Curating for Life
HOW DO YOU CREATE ARTFUL LIVING? Family always comes first, but in my Madison Avenue apartment, I discovered that by taking a curator's approach, I could have rooms that are both comfortable for everyone, AND full of expression and inspiration. I just had to balance what I loved with what Frank was comfortable with and Olivia could live fully in. The rest was a matter of taking it one step at a time.
When we moved in, the only pieces I brought with us were the Milo Baughman dining room chairs and the guest bed. That's it! The Living Room is a pass through room and I knew that if I put something across the room it would block the flow and that is not a good thing to do! I also knew that the apartment was so angular in its architecture that I needed to have a bit of a curve. And, I wanted to highlight the chance for a dramatic chandelier in the center of the seating area.
So, I started with two sofas in the living room facing each other. Then, the rug, which with the sofas and the dining room chairs started to build a neutral palette. I found the dining table at auction and could not have been more excited about it! It is also fairly neutral, but being blue, it added another color and layer to the scheme. Time for some punch.
I found a Silas Seandel table that made me fall in love with his work. It was sold, but it led me to research him and what a treat in every way (as you will see in the video below). Then I found the Nares' paintings (only planned on one, but loved them as a pair, so there you go!) and the Scharf donut floating in outer space. They were just the pop the room needed to bring everything to life. Shortly thereafter, I saw the Minter and that was the cherry on top! The last step: Felix Agostini sconces. They fit perfectly, and I loved them so much, but I definitely had to rearrange the budget for those. But when things are this special, their value never goes away.
When we moved in, the only pieces I brought with us were the Milo Baughman dining room chairs and the guest bed. That's it! The Living Room is a pass through room and I knew that if I put something across the room it would block the flow and that is not a good thing to do! I also knew that the apartment was so angular in its architecture that I needed to have a bit of a curve. And, I wanted to highlight the chance for a dramatic chandelier in the center of the seating area.
So, I started with two sofas in the living room facing each other. Then, the rug, which with the sofas and the dining room chairs started to build a neutral palette. I found the dining table at auction and could not have been more excited about it! It is also fairly neutral, but being blue, it added another color and layer to the scheme. Time for some punch.
I found a Silas Seandel table that made me fall in love with his work. It was sold, but it led me to research him and what a treat in every way (as you will see in the video below). Then I found the Nares' paintings (only planned on one, but loved them as a pair, so there you go!) and the Scharf donut floating in outer space. They were just the pop the room needed to bring everything to life. Shortly thereafter, I saw the Minter and that was the cherry on top! The last step: Felix Agostini sconces. They fit perfectly, and I loved them so much, but I definitely had to rearrange the budget for those. But when things are this special, their value never goes away.
PHOTO: SPIN ART by Olivia
“B
e aware of wonder.
Live a balanced life—
learn some and think some and draw and
paint and sing and dance and play and work
every day some.” —Robert Fulghum
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functional
Art
MOST OF MY MOST PRIZED PIECES OF FURNITURE ARE SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE THEY SHOW THE HAND OF THE ARTIST. And they prove that you CAN live with art, even with kids. A tour around the living room…side tables by Silas Seandel, sconces by Felix Agostini, an Arteluce lamp, Venini chandelier, Dickinson side table, and Milo Baughman globe. Each of these pieces has its own personality, which expresses that of the maker. After 45 years of making one-of-a-kind metal furniture and sculptures, Silas Seandel still works in his studio in West Chelsea, exploring the results of heat and hammer on raw metals. If you live in NY, stop by and see for yourself. I did, and it was both educational and inspirational. WATCH HERE:
"Great art picks up where nature ends." Marc Chagall
