Are you an art lover or a collector looking for ways to display your unique pieces? Do you want to create an interior space that uniquely reflects your personal interests and style? If so, then this blog post is for you.
O&A London studio has created breathtakingly beautiful and bespoke interiors on behalf of art lovers and collectors with their collections as the centrepiece. Our expertise lies in not only in creating a ‘worthy home’ for existing pieces, but we also help our clients navigate the art world to secure pieces that can bring life and style into their homes. This blog invites you to explore our expert advice on crafting an interior design with your collection at its heart. Read on to discover new ideas about how to transform any room into an exhibition space for your prized possessions.
1. PAINTINGS AND OTHER WALL-HUNG PIECES
When integrating framed art, like paintings, prints or photography into your interior, there are two approaches: complementing or contrasting. Complementary art aims to enhance the colour palette or style of the room while contrasting art creates a striking focal point that captures our attention. Regardless of your chosen approach, the most important thing is ensuring that the artwork doesn’t visually disappear into the wallpaper. It should always be a prominent feature that adds value to the space’s overall aesthetic.
This striking painting by New York artist Rebecca Stern, incorporated in our Knightsbridge project, required a neutral yet elegant backdrop. After careful consideration, we settled for the stunning ERICA wallpaper, which is entirely handmade and features intricate details. This wallpaper effortlessly highlights Stern’s artwork while adding a touch of sophistication and timeless elegance to the space.
Spacing paintings and other wall-hung pieces consistently is crucial. It maintains balance and harmony in the room. The key to ensuring that each piece is perfectly positioned is careful measurement. One might say that the rule of ‘measure twice cut once’ applies in its adapted form: make sure your measurement is accurate before you secure any wall fixtures. By paying attention to these crucial details, you can elevate the aesthetic appeal of any room and create a visually pleasing space that you and others will love.
In this bedroom we allowed for five to eight cm space between the paintings. Keeping the distance in this range keeps the collection grouped and, at the same time, each piece can capture the viewer’s attention individually.
One of the biggest and most common mistakes when hanging pictures and photos is hanging them too high. A general rule of thumb is to position the frame so that it’s centre is approximately 145cm above the floor, which is about the eye level of an average person.
Stepping into this bedroom feels like entering an oasis of calm. The warm and earthy hues of the terracotta colour scheme enhance the stunning black and white images on the walls. The wooden frames were chosen for their classic elegance. The bedspread from the O&A textile collection CITYSCAPES adds a touch of luxury to the room.
Getting the lighting right makes all the difference: it can either bring a painting to life or make it fall flat. Different lighting sources can highlight certain areas, create shadows, and add depth to the artwork. Our design team tests daylight and artificial lighting and adjusts artwork accordingly to ensure the paintings are presented in the best possible light.
In the world of fine art, the presentation of a painting is just as important as the piece itself. That’s why the specialists in our art department carefully select the perfect frame to complement a client’s new acquisition. Whether it’s a classic gold frame for a traditional piece or a sleek, modern frame for contemporary art, we know that the right frame can elevate a painting to a whole new level.
One of our clients is the proud owner of several paintings by Konstantin Gorbatov, a renowned Russian impressionist. These remarkable works of art possess an extra layer of authenticity because the original frames were chosen by the artist himself. At O&A we firmly believe in preserving authenticity, so changing frames to fit a new interior was out of the question. We rose to the challenge of integrating the original frames in the overall interior concept and we found the perfect spot.
2. COLLECTIONS OF ART GLASS, PORCELAIN OR CERAMICS
Presentation is everything! When it comes to presenting an extensive collection of art objects made from glass, porcelain or ceramics, like vases, a beautiful display cabinet is an excellent way of presenting and protecting your treasured pieces.
We designed and manufactured custom-made cabinets from solid wood and tempered diamond safety glass with alcove shelves and integrated spotlights for our client’s unique and extensive collection of rare Art Deco vases. The result was a great success: the display unit complements the overall interior scheme and it creates an elegant frame, that accentuates the collection’s beauty. Investing in a custom-made display case can go beyond just highlighting a collection. Based on their design and manufacturing standards bespoke furniture pieces can enhance the entire interior and, ultimately, become valuable pieces in their own right.
3. HOME LIBRARIES
Books have always played a significant role in shaping our minds and personality. In addition, a home library filled with books can also add to the visual and atmospheric charme of a home. Most will agree that shelves filled with beautifully bound books or vintage books are aesthetically pleasing, especially if the spines and the covers show signs of age and usage. More and more people are looking to create a unique living space for themselves. Home libraries have become a key element in this quest for the perfect home.
Home Library in a Classic Family House. These bespoke bookshelves have been carefully crafted to blend in with the surrounding space, which is dominated by the geometry of the large windows. To protect and preserve the cherished collection of books, we placed the shelves on the far wall, away from direct sunlight or the potential of dust or moisture. In addition, we incorporated sleek glass doors that offer protection from dust without sacrificing elegance.
Creating compartments of different sizes adds to the charm of the bookcase. Our advice is to allow extra space, so the book collection can grow. Bookshelves should be deep enough to accommodate not only books but also décor pieces, like porcelain, sculptures or other precious pieces. Adding drawers or doors provides additional storage for safekeeping items you don’t want on display.
Office Library with a collection of rare books. We selected a pair of bronze and marble sculptures by Lorenzo Quinn: Gravity Male and Gravity Female as an artistic focal point. Representing the principle of balance in life and surrounded by books this piece of art invites further contemplation.
Putting some thought into arranging your books can add a touch of elegance to your bookshelves. Keeping books of the same size together creates a strong sense of order. However, we quite like variation. Breaking order and arranging books in a more random and playful way creates a stimulating display that often reflects the client’s personality and style. If that sounds too daring and you prefer some sense of order without the disciplined neat rows by size, you might consider grouping books by colour for an eye-catching display.
Art Collector’s home library
We integrated this library into the living room to create a beautiful yet functional space. Our art team worked closely with bookshops to curate a collection that reflects the clients’ taste. For added convenience the books were arranged chronologically, making it easy to find the perfect read for any occasion. With this personalised and stylish setup, this library embodies the notion that books should be read and admired at the same time.
Modern Apartment with a home library. The dark veneer of the built-in bookshelves is in perfect harmony with the richly textured handmade wallpaper, Heather, which adds depth to the space.
4. MUSIC COLLECTIONS
Outfitting a music space might seem simple but it’s actually a matter of science, namely acoustics. To minimize sound reflection as much as possible, we advise the use of soft surfaces such as rugs, window treatments, and even pictures on the wall. Shelves with books can also help. Getting the speaker size and their position right in relation to the size of the room is essential, too. Most speakers work best when pushed away from the wall – the same principle applies to seating. Leave space behind the sofa and chairs to improve your listening experience. The most exciting challenge in outfitting a music space is accommodating the client’s hobbies.
For this project we managed to incorporate rather large and futuristic audio equipment into an already saturated interior. Light-coloured shelves holding the vinyl record collection created part of the alcove framing the sound system placed in the middle. The equipment, a rare reel-to-reel audio tape player, became the centrepiece of the musical living room.
Bespoke shelves for vinyl are perfect for housing a collection. Organising a big vinyl collection needs a strategy: by genre, then by a decade of the artist’s first release, then alphabetically. We offer a modular approach to open media storage.
An Apartment for a Collector of Antique Art Deco Vases. A bespoke shelf in this study is home to a large collection of vinyl records.
5. WINE COLLECTIONS
Most passionate wine lovers long to have their own wine cellar. There’s science behind the storage of wine: balancing temperature and humidity with requirements of space and accessibility. O&A was commissioned to create a wine cellar in a country house without building a basement. Reorganising a space on the ground level, within the kitchen, we used tempered glass to create a transparent floor and a seamless design.
O&A London developed a modern interior concept for this wine cellar. A contemporary wine rack design with large glass panels provides transparency. The textured blued metal of the stairs highlights the black floor and walls. The lack of direct light creates a magical atmosphere reminiscent of an ancient wine cellar.
6. SCULPTURE & DECOR COLLECTIONS
When you are looking to achieve a captivating atmosphere, a sculpture can often do the trick. If the right sculpture is thoughtfully positioned and displayed in the best light, even the smallest corner of a room can attract immediate attention. Always consider scale: small items can be integrated into bookshelves or displayed on a console or mantlepiece but large pieces require a bespoke pedestal.
In the living room of a modern apartment a sculpture by Salvador Dali is displayed next to a painting by Svetlana Atahanova. The handmade wallpaper, Low Tide from O&A’s Caledonia collection emphasises the tranquil atmosphere of the space, allowing the artwork to speak for itself.
Decorating an office with a sculpture can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any workspace. Imagine coming into an office and being greeted by an inspiring piece of art that tells a story. With its deep and spiritual message, Lorenzo Quinn’s Empowerment sculpture is perfect for an office that offers people new opportunities and thus empowers them to grow and develop new skills.
Our clients acquired this sculpture in support of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. The award has helped to improve the lives of millions of young people worldwide, empowering them by creating opportunities for personal development. Placing this inspirational piece of art in the office, to be enjoyed by everybody who walks through the door, is a strong investment in shared company culture.
When talking about art, a motorbike might not immediately come to mind. However, the owner of a private business transformed their prized possession into a stunning piece of art now displayed in the company’s office. Positioned in the reception area, the motorcycle is the focal point of the room, representing the owner’s personality and setting the tone for visitors. Its specially designed sloping podium elevates the bike and creates the illusion that it is ready to take off towards the lobby wall, turning the atmosphere in the area very dynamic. A practical object turned into a work of art is a good example of of narrative license in arts the power of creativity.
HNW Individuals often push the boundaries of ordinary luxury. This lobby of a private office is no different: the owner’s motorcycle bursts into the interior in a bold move, working perfectly with a giant metal sculpture. Despite their size, these objects fit the scale of the space and are thoughtfully arranged to provide an impressive perspective for those within it.
Here at O&A London design studio, we specialise in creating individually tailored interiors for each of our clients, bringing their dreams to life. If you have an interior dream don’t hesitate! Contact us today for more information on how we can make your creative vision a reality!
info@oa-london.com
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