Four Artists' Homes To Get Inspired By
We know a blank canvas can be intimidating. So, what better place to gain design inspiration from than artists who pioneer creative thinking? Today, we’re taking a page from four innovators, whose personal spaces are every bit as captivating as their iconic artworks. The nests of these creatives are uniquely individualistic and offer an endless supply of fresh interior ideas. Tour these inspiring residences from the art world's most distinguished minds.
Georgia O’Keefe’s Home and Studio
Among sagebrush cliffs and sandy white dunes, the arid desert town of Abiquiú, New Mexico played home and inspiration to the iconic painter, Georgia O’Keefe. The reclusive priestess of American Modernism, best known for her canvases of landscapes and flower still-lifes, purchased her desert enclave for $10 in 1946. She set forth restoring the 5,000 square foot Spanish Colonial-era compound and lived there for nearly 30 years. Today, the space stands testament to her artistic background which mixes modern minimalism with the arid landscape.
Simple and restrained, the artist’s home is a considered blend of modern furnishings and natural accents. Clean-lined furniture and uncomplicated silhouettes pair effortlessly with a soothing color palette which makes for a bright, practical interior that lets in plenty of natural light. Outfitted with a modernist Saarinen chair, desert greenery, and sun-bleached cattle bones, we like to think of Georgia’s Abiquiú home and studio as a Southwest take on Scandinavian design. There’s plenty of elements to draw from in this understated sanctuary, from its love of nature, to its spare simplicity and airy palette.
Julian Schnabel’s Palazzo Chupi
Among sagebrush cliffs and sandy white dunes, the arid desert town of Abiquiú, New Mexico played home and inspiration to the iconic painter, Georgia O’Keefe. The reclusive priestess of American Modernism, best known for her canvases of landscapes and flower still-lifes, purchased her desert enclave for $10 in 1946. She set forth restoring the 5,000 square foot Spanish Colonial-era compound and lived there for nearly 30 years. Today, the space stands testament to her artistic background which mixes modern minimalism with the arid landscape.
Well-known for his bold style and bold personality (he’s a well-documented advocate of wearing pajamas to social events), Julian’s artist home is evidence that the best spaces are unmistakably personal and reflect your individuality. His artfully curated selection of furniture and decor is an audacious blend of different styles, time periods, and cultures. It’s a collector’s home filled with treasured pieces that offer endless chances for surprise. Among the items housed in the pink palace: hot pink wing-back chairs (of course!), checkerboard black-and-white tile floors, lush modern paintings, and blood-red damask tapestries. This maximalist interior certainly won’t appeal to everyone’s taste, but if there’s one lesson to take from Palazzo Chupi, it’s to be fearless with your design!
Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House
Sleek, streamlined design is a hallmark of architect Mies van der Rohe, a pioneer of International Style architecture. The home he created in Plano, IL –a rural, wooded area located 58 miles outside of Chicago- is widely recognized as an iconic masterpiece of modern architecture. Conceived as an indoor-outdoor architectural dwelling, van der Rohe was commissioned in 1945 to construct a weekend retreat for Dr. Edith Farnsworth. What he designed was a single, open-room refuge: a glass box of wrap-around, floor-to-ceiling windows that showcases the surrounding natural landscape. Today the home is a National Historic Landmark and museum open to the public.
According to van der Rohe, “The essentials for living are floor and roof. Everything else is proportion and nature”. Appropriately, the glass and white-steel structure follows his “less is more” philosophy. Take a page from the iconic designer and infuse your home with simple elegance with well-executed furnishings that are restrained and accentuate its function. That means a few exquisite pieces that bring quiet balance to your abode. Choose clean-lined furniture that incorporates van der Rohe’s industrial materials like low-profile glass tables, minimalist teak cabinets, and steel-framed furniture. The Farnsworth House is fittingly set with furniture of the architect’s own design: equally iconic Barcelona chairs upholstered in rich leather (a truly lust-worthy investment).
Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul
The cobalt blue adobe house in Mexico City is the birthplace of Frida Kahlo, and is where the artist and her husband, painter Diego Rivera, lived in until her death at 47 in 1954. The home is now a museum that pays tribute to the enduring artist’s spirit and houses her ferocious paintings and self-portraits.
The former home of Frida provides a perfect template to think about pattern and texture. The secret? La Casa Azul is a love affair with rich, vibrant color. While the exterior boasts bold, bright colors like electric blue, emerald green, and golden yellow, the inside of Frida’s home teaches us that clean white walls are the perfect backdrop to contrast layered textiles and patterns. It’s all about blending coziness and vivaciousness. Colorful South-American art-pottery and Oaxacan figurines are gathered on walls and dark wood tabletops. Embroidered pillows, and brightly woven Guatemalan throws add plenty of folkloric charm for a bohemian-meets-rustic look.
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(Article by Christine Villanueva)