Art Above the Bed

The bed is the main focal point in a bedroom, but I love artwork over the bed to anchor it's position. A single, large piece of art can act as a headboard.

You don't always have to have everything symmetrical, sometimes asymmetrical can be more interesting. The smaller print in the image below has the lamp, and the stronger blue pillowcase, to help balance it against the larger one.

Some wallpaper can work as artwork in it's own right. This beautiful Piet Hein Eek wood design is quite a feature. Having the typographical print off-set means the wallpaper remains the hero, and the simple, graphic nature of the print doesn't fight with the business of the wood panelling.

Instead of a single large piece of art, you can opt for lots of smaller ones.

If you're a lover of colour, then embrace it!

And if not, then choose the opposite and keep it simple and monochromatic. Having a simple shelf above the bed means you can swap your artwork whenever the mood takes you.

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So, which is your favourite?

Asaki Kajima Exhibition - 'Escape'

On Friday evening, my brother and sister and I attended the most amazing art exhibition by Asaki Kajima. Asaki is married to my brother's best friend, so I'd heard about her work but had never had a chance to see it. It surpassed all my expectations, I was enthralled with the beautiful form and detail of her pieces, and the incredible shadows they cast.

Originally from Japan, Asaki is influenced by the art form ikebana, where nature and humanity are brought together. Rather than focussing on the blooms, ikebana often emphasises other areas of the plant, such as it's stem and leaves, and draws emphasis toward shape, line, and form. All of Asaki's pieces have enormous personal meaning to her and I loved hearing her stories behind them. Although it's nice to interpret art in your own way, Asaki's work meant more to me, becoming quite clear, after listening to her explanations.

This piece 'Circulation' won Asaki an award at the No. 8 Wire National Art Award

Copy writer, Lizzie Russell, wrote a beautiful description of Asaki's first solo exhibition, 'Escape'. And because I couldn't say it any better, I've borrowed a few excerpts to share with you (I've condensed her words slightly)...

Asaki's work gently pulls us into a natural but dreamlike world, where organic shapes, and a mixture of found materials, merge seamlessly to form a collection of ethereal sculptures. It addresses growth, loss, the mingling of her two environments, and the idea of home and belonging in these works.

The combination of natural and man-made, hard and soft materials, allows Asaki to explore complex emotional ideas, and a wider concept of what it is to escape. Most of the natural material used in this collection - seedpods, sticks, ferns and other vegetation - were found and collected here in Hawke's Bay. By using these found elements, Asaki grounds her work here in her beloved adopted place, and suggests that escape can also be a kind of homecoming.

My favourite piece 'Purification' - you can clearly see the turmoil in the black cloud, and the rain (or tears) that are the purification that wash the heaviness away

If you're in Hawke's Bay I highly recommend you go and see the exhibition for yourself. It runs until 1st December 2013, and is in Asaki's studio, 118 Hastings Street, Napier (above McClurg Jewellers). If you want to get hold of Asaki, drop me an email, and I'll pass on her contact details.

Asaki was too shy to have her picture taken, but I managed to snap this one with her in the background. With three of her Japanese friends, Asaki is in the middle facing us (and that's my gorgeous sis in the green)

And on a quick, final note... it took me a while, but I have finally joined Instagram! Yes, I know, where have I been?! Well, I'm here now and am fully embracing it - I absolutely love it. Differing from this blog and my Facebook and Twitter pages (which are all about interior inspriration), my Instagram page will be behind the scenes, and a sneak peek into my life.

Eclectic Heaven

I recently posted an article about Rachel Bilson's home in the latest Lonny Magazine. Well, Rachel's wasn't the only home that I fell in love with in that issue. The following quirky Connecticut home belongs to Samantha Knapp, and her brave, eclectic style won me over!

A former TV news reporter, Samantha is now the youthful force behind her parent's interior design studio, Tiger Lily's Greenwich. She got to showcase her vibrant and playful style in her Connecticut cottage. Samantha has a talent for taking traditional design and tweaking it for maximum impact. Not shy of mixing patterns, she manages to team a leopard rug quite happily with an Bohemian covered antique sofa - quite beautiful!

In fact her home is filled with juxtapositions that help to create a fun, inviting, and warm environment.

One of my favourite quotes in the article is when Samantha talks about her use of bold colours... "A lot of people tend to go safe with grays - they think if it's neutral it can last for 15 to 20 years. I don't agree. When you tire of something, you tire of it". In other words, be adventurous!

Samantha's bedroom is one of her favourite spots, and I can see why. Ultra feminine with some edge touches, it's a beautiful space.

Another unique feature in the bedroom is this curvaceous glass cocktail table topped with a faux clamshell that Samantha planted with cacti and moss. Such gorgeous form and texture, it's quite stunning.

And one of my favourite pieces is the stone birdbath in the bathroom, which has had a painted terra-cotta bowl fitted inside and is home to Bugsy the fish. Not something everyone would think to do, but it looks amazing!

Make sure you pop over to Lonny and read the full story, there is so much more and you'll love it.