Your home has the ability to reflect your unique story. If you think of the home as an extension of self, art can serve as an essential part of the overall mood and concept of your personal space. Recently, we’ve noticed that interior designers are talking about “Art First Design”. We wanted to understand what this means to an interior designer, so we reached out to Kathleen Reynolds, a designer who regularly puts the term into practice, to ask for her input.
Q: A&L: How do you help your clients to determine what their artwork budget should be?
KR: When we work with our clients we put together an estimated investment guide and art is a part of it. I use my experience to determine what type of piece will likely be placed in the room and discuss this cost and why art is an important part of the design with my client.
Q: How do you help clients to select artwork?
KR: We are a full service design firm and strive to take the stress of designing off our clients.
During the concept phase of my process I show my client many different styles of art and gauge their reactions. I ask questions about bold colors, monochromatic, photography, abstract, pencil, still life, floral. Sometimes it’s easier for a client to point to what they don’t like and I can narrow it down from there.
Q: How do you make the artwork impactful in a space? Do you look for scale, color, texture, subject matter . . .?
KR: There is definitely a balance when it comes to selecting multiple pieces of art for a room. You want each piece to have its own personality and for the pieces to work together as a whole. For example, if you have a large piece over your mantle with lots of color the wall next to the mantle should have a different type of piece of art. Look for something in another medium or not as bold. In a guest bedroom I designed we put Cassie Butcher’s ceramic disc over the bed because the other walls had lots of art on them. This gave the eye a resting spot. It’s not all framed rectangles on the walls. You pause on the round shapes and then can move to the piece on the other wall. You can appreciate each piece individually and as they work together as a whole.
Kathleen is a hige fan of many A&L artists and here are a few of her current top picks!
https://artandlightgallery.com/art/cloche-by-teresa-roche-liz-rundorff-sm
https://artandlightgallery.com/art/music-and-books-by-mary-lekoshere
https://artandlightgallery.com/art/serene-seen-by-allison-james
https://artandlightgallery.com/art/turning-sideways-into-the-light-by-josh-jensen
Kathleen Reynolds Interiors is a Greenville, South Carolina-based interior design firm specializing in creating homes that reflect your personality–and all of the transitions that come in life. Kathleen and her team specialize in projects ranging in scope and scale–from multi-room redesigns to a complete renovation or new construction project. Their goal is to create something together that feels one-of-a-kind and unique, reflecting your style and personality. They infuse homes with color and personality through antiques and vintage pieces as well as custom furnishings, art and window treatments.
Connect with Kathleen Reynolds at:
@kathleenreynoldsinteriors on instagram
Look for our full interview and article, Art first design: how to personalize your home with original art with Kathleen Reynolds in the July issue of Talk Magazine available next week!
Photographs courtesy of Kathleen Reynolds and shot by Emily Bolt.