On the edge
Decorative frames can make all the difference
ONE day, when someone studies prevailing British taste in the early 21st century, the benefit of hindsight will demonstrate the significant influence of Kit Kemp, the dynamo behind almost a dozen hotels in London and New York—as well as a design studio, tableware, textiles and umpteen books. Almost single handedly, she has stimulated an appetite for pattern and colour and demonstrated a point that every good interior designer knows, which is that the secret of every beautifully conceived interior is, contrary to conventional wisdom, to sweat the small stuff.
Among the many details that bring her interiors to life are painted frames, created in collaboration with the specialist framer Marcus Wells of Haviland Designs (07768 363571; www.havilanddesigns.com), who recognised early in his career that there’s more to framing than gilding. Although the latter was traditionally intended to wreath a painting in a glow—and elevate its status—it can also divorce an artwork from its setting. The frames that Mr Wells creates firmly root them in a room and, as well as painted pattern, he works with a wide range of materials, from wrapping and newsprint to dog leads and kebab sticks.
His work for Mrs Kemp’s hotels, which include the Ham Yard in London and the Whitby in New York, US, has re-imagined the possibilities of the frame; some are as interesting as the artwork themselves and the whole is always greater than a sum of the parts.
Georges Seurat famously painted borders and frames around his painting and Howard Hodgkin also broke the bounds of the canvas. There’s currently a growing cohort of artists following in their wake, whose frames are integral to the artwork. There’s no doubt that it’s an approach that adds an exciting new dimension.
Emily Maude is a Brighton-based artist who understands the benefits of painting her own frames. Working in oil on glass, many of her works focus on the beauty to be found in decorative motifs and ornament, particularly 18th- and 19th-century English china. She will be among the artists exhibiting at a five-woman show at Eastwood Fine Art near Stockbridge in Hampshire (07957 232353; www.eastwoodfineart.com), June 7–22, that explores how they combine artistic creativity with everyday life. The decoration of her frames harmonises perfectly with the subjects of her still lifes, creating pieces that are coherent—as well as pretty irresistible.
Some frames are as interesting as the artwork themselves