what to put on the walls

Nothing changes a room more than a beautiful arrangement of art above a long sofa or chair. The more shapes, be they large, small, square and rectangular, the better. We like to keep inspirational photos like these to challenge us to decorate rooms that are original and creative. Here are two of our favorites, both images are from the pages of  Elle Decor magazine:

Below, lacquered navy blue walls are the perfect canvas for this eclectic collection of  art.
An alternate to using artwork for dramatic effect is to do the same with a collection of mirrors. Anyone can do this! This summer, look for old frames at tag sales and flea markets, then have glass inserted by a local framer. This photo came from Stephen Shubel’s Marin County loft featured in Domino magazine in May 2008. Doesn’t it look chic? Tall ceilings help.

And finally, some alternative mirrors that are “gettable” immediately. These are from urbanoutfitters.com. At only $18, they’re a steal.

More on mirrors later.