How I Designed a Room Inspired by One Piece of Artwork

Although my job goes well beyond choosing colors for a space, I find it’s one of the decisions that overwhelm my clients the most. 

When I do an initial walkthrough of a space during a Boutique Consultation, my clients often mention at some point that they have no idea what color to incorporate into the room. There’s one trick that I use that has yet to fail me—pull a color from an existing piece of artwork. 

Most of my clients have at least one piece of artwork that they absolutely love. It’s often something that they bought on a trip or just has some nostalgic meaning to them. Artwork is interesting in that it has the potential to actually influence the mood of an entire space. 

A few years ago, when I designed a formal living room in Lumberton, NJ, my clients made it clear that they loved a particular piece of artwork in a room along with a Chesterfield sofa. Other than that the room was completely bare. 

The artwork itself had traditional elements:

• It’s a still life

• Wine is depicted, a beverage that has a long history

• The colors are pretty neutral with the exception of saturated blues and reds

I also noticed that in contrast, the corners of the painting had this edgy metal element. I knew I had to incorporate a piece that was a bit unexpected and a true conversation piece.

The client did mention that they didn’t want anything overly traditional—they tend to like more transitional styles. They also stated that they didn’t want to repaint any walls, as the whole interior was just repainted. As a result, I brought in color through the furniture and accessories and selected pieces that featured traditional elements with a bit of a twist.

Grounding the seating area is a navy blue, red, and off-white wool rug. The furniture itself was organized in a traditionally symmetrical fashion while also being cognizant of the circulation into the other rooms. The formal living room also connected to the foyer, the family room off the kitchen, and an outdoor terrace. The Chesterfield sofa is centered on the central window and on either side is a wingback chair. These comfortable chairs are upholstered in a more energetic blue and the more modern tufting features a diamond pattern. However, the grommets along the edge of the chair still bring in a traditional detail.

The Chesterfield sofa is visually heavy so I selected glass tops for the end tables. This was also appropriate because a bar was built into the room as well—who wants to constantly worry if guests are using coasters? Nobody. A bit more of the red is brought in with the tall table lamps and pillows. At the center of the room is a one-of-a-kind teak based coffee table. This piece contrasts all of the more traditional pieces in the room. 

Not only was a color scheme derived from one piece of artwork—a mood was also brought to life. Through the organization of the space and thoughtfully selected materials and finishes, the space is refined yet inviting.