When I heard about an art exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts in London that focused on spring garden depictions, I knew I had to visit. The pieces were so inspiring because of their bright colors, beautiful subject matter and stunning interpretations.
Some amazing artists were featured in the exhibit and I chose three of my favorites for an Art Inspiration Series taking these pieces and translating them into beautiful interior design that anyone can achieve in their own home. For the first installation we take a look at Gustave Caillebotte's Nasturtiums, 1892.
Caillebotte's piece caught my eye because of the brilliant, pink background. It almost feels like pop art way before its time intermixed with soft, swirling floral features. The vines pop off the pink background and become the focal point. The soft pink background feels ethereal, and the little orange flowers add depth and contrast.
When translating this into interior design, you have to make sure not to make too many bold color statements. Choosing the green color to make the statement with a beautiful fabric sofa and allowing the other colors to round out the accents makes this beautiful spring-inspired living room come together beautifully.
Choosing your sofa first sets the stage for creating the rest of the room. This green velvet button tufted sofa is so striking, yet the velvet texture allows it to have the same soft feel as the vines in the painting.
Contrasting the leaves in the piece are little stems that help to offset the power green color. Just the same, this jute and wool area rug lays a base for your design that is neutral yet still has depth and texture.
There is no denying the importance of the pink background in our inspiration image. Hanging a detailed wall mirror against a white wall is unusual and interesting, just like our art piece. This pink bone inlay mirror is delicate yet full of intricacies.
And in a final nod to a slight feel of early pop art in this piece, I decided to let the orange flowers translate into a funky orange owl table lamp. The lamp doesn't become a focal point, but rather adds an important layer to the overall color palette.
Images: Allison Rosenberg