Art for Your Kitchens and Baths

I love art. Not the kind that lifts a particular color perfectly from the sofa. The kind of art that lifts your soul whenever you look at it. Some art stimulates. Some calms. Some, like handsome photographs, evoke memories of special places, objects or people. Some take you to places you've never been, even places that live only in the artist's and viewer's imagination.

Great art elevates your space and your spirit. Choose wisely! When choosing art for your kitchen or bath, you need to keep other conditions in mind, too...


Artful suggestions for kitchens

• Will grease from a poorly ventilated cooktop damage the surface of the artwork?


• Is the available wall space needed for other purposes, like a pot rack or utensil storage?


• Will heat from an open oven door hurt the artwork?


• Bullets one through three should be answered by the artist or art dealer.
  


• Will I bump into a bulky frame as I bustle about the space?


• Will its subject matter inspire great meals or nauseate my diners?


• Do I have a special collection I'd like to display? Glass-fronted built-ins or the space above your cabinets work beautifully for pottery.


• Is there artwork available for outdoor kitchens? Yes, but a lot of it is rather generic.

Collectible objects, like this Seven-Handled Vase by Ephraim Faience Pottery, are perfect for kitchen display.

Artful suggestions for bathrooms

• If an art piece is going into a powder room, will its scale match the room's compact size?


• If a piece is going into a full bath, will moisture from the shower or tub damage it?


• Will its frame rust in a moisture-rich environment? Many affordable, import frames do not hold up over time, especially in challenging conditions.


• What kind of special mounting and framing is needed to withstand steam and moisture in a full bath?


• The second, third and fourth bullet points need to be answered by a professional framer.
  


• Will the artwork's imagery calm me during my nightly rituals or energize me in the morning? What do I want it to evoke in that space?


• If you're hanging a valuable piece in a bathroom, be sure to have it professionally mounted and framed.
  

Limited edition artworks, like The Joyous Leaping of Uncanned Salmon by the late, great Dr. Seuss, can hang in bathrooms, but need to be professionally mounted and framed.

Artful inspirations

I recently attended Art San Diego 2010, a contemporary art expo put on by the San Diego Fine Art Society. There were galleries there from North and South America, and numerous art works that could work beautifully in a kitchen or bath. Here are some of my favorites from the show:

This magnificent photograph will hang in my next home. It will go near, but not in, the kitchen.
Dutch Still Life #2 by Jonathan Singer
Symbolic Collection

Sexy and stylish for your master bath.

Cradle Song - Ferragamo by Kim Joon

Sundaram Tagore Gallery

Fun and flavorful art for your kitchen.
Hopscotch by Silvia Poloto
Julie Nester Gallery



Sculpture, like this sleek piece, can be striking in a kitchen or bathroom.

Fernan by Jon Krawczyk
Garboushian Gallery

I love this mixed media pair for a dining area open to a kitchen, but not close to heat or grease.
Solis I and Solis II by Denise Tapella
Consorcio de Arte