10 Minute Large Canvas Art DIY

Happy Monday! Hope you had a fabulous weekend :)  Hockey madness has begun here - with two kids playing and a third swimming competitively, we are officially outgunned, lol.

What about that title? Sounds impossible, right? Well, what if you thought of your art as a place to simply add a bold splash of colour, and painted out a huge canvas in a solid shade? That's exactly what this is - a canvas painted out black, as found on Rue. It becomes part of the composition, grounds the whole wall, and functions as decor. Almost like colour-blocking a wall, but so much less permanent, and really, you could change this with the seasons if you wanted - a deep merlot for winter, a beautiful azure for summer, etc...

Thats about as much time as I have to make art these days! You? Thoughts?

x am

Palette: Bone and Black | Inlaid Bone

So I've been posting about bone and black this week, and of course must include inlaid bone furnishings. I cannot fathom the hours of work that go into these gems, it truly is an art form. In a quiet interior the pattern would add so much visual interest, yet is graphic enough that other colours and patterns can be played against. Wouldn't you love to have one of these pieces somewhere in your home?

The Traditionals

The Contemporaries

Subtlety in White on White 

Against a black wall? Heaven.

The Easy Update

The To-Die-For

From the home Of Jessica Marx. 

Can somebody please place one of these on either side of my bed? Thank you.

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You can also use furniture inlaid with Mother of Pearl for a similar effect, just with a little more sheen. I prefer bone, it is more matte and allows the pattern to take centre stage. Is this something you would use in your home or for a client? Have used?

x am

Palette: Bone and Black | Kitchen

Today I thought we might look at a few kitchens that have eschewed the traditional white for bone and shades of black… my dream kitchen would include some of these elements, like the stone floor below - perfection.

Rustic woods and stone floors. 

No glam here - this is all about scale and simplicity, allowing the textures to speak for themselves. 

Wish we could see this in the evening, with all those lights on...

Okay, it's not really a kitchen, but it's so darling! Those sconces completely make the vignette, right?

A black-stained plank floor laid in a herringbone fashion ground the space. 

I love, love, love the understated hardware and slab backsplash - so quiet.

Rare for a kitchen to have this ethereal quality.

Small in stature but large in interest, the floor balances the black range and energizes the space.

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Will be back with another bit of black and bone in the next days... fantastic to be finally posting these!

x am

Palette: Bone and Black | Art

Let's take the time-worn lustre of bone, and juxtapose it against the sharpness of black.... Opposites attract, yes?

I'm going to do a few posts on this combination this week.  The genius pieces of artist Jennifer Arment have caught my eye. Usually artists will pair black with a crisp pure white, but she chooses the softer palette. it adds a level of sophistication to her work. While the composition and simplicity of form are beautiful, it's the wit, the tongue-in-cheekness that I love.

These are strong enough to stand alone, but wouldn't they be a welcome addition to a gallery wall paired with vintage oils, or some high contrast nature photography? Rooms that take themselves too seriously are boring, after all!

What do you think? Feeling this palette? The art?

West Elm Mixes Up Mainstream

 A client is considering a chandelier from West Elm, and wanted me to have a look. Have you been by the site lately??  Although I am never a huge proponent of "catalog" design, they mix in enough ingenuity in their lines that the pieces remain current without being completely trendy, looking generic, or strictly one aesthetic. Really lovelies,  West Elm has got it going on right now!  I decided to try and do a mood board that is strictly West Elm product and see if it still has interest. Feeling incredibly lucky today to have time in my schedule to be able to play!!

Those butterfly inspired prints are to die for, right? Feel like we are on the verge of a butterfly resurgence, but that is another post - maybe next week :) I like the idea of two curved sofas placed side-by-side to create a more intimate seating arrangement. Six gold cubes form a sculptural coffee table that brings in a little sparkle and light. There is a comfortable reading chair and two leather/metal chairs that provide visual lightness and pull in some black linear elements which reflect the artwork. West Elm has quite and interesting floor light/side table option that is not at all like the brass/glass version of the eighties. The chandelier and side lamps are gorgeous, obviously. In fact, all the lighting on the site is something I could use in different clients homes. There was very little that did not appeal to me. The snake candleholders are amazing. Ah-mazing. Need! The wallpaper is perfection, go and see a sample up close on the site, this may be inspiration for a diy down the road in my own living/dining space….

 What are your thoughts about the living vignette above? Are we feeling it? Have you purchased anything from West Elm lately?

Art Love: Lauren Mabry, Abstract Ceramic Artist

Well, well well. It's been far too long, my friends.

Almost three years ago I accepted a part-time position in the travel industry, a very long and involved story. It was not the best time, I was quite busy with clients, but such a great opportunity I accepted, thinking I could "do it all" - why do we do this to ourselves?! It became much more than part-time, and really began to take over the part of my life that allowed me to blog and pursue my true passion, which is design and colour. That incredibly hectic lifestyle also led to a move and several other life changes.

So. Although this family loves the benefits of highly affordable travel, a decision was made this summer to drastically scale that back in order to get back to my true love, which is this!

Hope you will all join me as I venture back into the blogosphere… there have been so many luscious things happening, and I have a backlog of about a million interesting bits bookmarked for blog posts!

The first of which is the work of Lauren Mabry. A combination of abstract paintwork and ceramic, Lauren has taken the humble cylinder and wall plaque to another level. Top of the wish list, friends!

Rather beautiful, aren't' they? I love the originality here. Nothing got under my skin more as an art student than a professor insisting on doing things the "correct" way. Art is about taking a medium and making, about putting a little bit of your soul into something. When artists throw out the rulebook they share gorgeousness like this with the rest of us…

Now just need to work out how to add an installation like above into the budget, lol!

Best, Anne-Marie

trending: leather drawer pulls and door handles

 Leather drawer pulls/cabinetry handles are popping up more and more lately…

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This would offer such a fresh look to a tired drawer/door, and it seems a fairly simple diy, right?

As I've been sorting out dresser ideas for our own master, this Ikea Malm hack is looking very appealing!

You can get the look without the diy with these leather, brass and bone Anthro knobs…

If you are after something a bit more feminine, perhaps a pair of leather bows?

Something you would try?