Why This Artwork is an Inspiration This Mother's Day

Art is an important element to designing a room. A lot of times, art or wall decor are placed on the walls to "fill in" a blank space. The truth is art should be personal and unique, especially if it's in your home. It should draw an emotional response while complimenting the overall style of your room. 

This past Mother's Day I was reminded of my mother from an artwork I have hung in my staircase landing. It's a print of Picasso's Mother-Child sketch. My late mother, Suzanne Marise, was not an art collector but she owned this beautiful print and hung it in her room. It wasn't until I was collecting her things I noticed it was a Picasso print from 1904. I knew I had to add this to my home in memory of her. I decided to give it a facelift by adding a custom mat and frame. 

P.Picasso Mother-Child print 1904

"The truth is art should be personal and unique, especially if it's in your home." -S.Hayes

This Artwork Is Personal To Me.

Every time I see this Mother-Child sketch I can't help but be reminded of the bond between my mother and me. It's a way of having a little piece of her. Now that I'm a mother myself I understand the precious bond a mother has with her child, it's like no other relationship.

The Layers of the Sketch Remind Me Motherhood Is A Process.

As I look at Picasso's sketch of this mother nursing her child, I notice his multiple sketches of the mother's hand. I love to see the raw sketches of the hand included in the print. It shows the multiple drafts he had to sketch before developing a hand he was proud of. This process Picasso took is similar to the journey of motherhood. As mothers, we make mistakes, try our best but are not perfect. Motherhood is a journey of trial and error driven by love.  

This Artwork Blends With Many Pieces. 

In addition to the sentimental value this artwork has to me, I love the neutral tones and simplicity of the sketch. When selecting a mat and frame I decided to use a monochromatic palette by using a darker tone for the mat and a medium tone for the distressed wood frame. The neutral tones give me the versatility to use this piece on a gallery wall with a collage of other pieces or as a focal point by itself. 

Picasso 1904

No matter what pieces of artwork you use in your home, I hope that this inspires you to get personal with your wall decor. Be sure when you are selecting your artwork to consider the room you are placing it in and how it coordinates with your color palette and decor style. Share in the comments below your favorite artwork in your home and why. I'd love to hear all about it!  

To all the Mothers and Grandmothers I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

À la prochaine,

Looking to create a color palette from your artwork? Check out: Using Art to Create a Color Palette.

Using Art to Create a Color Palette

As an interior designer, I believe that developing a color palette for your space is crucial to achieving a successful design. Whether you are using monochromatic, complementary, or contrasting colors it's important to define the role that each color in your palette has. If you are having a hard time developing a color palette, draw inspiration from something that already has a color palette like a piece of art.

using art to create a color palette

Art is a great way to develop a color palette because it already has a collection of colors, tones, and shades that you can draw from throughout your room. Let's take a look at a formal living room I designed for a client and how I was able to pull colors from the custom artwork to design the entire room.

This living room included 4 original artwork pieces I had an artist create just for this project. All of the individual art pieces were uniquely different but shared the same colors. The colors inspired me to develop colors for the window treatment fabric, accent pillows, area rug, tabletop accessories, walls, trim, and even the ceiling.

formal living room paint color

color palette

Once you determine which colors from the artwork you want to incorporate in the design section them into categories (e.i. main color, secondary color, accent color, etc). This will help you determine which colors will be used the most and which colors will be used to complement the main color. In this living room the blueish, teal color was the "main color" and the soft browns, tans, and creams were "secondary". Lastly, the reds and purples were "accent colors" used in the pillows and the centerpiece. Each color was carefully selected for a particular role in the living room. 

coffee table centerpiece

Leave a comment below and share where you create your color palette from? Maybe you are asking "How do I find the right artwork?" or "I'm scared I will choose the wrong color?". Let me help, contact me directly at sabine@georgettemarise.com to start on your personal color palette for your room!

À la prochaine,

5 Items Under $75 that can Change any Living Room

Happy New Year! Are you ready for a change? It's a New Year so why not spruce up one of the rooms in your home. Let's start with your Living Room! Let's create a new look that reflects your style. Here are some great updates that can change any living room without spending tons of money.

Change your layout. Switching the layout or setup of your existing furniture is one way of giving your room a new look. If your room allows, place your longest piece of furniture (usually the sofa) on the longest wall. This will improve the flow and traffic pattern of the room. FREE

Paint.Paint.Paint. Changing or adding paint to the walls is one of the least expensive ways to create a completely new look to any room. Decide on the mood you want to achieve. For example, to create a relaxing, yet inviting living room think of sage greens or taupes. Since you are using your existing furniture, use some of the colors from your sofa, chairs, and/or loveseat. $30 - 60 gallon

Pillows. Pillows are a key accessory to any room. They can add color, texture, and prints to enhance a room. If you want a new look add a pair of pillows on your sofa and/or a small kidney pillow on an accent chair, if you have one. Don’t be afraid to blend different pillows together. For example, if you are using a swirl pattern pillow on the sofa use a woven textured pillow alongside it to add a contrast. $25 & up  

Display of accent pillows designed by sabine.

Lamps. Lighting is key to any room, especially the living room where you have company over and where the family gathers. Although your living room may have a ceiling lighting fixture or recessed lights, it is important to add lamps as a task lighting source. Lamps also add to the overall design of the room. Choose a floor lamp to place beside an accent chair and two table lamps on each end table beside your sofa. For a contemporary room, choose a lamp with a rectangular or round shade. For a more traditional room, choose a lamp with a bell shade. If your room is half contemporary and half traditional choose a simple shade like a round or rectangular with a detailed base. $30 & up

Wall Decor. Other than the furniture, the second place that stands out to the eyes are the walls. What you put on your walls and how it is hung defines the style and design of your living room. Focus on the largest or longest wall space in the room and add a collage of family pictures or place a set of 2 - 3 pieces of artwork. Make sure you hang your artwork at eye level, which is typically 4 ½ - 5 feet from the floor depending on the ceiling height. $40 & up

grouping of artwork designed by sabine. looking for custom artwork? LEt us make one for your space. custom artwork.

Start the New Year with a fresh new Living Room!

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Need more help? Let us design your living room with paint colors, furniture layout and a shopping list all for one FLAT RATE. Get your votre chambre by GEORGETTE MARISE TODAY! >>Click here to choose your package.

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