A Passion for Painted Furniture and Art
Written by Angel Rasper
What do you get when you blend antiques, accessories and a dash of DIY?
A form of creative expression that is both personal and nostalgic! Through the emerging craft of painted window art, a host of chic and ever changing design options has grabbed the attention of interior designers and artists everywhere, blazing a pathway for the personal statement pieces that can now be found in the hearts and homes of so many.
The latest window art from The Love Letter and Vintage Finds!
The romantic painted furniture era, as some of us have come to know it, has offered home décor enthusiasts the perfect opportunity to develop a signature style that is uniquely personalized just for them.
In sharp contrast, the timeless look of black and white spring into detail on this gorgeous black and white painted chest by Hooker Furniture. The curvy feminine lines, along with the bold color combination creates a decorative piece that will maintain classic staying power in whatever room you prefer to display it in.
Now, interior designers, artists and patrons everywhere have harnessed ways to enjoy the elegance of historical ambience by incorporating into their way of life a chic classy design style that not only represents past generations, but can create a design legacy as well.
The concept of blending vintage elegance with a contemporary fashion approach has proven that intrinsic value is the real basis behind this fascinating concept passing through the environment of design today. History is the story about who we are and where we have been.
Time touches people.
Now, decorators of every kind have fallen in love with the ingenious concept of blending old and new through the look of painted furniture and accessories. Our romantic attachment to the ideas of yesteryear has created an environment in the interior design industry for the creative process to think outside of the box in these vintage creations.
My personal venture with the romanticism of this classic form of design has inspired me to start showcasing some of my painted salvage window artwork in my boutiques.
For many years, I painted salvage window art for friends and family only, but now The Love Letter and Vintage Finds has offered a new venue for me to place a sample or two of my work in my boutiques. Along with the combination of my hand picked vintage finds,there seems to be more of a collective variety by adding the artwork, which for me speaks of my own romantic tale.
I look for special qualities in my windows, then I fashion together a unique variety of decorative vintage hardware and architectural salvage remnants onto the piece to polish the characteristics. Suddenly the window is transformed into a re-purposed, one-of-a-kind finished piece of artwork for someone to hopefully love and enjoy.
Garden themes seem to fit me best. The chippy detail of the aged paint on my windows seems to add a bit of time worn charm that I so desire to represent. Each window becomes its own definition of what the duration of time has done and how well it held up through the process. I find that in some way, a piece of history is preserved through a small segment that is captured by what I consider to be salvageable.
What makes this design concept so alluring?
The romanticism of the style speaks to us. The decorative influence becomes part of the decorative plan! We become attached to why we bought it.
An example of some of my earlier window art with a coastal theme.
Picking out the right pieces that can combine the feel intended for a room will create a character-rich plot to your design story.This is where personal design choices come in and can help brand your look to be as unique and original as you are! Painted furniture with specific details can become a compass pointing to places you admire or have been in the world.
The Hooker Furniture Living Room Rhapsody Bombe Chest conveys “sweep me away” to somewhere lost in time. Where life is simple and romance is a day to day way of life. The beautiful detail shares with you a heartfelt story that only one can visualize for themselves in a daydream.
A style flavor for romanticism can be very engaging to the senses. Think about what colors fit the way you live. If you’re drawn to bold and daring colors, then live vibrantly through your furniture choices. Painted furniture and accessories can offer such an array of color rich options.
The beautiful Sanctuary 3 Drawer Diamond Front chest has the appearance of painted glass and offers the luxurious feel of stain glass windows. The gorgeous three drawer chest offers elegance with a shot of color.
The rich vibrant hues of paint finishes can add panache and intense design depth. It’s the punch to the project. The details and lines of the right collection of anchor pieces can become the road map for direction in a space as well. Size and proportion laid out in proper measurement helps you to decide on other accessories such as mirrors, small accent furniture or decorative art pieces.
The stunning Sanctuary Landscape Mirror by Hooker Furniture represents quality of the craft with the extensive process that goes into creating this striking piece. Once again you have the appearance of stain glass in the details giving it that old world charm with a modern level of sophistication.
This armoire is an example of my re-designed painted furniture. Once an old antique wardrobe with no real personality, I decided to give it a new look by adding salvage pieces as embellishments, then a fresh coat of my own paint mix. Finally, I polished it up with rusty wrought iron pieces that I salvaged from an antique show. Now it is one of my most favorite re-dos!
I have personally developed a love for the "old meets new" way of thinking. The opportunities for inspiration will never run dry and will constantly keep me on the road of refinement and re-invention, whether the change is being made to my next project or with me!
