Client: Spence and Renata Patterson

Overview

We specified interior finishes and designed and installed interior decor for this 6000 sq. ft. home as well as the deck and pool house decor, for a young professional couple. As we approach decor with from a “Start with Art” mantra, we were thrilled by the great start to a collection these young homeowners had, in fact they have four works from Andy Warhol's Endangered Species Series, but we knew they would need additional pieces for their new home. Fortunately, they were intrigued by the possibility of commissioning work specifically for their newly designed home.

Goals

We wanted to see which artists inspired our clients and use those sources of inspiration as a platform for discussions of color, scale, and context. It was established early in the process that we would work with a gallerist to select art and potentially acquire commissioned pieces. The actual collaboration with the artists occurred later in the design process -- once decisions on finishes, fixtures, and many of the textiles (rugs, upholstery, accents, etc) had been made. The artists were asked to take these tones, textures, etc. and develop works through their lens. It was very important that the artists feel full artistic authority over the work and at no time were they required to use any specific color, texture or technique. Prominent placement of the commissioned artworks included the Foyer, Formal Dining Room, and Powder Room of the home.

Process

The designer contacted the gallerist who sent examples of artwork from twenty regional, national, and international artists in all types of media, photography, sculpture, painting, and paper. The designer and client reviewed the stylistically different options and selected eight artists whose works they enjoyed and would fit the project. Then the gallerist revealed the prices of the works, kept secret to not impact the client's decision. Three were chosen through consideration with client and designer regarding budget and timeline, as commissions can take up to six months, even a year. Each commissioned piece took two months, and the client communicated to the artist through designer and gallerist to select the preferred series and palette. Each artist retained creative rights with these works, with the main criteria being the palette and size. For the foyer, a photograph entitled "Night" by Claire Callagy was selected. For the formal Dining Room, we commissioned a large scale 48" x 72" panel by Teo Gonzalez in prussian blue with dots to the edges. A diptych from the "Quiet Invasion" series by Hedieh Javanshir Ilchi was selected for the Powder Room.