Which Comes First – The Art or the Design? | AlignBetween Art

Which Comes First – The Art or the Design?

0 CommentsFriday • October 7, 2011 • by Beverly Britton

Oct 7, 2011

The Eames Lounge Chair Wood - LWC chair. This ...

LCW Eames Chair Image via Wikipedia

I’ve gathered plenty of nicknacks in my time. I’ve created lots of art and photography and proudly displayed it anywhere and everywhere. I’ve been my own victim of clashing decor: antique meets contemporary meets metropolitan meets IKEA meets Target meets garage sale. If I like it, in it goes!

But over time, with age, and a relationship with a fellow creative who decidedly likes mid-century modern (he’s got great taste), I have begun to cultivate a more unified sense of style and direction. I discovered I loved modern…and also found out that the Herman Miller LCW Eames Chair has to be the most comfortable thing in the world made out of plywood!

I am also a rule-breaker and a little rebellious. Oldest child syndrome perhaps? I often describe to friends and colleagues that my Type A and Type B personalities constantly battle it out in my brain. So I’ve been pondering, as an artist…which comes first when it comes to decor – the art or the design?

A great post caught my attention last week on Apartment Therapy: How Do You Choose: Art Colors vs. Room Colors? I found it refreshing that in the post and comments, the sentiment encouraged being “bold” and letting the art choices lead the design. I think most artists would appreciate this one! My input was:

Page 70 of the 2011 West Elm Catalog No 11 - Features layered rugs, intersecting and mismatched patterns that replicate lines and angles in the framed photos...a creative example of integrating art, colors & patterns.

… As an artist, I believe that art should not be an afterthought, and it’s so much more enjoyable if it has meaning for you – but the overall design is important too… I also think building a room around a strong piece of art is unconventional and exciting. And it’s also fun to break some rules every now and then!

I asked my good friend, interior-designer-turned-yogi-and-alignbetween-model Carrie Ielfield what she thinks. Carrie’s worked in a variety of design roles, most recently in a world-renowned hotel & hospitality brand. She adds:

I think both ways can work! But from a creativity standpoint, it’s more fun when you have a great piece of art or patterned fabric that you can use as a starting point to design your room around. The task of designing a room can sometimes feel overwhelming or scary at first. Finding a piece of art that you really love can become the basis for the room design, as it provides a reference point for selecting the colors and textures in your room.

Energize the Root, by yours truly, captures Carrie's 'mountain pose' silhouette, overlayed with mandala design and fanning lotus flower.

When you are drawn to a particular piece of art, there’s this element of self-discovery that happens in the design process. Whatever emotion is evoked when you look at that piece can help you decide upon the overall mood and energy you’d like to convey in your space. Using art as the origin of your inspiration allows you to tap into your intuition of what really moves you and makes you feel good. Then you know you are designing a space that follows your own personal sense of style and creativity. -Carrie Ielfield Interior Designer, NCIDQ

Beautifully put Carrie! (By the way, if you’re ever in New Smyrna Beach, FL, and ready to do some yoga, Carrie is a talented and intuitive teacher. Find out more at her website: Brahma Living).

So the good news is…freedom reigns when it comes to art, decor and design. It seems it’s not only okay, but perfectly creative and bold to jump outside the box! And all the artists around the world say “Amen”!