The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Spring prints have artsy vibe

- By Kim Cook Associated Press

Visiting this spring’s décor previews often felt like exploring an art gallery. There was an artistic vibe to everything from dinnerware to drapery, art photograph­s to textiles.

Manufactur­ers are now able to reproduce artwork with impressive detail and precision. Originals that may have been painted or inked retain evidence of brush and pen. Computer-generated designs have greater depth of color and pattern than in the past. And photo prints are even more striking.

Zara Home has a bouquet of lovely throw pillows for spring with vintage prints or botanical ones reminiscen­t of paintings by the Masters. “Mariposa” features a flock of Edouard Travies-esque exotic butterflie­s on a white background; “Lula” evokes a Renoir still life; “Spring” has a sweet cottage floral; “Lannion,” “Hawaiana” and “Hojas’ ” tropical motifs have a retro vibe. (www.zarahome.com )

A spring walk through the Chicago Botanic Garden inspired artist Matthew Lew to create an exuberant burst of white and tan blooms on a bright orange background, rendered at CB2 on a hand-tufted rug. The retailer’s got another modern rug featuring a graphic brush stroke of linen white on tonal carbon gray. And artist Katherine Finn-Gamino’s colorful multi-media geo- metric pillow is abstract art for the sofa. (Botanical rug, Swoosh rug, pillow, www.cb2.com )

Watercolor paintings of many popular dog breeds, including Labs, golden retrievers and little terriers, are available from Pottery Barn on linen throw pillows with personaliz­ed monograms. The needle arts are showcased here, as well, on linen lampshades stitched with tonal ikat or floral motifs, and a pillow depicting a vintage bird postcard in finely-detailed embroidery.

Photograph­ic art is an excellent way to bring a creative or unusual element to your room. Pottery Barn continues to expand its wall-art series this spring with a cote- rie of photo artists who have made intriguing works at a price point not easily matched in the market for great photograph­y.

California photograph­er Lupen Grainne creates imagery that combines a pensive Instagram quality with profession­al compositio­n. She captures dreamy San Francisco street scenes and beautiful fruit or fork still lifes that draw you in. San Francisco-based Ana Ramirez’s shell photograph­s in stark black and white highlight the sculptural beauty of nature. And Prague-born photograph­er Michal Venera’s expressive blackand-white Tanzanian animal prints depict the grace and beauty of the natural world.

You’ll also find some amazing work from pro photogs Cindy Taylor and Rebecca Plotnick. (www.potterybar­n.com )

At Crate & Barrel, there’s the Monet-like watercolor floral of the “Myrtle” pillow, while the dramatic “Landscape” pillow, featuring a winding road through wild countrysid­e, brings Turner to mind. (www.crateand barrel.com )

Bird’s eggs writ large — in fact, 32-inch-square large — are the powerful focal point of a series of wall art at Wisteria this spring. The eggs themselves are softly hued, but the scale of the photograph­ic imagery is so remarkable that one or more would be a central feature in any room. (www.wisteria.com)

 ?? CONTRIBUTE­D BY CRATE AND BARREL ?? Crate & Barrel’s Myrtle pillow ($34.95) features a Monet-like watercolor garden digitally printed on the white cotton background. From the spring collection (www.crateandba­rrel.com).
CONTRIBUTE­D BY CRATE AND BARREL Crate & Barrel’s Myrtle pillow ($34.95) features a Monet-like watercolor garden digitally printed on the white cotton background. From the spring collection (www.crateandba­rrel.com).
 ?? CONTRIBUTE­D BY WISTERIA ?? A dramatic rendering of a blue egg from Wisteria makes a beautiful statement on a wall. Artistic elements in wall art, soft furnishing­s and tabletops are a spring décor trend this year (www.wisteria.com).
CONTRIBUTE­D BY WISTERIA A dramatic rendering of a blue egg from Wisteria makes a beautiful statement on a wall. Artistic elements in wall art, soft furnishing­s and tabletops are a spring décor trend this year (www.wisteria.com).

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