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Expert Talk: Have a Field Day With Landscape Art
Paintings of moody skies or serene seas bring nature's soothing touch to even the most urban homes
Houzz Contributor. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I found myself utterly unprepared for the real world and at a loss as to what I should do next. Luckily, one day I stumbled through the doors of Architectural Digest and was taken under the wing of legendary editor Paige Rense. She had the vision to look past my uninspiring sociology degree and my general lack of experience—an unlikely journalism career was born. After AD, with my magazine karma still intact, I was hired by yet another publishing legend, the food critic and writer Ruth Reichl. I currently ply my trade as a freelance writer and editor and live in stylish Mid-Century-Modern comfort with my dog, Mike.
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There are many reasons to include a landscape painting as a focal point or an accessory in any room. Some of the designers highlighted here featured work by artists they know personally. One — in a find worthy of a segment on Antiques Roadshow — came across a valuable piece tucked away in a back room. Personally, I find that landscape art adds a sense of calm to a space. So prepare yourself for a soothing journey.
by Robin Muto
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Multiply and divide. This vignette was done by Robin Muto for a designer show house. "It was a study for a male artist, so I wanted the room to be masculine and filled with interesting objects that he might have collected on his travels or just walks in nature," she says.
"My husband, Rick Muto, who is a decorative painter and fine artist, was the inspiration for the room. He did the dark-green oil glaze on the wall, to feel like you were in the woods, and all the paintings are from his regional plein air series of locations that are within a two-hour drive from our house in upstate New York."
"My husband, Rick Muto, who is a decorative painter and fine artist, was the inspiration for the room. He did the dark-green oil glaze on the wall, to feel like you were in the woods, and all the paintings are from his regional plein air series of locations that are within a two-hour drive from our house in upstate New York."
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Uncover a treasure. This painting is by California landscape artist Don Irwin (1933–1998). "I first came across it stowed away in an upstairs back office in a home on Carmel-by-the-Sea [California]," says Terri Wolfson of T.A. Wolfson Design. "It was unframed and was sold as part of the furnishings when my client purchased the house. No one had any idea it was by a highly regarded artist," she says.
"Having owned a painting by Don Irwin, I immediately recognized his style and appreciated its beauty. I had the work appraised, appropriately framed and moved to its deserving place over the home's living room fireplace."
"Having owned a painting by Don Irwin, I immediately recognized his style and appreciated its beauty. I had the work appraised, appropriately framed and moved to its deserving place over the home's living room fireplace."
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Add a soft focus. This is another design by Terri Wolfson. The painting is by Jeff Daniel Smith, a contemporary plein air painter based in Carmel-by-the-Sea. "I admire his work tremendously," says Wolfson. "I had just finished designing the living room of this Los Altos [California] home and needed the right fine art to complement the furnishings.
"I was inspired by Jeff’s soft palette and impressionistic style of this country landscape near Carmel," she says. "The painting provides an alternative focal point and contributes to the overall character of the living room."
"I was inspired by Jeff’s soft palette and impressionistic style of this country landscape near Carmel," she says. "The painting provides an alternative focal point and contributes to the overall character of the living room."
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| Show what you love. For his 1920s Tudor home in Seattle, Timothy De Clue chose this oil on canvas (by an unknown artist) that features nearby Mount Rainier. "I have an ever-expanding collection of landscape paintings," he says, "and I like to surround myself with images of the Pacific Northwest, which is one of my favorite places on earth." |
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by Lindy Donnelly
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| Harmonize with the decor. Lindy Donnelly selected this painting for its moody, atmospheric feeling. "The sky seems to be clearing and opening up after a storm," she says. "And the colors seemed to harmonize with the furnishings almost coincidentally. The deep olive and brown tones blend with the curtains and the rich wood stain. Even the swirling clouds somewhat mimic the acanthus leaf pattern in the damask bedding." |
| Create a focal point. "The owners had this piece in their collection when we started the project," says Jane Frederick of Frederick + Frederick Architects. "We designed the space to highlight the art, and you can see the work from across the house." |
Appreciate the abstract. Landscape art conveys strong messages of how geographically diverse nature is in our world," says Deb Reinhart. "I find landscapes universally pleasant, whether they are traditional or contemporized."
The contemporary horizon-line abstract art in this bedroom "is a calm yet powerful image which supports the colorful, elegant bedroom for which it was chosen," she says. "Even though the medium was done in precious metals and the colors are gold metallic and black, there is no doubt the piece is a landscape. I like this powerful artist with his stark simplicity and unique materials."
The contemporary horizon-line abstract art in this bedroom "is a calm yet powerful image which supports the colorful, elegant bedroom for which it was chosen," she says. "Even though the medium was done in precious metals and the colors are gold metallic and black, there is no doubt the piece is a landscape. I like this powerful artist with his stark simplicity and unique materials."
| Work with the artist. Tineke Triggs of Artistic Designs for Living designed this home for her good friend, artist Tjasa Owen. "Tjasa's home is all about her family and their travels and adventures," Triggs says. "Her art is what speaks to you in this home, not the objects or the furniture. I kept all of the furniture in natural, neutral tones so your eye is brought to the art." |
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Reflect your surroundings. "This painting evokes the look of the property surrounding the home, so it really brings the outdoors into this master bedroom in a subdued and serene manner," says Jennifer Ball of Gabberts.
"While the brushwork softens the impact of the landscape, the clouds moving through the summer sky create a warm breeze," she adds. "We chose to mount the work on a warm cocoa silk liner and finish it with a gilded Italian carved frame that reinforces the elegance of the bedroom setting."
"While the brushwork softens the impact of the landscape, the clouds moving through the summer sky create a warm breeze," she adds. "We chose to mount the work on a warm cocoa silk liner and finish it with a gilded Italian carved frame that reinforces the elegance of the bedroom setting."
| Color it blue. These homeowners live in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, but they travel a lot and love both coasts. "The wife loves the colors blue and yellow," says Kimberly Rennerfeldt, and the blue water in this painting is a relaxing and comfortable scene that reminds them of their travels. "Blue is going to be a hot color in 2013," she adds. "I think we'll be seeing a lot of rooms in all shades of blue." |
Take a trip. For this room, Sylvia Beez of m.a.p. interiors wanted to create a comfortable, rustic but still modern atmosphere that had the feel of a bedroom in the South of France.
"When I found this painting in an antique store, I thought that it would underline that sort of atmosphere," she says. "It depicts a landscape that could be somewhere in France, while the frame is quite modern looking, so the two combined fit in with the room's juxtaposition of modern and rustic elements and styles."
"When I found this painting in an antique store, I thought that it would underline that sort of atmosphere," she says. "It depicts a landscape that could be somewhere in France, while the frame is quite modern looking, so the two combined fit in with the room's juxtaposition of modern and rustic elements and styles."
Ideabook published on July 24, 2012.
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Alexander Kunz: http://www.printedart.com/collection/results/author%3A1191
Roupen Baker: http://www.printedart.com/collection/results/author%3A895
Brad Mitchell: http://www.printedart.com/collection/results/author%3A13
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE HOUZZ ARTICLES WITH A PHOTO OF THE ORIGINAL ROOM ATTACHED. THE DARK OILS LOOK LIKE HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL, MY FAVORITE. I AM LUCKY TO HAVE THREE. EACH BRINGS ME JOY.