Artful Interiors: Why Designers Rely on Expert Advisers to Elevate Their Spaces
In a recent Artsy feature by Maxwell Rabb (7 Interior Designers Share Their Tips on Buying Art for Your Home | Artsy), interior designers—including Brigette Romanek and Michael Bargo—shared how they thoughtfully select art for their clients’ homes. Their perspectives illuminate a deeper truth: art is not just decoration but an anchor helping to aesthetically support and define the emotional and physical space. Whether installing works of art by artists who are up-and-coming or strategically placing a showstopper by a well-established blue-chip artist, choosing the right artwork is just as crucial as selecting the right furniture or lighting.
Brigette Romanek highlighted a critically important aspect of the art buying process–emotional resonance. “If it takes your breath away or stirs something in you, that’s the feeling to follow.” Romanek noted that even a single, powerful piece can bring depth and soul to a room. Meanwhile, Michael Bargo’s eclectic mix of vintage design and contemporary art reveals how art can function as a unifying thread across styles and eras.
Behind the scenes, a successful design-art pairing often relies on the input of a knowledgeable adviser. A skilled art adviser does far more than source pieces—they understand budget constraints, guide clients through the nuances of collecting, and help them sidestep the predictable pull of blue-chip names. While trophy artworks by market darlings can dazzle, advisers offer a broader and more thoughtful perspective, introducing clients to emerging artists, underrepresented voices, and works that may appreciate in value while holding personal meaning. Furthermore, good advisers (and hopefully designers as well) stress patience—navigating and avoiding the urge to fill every wall quickly—as well as careful consideration for how framing, placement, and surprise (like art in kitchens or bathrooms) can impact a room’s personality. Advisers serve as educators, demystifying the art world and helping clients develop confidence and taste, rather than just a collection.
But here’s a truism worth remembering: not all art advisers are created equal. The rise in popularity of art collecting has brought with it a surge of self-proclaimed experts—many of whom lack formal training, deep experience, or trusted relationships with dealers and artists. Without proper credentials or a long-standing reputation, these individuals may steer clients toward superficial choices or misrepresented works–and that is why due diligence is critical. Designers and collectors alike should seek out advisers with transparent track records, verified references, and a spotless professional reputation. A truly knowledgeable adviser not only opens doors to great art, but also protects the integrity of the process every step of the way.
The takeaway is clear: great design isn’t just about how things look—it’s about how they feel and how they function together. By collaborating with an adviser who understands both aesthetics and logistics, interior designers can create spaces where art doesn’t just sit on a wall but truly lives in the room.
Spring means Graduation, and other celebratory gift-giving events…and I’ve got an idea
It seems that my family and I have a spring calendar filled with graduations, new babies, weddings and milestone birthdays. For a few of these special occasions I’m going to give artwork—not anything I have made…heaven forbid! But seriously, art is one of the most thoughtful and meaningful gifts I can think of. It is not only unique and original, but if chosen thoughtfully, art will retain its value (and perhaps increase) while providing years of enjoyment and fond memories.
I came to this idea a couple of years ago when my daughters were graduating from college. I decided that I wanted to give them a piece of art as a kick-start for what I hoped would be a continued exploration and appreciation of art, but also, I knew it would be a meaningful gift, and commemorate an important milestone.
When they were young, they spent a lot of time with me at MoMA, especially on the weekends when the museum offered these truly inspired classes and workshops (shout out to the most excellent David E. Little who was the Director of Education from 2003-2008) that were organized into two sections, the first part was with an educator who would take the group into specific galleries and speak about the artist, process, etc. After that, we would head to the Education Deptartment studios where participants had a hands-on studio art class. The Sol Lewitt workshop was a true highlight, and to this day, we reminisce about how much we enjoyed that Saturday afternoon. (Frankly, I still marvel at the high-end art supplies and materials which every workshop participant was provided to create their Lewitt-inspired drawings.)
As they got older, I brought them around to the galleries in Chelsea to see contemporary work and every once in a while, they’d come with me to visit with artists with whom I’d become friendly over the years. Not surprisingly, each daughter developed informed opinions about what we were seeing, what they liked or didn’t and our post-art gallery crawl conversations at the Empire Diner became increasingly thoughtful and engaging.
Now, let me be clear, as far as buying art, I’m not talking about the 6-figure range, or even 5 figures…because there is fantastic art that is reasonably priced and affordable. So I approached their graduation gift of art as I would when working with a new client, and took each daughter ‘shopping’—we looked primarily at works on paper and paintings.
My oldest landed on a medium format color photograph which is mounted on acrylic—an image of a massive rock formation with a barely perceptible split where a woman wearing a cherry red maillot is peeking into the crevice. It’s a stunner and it’s flat mounted onto the white wall above her bed in her “junior one bedroom” apartment in Washington DC. My younger daughter hasn’t settled on anything quite yet, and that’s just fine—she should love what we buy, as it is the start to her personal collection.
Think about it…kind of a great idea, right?
Art, context and a little background. . .
I became an art historian, scholar, curator, and art advisor (after a ‘stint’ in finance) because I wholeheartedly believe that art and architecture are manifestations of our culture and human civilization. And as a result, these manifestations-objects, structures, whatever form or medium they take - should be accessible and available to all poeple. Altruistic, lofty, unrealistic. . . perhaps, but a fundamental professional and personal tenet.
As much as I hope that everyone will at some point be able to stand in front of an art work or a building to experience and contemplate it IRL, there are myriad reasons why most individuals will never have that opportunity. However, I knew that digital technology could provide a solution and this was the genesis of my art/tech company, Boulevard Arts wherein we created and delivered mobile and desktop apps and experiences via immersive technology (think: Pokemon Go, Oculus VR goggles, Google Glass, etc). For me, these technologies offered a fresh opportunity to educate and share visual culture with large, even global audiences. And further, knowing that this content could be delivered on any smart device meant that Boulevard could not only teach about the art work but also present it in a contemporary vernacular that connected people and made relevant the visual culture and history that surrounded them every day.
Why am I sharing this and how does it relate to art and context? Because with the arrival of Spring comes a frenetic energy throughout the art world with its fairs and constant stream of gallery and museum exhibition openings. An audible buzz can be heard as collectors, dealers and an array of advisors chatter about and market works of art.
With this in mind, consider this: as you enjoy this art season and stroll and look, or even contemplate acquiring, remember that educating yourself by understanding, learning about and appreciating the historical and contemporary context of the art work is essential. The more you know, the more you will enjoy yourself and make smart decisions. After all, it is wonderful to be able to buy what you love, but ask youself if you know why you love it, and if that love is everlasting, visually, aesthetically and financially.