III? Cast your vote below!