Artist John Dilnot

The other day as I was wandering around in a London neighborhood near Bloomsbury, I happened upon a gallery showing works by the artist John Dilnot. He's a British artist, characterized as "urbanist" , who creates books, prints and other works from found objects. I immediately liked his work shown at this gallery- cut paper collages in handmade wooden boxes.








Chris Lethbridge describes his work like this: "John Dilnot’s art is the expression of an intensely urban and industrial society, obsessed by its agrarian past...Memories of past agricultural squalor, hardship and poverty have been suppressed in favour of the classic archetype of England, as pastoral Never Never Land. Through the period of the 20th century imperial and economic decline this sense of a retreat into a fantasy as a panacea for contemporary reality has become ever more pronounced."

Sunlit spaces

The past few autumn days here in London have been heavenly: crisp and cool with brilliant blue skies. It would be a shame to sit inside on days like this unless you have a room in your house that lets the sunlight stream in. Like these. (photos from Domino, Cote Sud)

Feminine decor

I'm going through a phase where I swoon over rooms that are decidedly feminine. I think this was brought on because I'm trying to figure out how to infuse some feminine charm into my own rooms- kind of tricky when my husband's style, which is cool in itself, leans toward the heavier side with accents of steel accessories and darker-colored 40s and 50s retro relics. Softly-colored walls, elegant drapes, sparkling chandeliers and French antiques are calming and pretty and make me feel at home. Maybe an antique French chair with curved lines, a crystal vase kept filled with flowers- something to bring lightness in- could work to counterbalance? It's a challenge. I don't want to fill the space with pink and frills, but there must be a way to add some ladylike charm? (photos: top- designer Suzanne Kasler; Southern Accents; Oct. 2008 House Beautiful; Domino)

Rustic, romantic, forgotten

I like looking at rooms that might have gone a long time without visitors. Forgotten, yet still inviting. These photos remind me of a hidden country house- a little bit dreamy- places that beacon you to come in and poke around to see what you might find. (photos from Cote Sud, Campagne Decor, Don Freeman)

Hanging art at home

via Elle Decor, by James Merrell




via Desire to Inspire, from Australian Vogue Living



via Skona Hem

via Abbey Goes Design Scouting, via Marie Claire Home

There are so many interesting ways to hang artwork on the walls. There's a way to balance between haphazard and organized, I think, but it takes a good eye. I'm drawn to eclectic arrangements with all different types of frames. But uniform black frames also make a statement. Sometimes you see that each piece of artwork isn't quite as important as the whole arrangement of art taken together. (uncredited photos from Country Home, Living Etc., Martha Stewart)

via the lovely blog StudiodaLu



I also like the combination of graphic objects and things like letters combined with framed art.
(photos: Country Home, Living Etc.)

domino, December 2005

domino
Simply hanging empty frames can be interesting too.

En plein air

I hope these photos will inspire you to set a table somewhere surrounded by trees and sky and enjoy dining outside in these last summer days! photos: Penny Wincer in Living Etc.; Christopher Drake in Open Air Living, by Enrica Stabile; bottom four photos from stylist Brian Andriola