Decorating with sculpture

Here are some tips from Grubb to help you perfectly place sculptural objects at home, and suggestions on where you might add some 3-D design: Don’t have too many. One sculptural item is fabulous. Three can be overkill, Grubb said. “I often tell my clients, not everything can say, ‘look at me, look at me.’ You want to avoid too much visual competition. A good designer knows when to turn it down.” Give sculpture breathing room. Not putting enough air around a piece of sculpture is another common mistake. Think of how museums display sculptures. They need room to breathe. Avoid busy backgrounds. For a sculptural object’s silhouette to be appreciated, it needs to be seen against a plain field. Try not to set them against patterned prints or busy bookcases, though small sculptures set in a bookcase a can look great. Give it light. The best light for most sculptural pieces is diffuse daylight. Second best is a well-placed art light. Beware of up lights, which can cast awkward shadows.

Don’t impede traffic. Putting a sculpture in the middle of a home’s traffic zone is asking for trouble. Even if they’re out of the way, consider stabilizing fragile pieces with museum mount. Place with proportion in mind. A sculpture that is too small, too low, or too big for a space will look off. Trust your eye. If a piece needs a boost, elevate it with blocks or a pedestal.

Find prime 3-D real estate. Here are some spots to consider placing sculptural art at home: on a table or pedestal, in a niche designed to display objects, on a hearth or mantel, on a shelf, on the floor or in the garden.