Our Favourite Art Walls

We’re super proud of the beautiful Australian spaces we’ve been invited to capture and share over the past nine years. So, today, we’re excited to begin another (!) new weekly regular: Roundup.

A considered edit of design and decorating ideas from our archive, we hope Roundup brings you lots of real home inspiration, and helps to unearth those pics you once loved but got buried under a mountain of other screenshots!

With our next TDF Collect exhibition, SERAPH by Spencer Shakespeare, opening this weekend (come say hi!) – we thought we’d begin with our favourite creative ideas for hanging artwork.

Written

Lucy Feagins

As collectors, consultants and long-term supporters of Melbourne’s street art culture, Sandra Powell and Andrew King have amassed an incredible collection of artwork by local and international artists in their St Kilda home. Pictured is their impressive Banksy wall, and the also have pieces by Rone, Lush, Kid Zoom, Vexta, Adnate, Andy Warhol, Shepard Fairey, Anthony Lister and Barry McGee, to name only a few. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Albert Park home of Lynn and Geoff Clay, owners of concept store Scarlet Jones, features artwork collected by the couple from overseas and local markets including Camberwell and Glen Waverley Antique market. Photo – Annette O’Brien. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Inside the Geelong home of Andrea Shaw of Stampel, and her partner Duncan Russell-Smith, who is a furniture maker. The living room incorporates textiles from travels, Pacific weavings/fans on wall from the Cook Islands alongside artworks by Ellie Malin, Jai Vasicek, hanger by Duncan, paper collage by Andrea and all other pieces collected from travels, op shops or local markets. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Detail shot of the sunroom in the North Melbourne home of Peter and Paula Mills. On the wall, a mixture of art prints from Paula’s business, Sweet William Prints; as well as wrapping paper and op shop finds. Photo – Annette O’Brien. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Elsternwick home of Helen Gory. The lounge room showcases various art collected by Helen during the 20 years she ran her gallery, including her treasured 2002 Rhys Lee painting, from his first exhibition in her gallery. Photo – Annette O’Brien. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

A converted warehouse in Collingwood, is both a home and studio for printmaker Stephanie Jane Rampton. Her living area and art wall, displays prints and drawings mostly from Port Jackson Press, including by Stephanie, Marco Luccio, Kirpy, Freya Jobbins, Adriane Strampp, Kevin Foley, Meg Bates and Issy Oddie. Photo – Annette O’Brien. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Melbourne home of Martin and Louise McIntosh, founders and owners of Outré Gallery. In their front room / record room hangs an early 1960’s original MAD magazine illustration, a 1953 abstract by Danish artist Mogens Lohmann, an original 1967 Men’s Adventure Surfing cover illustration, contemporary self portrait by US artist Charles Schneider, and George Nelson Eye clock. Photo – Eve Wilson, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Brisbane home of photographer Kara Rosenlund and Timothy O. Their bedroom has a collection of vintage, inexpensive seaside paintings on all the walls. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Northcote home of stylist, interior designer and retailer Amanda Henderson-Marks and Michael Marks exhibits artworks collected over the years. Photo – Eve Wilson, styling assistant – Nat Turnbull, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Fitzroy home of stylist, decorator and retailer Lynda Gardener and Mark Smith is filled with vintage oil paintings. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

‘My huge collection of male portrait oil paintings sourced from Paris, Istanbul, Melbourne and Amsterdam,’ tells Lynda Gardener. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Writer

Lucy Feagins

24th of May 2017

Like most decorating decisions, there are no rules for hanging and displaying artwork, aside from ensuring a strong, secure hook!

One of our favourite artwork display solutions, though, is a ‘salon hang’ – hanging a large collection of artwork or framed prints clustered together on one wall.

An eclectic and busy arrangement works well for varied frames in different sizes, whilst a neat orderly hang is usually best where artworks are similarly framed. (Re-visit our video for some hanging tips). And, we’re still in awe of Sandra Powell and Andrew King‘s EPIC collection of original Banksy artworks, hung at crazy angles.

Your collection need not be all original paintings, though. Many of our favourite artworks for the home include framed prints and posters, personal photographs, even textiles or beautiful wrapping paper – as in the home of Peter and Paula Mills.

A tight edit of artworks with the same theme always makes for strong visual impact, like Lynda Gardener‘s collection of antique oil painting portraits.

As with all things, the main rule to follow with all decorating decisions is to surround yourself with things you love. No matter your creative field or interest, you can always channel your passions into your home. Photographer Kara Rosenlund sleeps beside a collection of inexpensive, vintage seaside paintings and photographs, her fervent love of the ocean as a subject is further evident in her own photographic series, Into the Sea.

What links the strongest examples in this roundup is the ambience and impact that an art wall creates. In our experience, when displayed in this eye-catching way, a collection of salon-hung artwork will always spark conversation!

The Albert Park home of Lynn and Geoff Clay. Lynn’s beautifully curated retail stores showcase her distinctive vintage-inspired aesthetic, and this unique sense of style inevitably spills over into her home life too. Photo –Annette O’Brien. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.