From the Editor
‘Finding the right ART that WORKS for you is a DAUNTING endeavour. It’s an area perhaps more SUBJECTIVE than any other – LOVE and hate go side by side’
Earlier this week, I did a presentation to some of our commercial clients discussing ‘The Emotion of Home’. As regular readers of my letters will know, it’s a subject I feel particularly passionate about. As I explained in my talk, where we live should not be considered as just four walls we fill with stuff; it’s the emotion, the life that unfurls within that transforms a house into a home. That heartfelt connection we have with the place is fundamental to our relationship with it.
It’s a theme we return to time and time again on these pages. This is not solely a handbook for those looking to do a specific project or purchase a new sofa or table – although don’t get me wrong, it does offer advice on those fronts. Instead, each month, myself and the team try to acknowledge that emotional link.
In my opinion, art and how we use it in the home is at the heart of this emotive response. At the magazine, we see hundreds of beautiful properties from around the world every week, and spend hours debating what makes the right formula for the perfect space. Increasingly, pieces of art and how they are displayed or highlighted is integral to that equation. Speaking from personal experience, finding the right art that works for you is a daunting endeavour. It’s an area perhaps more subjective than any other – love and hate go side by side.
As I’m sure many of you feel the same, this issue is our very first art special, dedicated to helping you navigate the variety of choice out there, discover new talents and start (or develop) your own collection. There’s advice on how to display pieces – the ever-inspiring Laura Jackson tackles gallery walls in her column and our ‘Art House’ shoot shows how beautiful furniture and graphic art, from prints and painting to sculptures, objects and textiles, make perfect partners. I hope you find it as inspiring and helpful as I do.
Injecting life and personality into any space takes time, effort and imagination (the occasional misstep, too) but it’s ultimately so rewarding when you achieve somewhere that represents who you are, your tastes and style. One of artist Henri Matisse’s favourite phrases was ‘creativity takes courage’. He was right. Hopefully you can embrace both.