Verdugo Mountains Retreat: A Nature Inspired Home among the Trees
The Verdugo Mountains are a unique natural environment in Los Angeles County, California. This mountain range, surrounded by urban development, is an isolated pocket of nature with abundant trees, flowering plants, and wildlife. Sarah Barnard Design recently transformed a ranch-style home in this beautiful, serene wilderness.
The garden surrounding this home was generously planted to provide beauty and sanctuary for pollinators and local wildlife, such as lizards, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, deer, and many birds who are regular visitors. This outdoor space is progressively rewilding with California native plants alongside beautiful ornamental plants that hold personal meaning to the household and grow well in this region. This green space blends the built environment of the home with its stunning natural surroundings, fostering an ecosystem that cultivates joy and mindfulness into daily life through simple acts such as coexisting with birds in the garden.
The beauty of the landscape inspired many biophilic design elements within the home, which was updated to reflect a connection between the indoor and outdoor environment.
The living room features large windows that look out onto a collection of succulents and cacti, with a beautiful view of the (sometimes snowcapped) mountains.
The living room furniture combines modern and antique pieces, including a restored antique armchair, reupholstered with a deep green linen velvet, whose luxurious and varied texture lends itself to the age of the chair while connecting with the lush greenery outside. A custom-made ottoman seamlessly compliments the armchair's antique quality. Integrating vintage and restored antique pieces within this home allowed the design team to incorporate sustainable practices in the design process while infusing spaces with pieces that held personal meaning through historical connections.
This unique wooden coffee table was made by splitting an unmilled log of English walnut into two parts. Its live edge retains the organic form of the tree from which it was made. The entire surface is textured with chisel marks that poetically incorporate the process of hand-working the wood into its final aesthetic. The shape, material, and process in which this coffee table was made make a connection with the surrounding woodlands, bringing the tranquility of forest bathing into this living room.
The living room flooring, which continues throughout this home, is made from porcelain tile that has the appearance of White Oak wood. This tile creates a harmonious connection with the surrounding woodlands while providing an excellent eco-friendly alternative to wood, as porcelain is a low-impact, enduring material that is easy to clean and maintain.
A hazy, calming landscape painting by Peter Burega hangs over the living room sofa. The muted earth tones of grey, brown, and olive green resonate with the deep green of the antique velvet armchair.
A large, wool, flatweave area rug demarcates a soft space for the sofa and coffee table within the living room. This rug features a minimal brown geometric pattern on a natural beige background, combining a nature-inspired palette to bring aspects of the outside landscape into this built environment.
The brick fireplace was painted white, integrating it into the light and airy feel of the room. A rustic hearth surface was created in plaster, reminiscent of the organic patterns in the dry earth of a desert landscape. A 1970s vase from West Germany coated in a bronze-like glaze and layered with grey fat lava rests on the hearth, providing a harmonious link with the brown and white palette of the area rug. Its uneven surface and the organic application of the glaze give it a unique handmade quality.
A pair of contemporary marigold yellow armchairs with custom arch-shaped ottomans create an area of warmth that brings out the earthy-toned highlights throughout the room. These ottomans blend components of the natural and the contemporary world through their round organic form and furry boucle-like texture, which creates a cozy sensory experience. The triangular side table is part of a nesting set and features an orchid resting in a soda fired tumbler by Heather Cornelius.
A German-designed, hand-blown, smokey taupe glass table lamp sits on top of a mid-century-inspired console table made in collaboration with a skilled woodworker. This lamp's organic form was shaped by merging two glass spheres and retains the malleable feeling of molten glass to create soft, diffused lighting within the space. A large Kale tree (Polyscias Guilfoylei) in the corner of the room is one of many indoor plants in this home that create a lush connection with the serenity of nature.
The dining area features a restored mahogany dining table that has been in the family for generations. This antique table features a central column base with claw feet and Queen Ann dining chairs with a ball and claw feet. A Scandanavian-inspired chandelier hangs over the dining room table; its minimalist style draws attention to low-wattage antique filament bulbs as a visible design feature that creates soft, warm lighting. A yellow ceramic mid-century modern dish creates a pop of color in the center of the dining table, while a fiddle leaf fig and monstera plant create green space on either side of the dining area.
The existing kitchen was transformed by painting the cabinets a deep black green and replacing the hardware with brushed antique brass round knobs to create a contemporary woodland feel.
The nature-inspired color palette also highlights the beautiful green tones within the quartzite backsplash and countertops. Luxury upgrades such as a touchless faucet and an instant hot water dispenser create a sense of comfort and ease that encourage convenience and joy in the simple pleasures of cooking a meal or enjoying an instant cup of tea.
The scenic mountain views from the living room windows inspired Sarah to create a one-of-a-kind mosaic design for the entryway floor. This elaborate hand-pieced design originated as a sketch by Sarah, which she then translated into a series of templates for the intricate angled strips of wood-like porcelain tiles. These were then arranged to form mountainous shapes inspired by the hillside views from the property.
The entryway features an Italian-designed hand-blown pendant light made from two glass spheres, one clear and one blue-green, that rest on one another to resemble a dew drop collecting on a drop of water. The transparent organic form undulates downward, emanating white light from below and a soothing blue-green glow from above.
Artwork by Renae Barnard makes textural reference to organic forms within nature by building up the material surface of the painting to resemble cracked earth or moss. This work is installed above an artisan-made bench, crafted using the traditional Japanese process called shou sugi ban, in which wood is finished by charring, washing, and applying natural oils.
The vintage hall tree features a collection of nature-inspired objects such as a pink glass antique vase with floral motifs, a Japanese bronze lilypad dish from the 1940s, and an antique ink well shaped like an owl.
The trim throughout the home's public rooms is painted the same deep black green as the kitchen cabinets, carrying this soothing tone throughout the home.
The hallway walls, closets, and ceiling are painted in the same deep black green dispersed throughout the cabinetry and doorways of the house. This immersive use of color is intended to create a sensory shift as one moves from the white, light-filled living room to the quiet sanctuary of the primary bedroom. The molten glass shape of the ceiling light fixture emits a golden meteoric glow that reflects across the dark walls of the space. A runner made from hand-knotted wool creates a soft detail underfoot, dampening noise from footfall to create a peaceful connection with home areas designed for rest and rejuvenation.
This light and airy home office looks out onto the lush green backyard with a view of Oak, Pepper, and Acacia trees outside. The walls are painted in Gardenia, a warm off-white with a slight peach undertone.
The subtle warmth of this color is accentuated by a dusty pink paint color used to highlight the baseboards, door frames, and window casing. This joyous pop of color connects with the Dhalias, Calliandra Eriophylla, and Hibiscus located in the surrounding garden.
This space was designed with multiple ceiling light options to provide ample and adaptable working light regardless of changes in furniture arrangement.
The bi-level walnut tambour door desk, Danish-designed grey leather chair, and Danish-designed secretary desk made from Rosewood are all 1960s midcentury pieces. The secretary desk includes a countertop that can be extended to create more workspace. A wall-based sculptural work by artist Renae Barnard connects the built and natural environment by constructing an abstract nest-like form out of found materials tied together with yarn and twine and then concealed within layers of paint.
A globe floor lamp positioned next to a large worktable provides a contemporary redesign of the mid-century modern aesthetic. The table and harp-backed chair are cherished vintage items that have been in the household for years.
A potted variegated Abutilon and a hanging Pathos plant bring in the lush greenery of the surrounding garden to create pockets of tranquility within the workspace. The hanging baskets outside the office windows create a joyous break from work to watch birds nesting and hummingbirds drinking from the Fuchsia flowers.
The design team incorporated butterfly stickers onto windows throughout the house to minimize bird strikes or collisions, supporting local birdlife and creating a space to enjoy birdwatching.
The home gym features organic linen curtains that frame windows looking out on the serene woodland.
The custom meditation pillow is made from the Kale Tree Matilija Poppy textile in Midnight, bringing this beautiful California native wildflower indoors in a palette harmonious with the home gym door. Elegant hardware is incorporated throughout the house in flat black with crystal disc knobs.
A mid-century-inspired wall sconce sits above a vintage burl root mirror shaped like the hollow of a tree.
The existing cabinets were updated with deep black green paint and round brass hardware with black U-shaped pulls.
The existing vanity was repurposed by painting it charcoal gray and installing new artisan-made hardware. The pewter finish of the leaf-shaped hardware creates a subtle nature reference. An Andy Warhol print of a green cat creates a pop of color in the room.
White linen curtains frame the bathroom window, and a pollinator house is installed outside. A pollinator house consists of a series of bamboo tubes designed to create a habitat for bees and insects, helping to support a biodiverse pollinator population within the household garden and the surrounding natural environment.
The primary bedroom color scheme combines Gardenia walls with deep black-green trim to create a nature-inspired retreat that connects with the serene surrounding environment. The dusty rose tones of the linen bedding, cotton blanket, and wool curtains draw from flowers in the lush garden outside, such as the California Wildrose, to create a cozy, inviting environment that resonates with the warmth of wood furniture throughout the room.
The grey upholstered bed and floor rug made from wool and jute help ground this colorful bedroom palette within soft, earthy tones. A cloud-like glass light fixture fills the room with soft, diffused lighting, and a pair of pink Roly Poly chairs can be seen in the garden through the glass sliding doors, creating a playful color connection between the inside and outside.
The natural beauty of woodgrain is featured in the live edge artisan-made walnut stool and the antique European Art Deco dresser, which incorporates a stunning decorative pattern created by mirroring woodgrain. A painting by Denes de Holesch depicts two frolicking horses.
A midcentury dresser and a French Directoire nightstand continue to carry warm tones throughout the room, connecting with the beauty of the trees outside. A vintage ceramic lamp in the shape of a partridge introduces a playful nature reference through its folk-like stylized form.
Custom pillow shams made from the Kale Tree Matilija Poppy Textile - Natural create a harmonious blend between the pink bed linens and Gardenia surrounding walls while incorporating the beauty of CA native wildflowers into the space.
Living within the beauty of nature brings joy and serenity into our everyday life. Incorporating elements of the surrounding environment into our home through biophilic design extends the mindful experience we encounter outdoors into our everyday living space, immersing us in restorative healing spaces.
Can the Design of Your Home Aid Recovery From Past Trauma? Research Says 'Yes'
As interior designers, we operate from an awareness that because we create the built spaces that our clients inhabit, we exercise tremendous influence on their lived experiences and the ability to make a tangible difference in our clients' mental, physical, and emotional health. (1) While it is easy to accept this as a given in more passive terms, there is an increasing necessity around the active, rather than incidental, cultivation of safe and healing built spaces. At Sarah Barnard Design Studio, we aim to bring an inclusive and trauma-informed approach to home design.
Between 1995 and 1997, Kaiser Permanente conducted a study looking at the health effects resulting from the trauma of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). (2) The parameters around this study were narrow, focusing primarily on abuse, neglect, and domestic strife, without including factors such as trauma due to racism, deportation, illness, or war. The study's participants were also far from a broadly representative group, with nearly 75% of participants identifying as White. Yet, even within these minimal boundaries, the findings were stark—approximately 66% of the study's participants reported ACEs in their personal histories.
If we consider the types of trauma the study excluded and the adverse experiences that occur in adulthood, the implications of this study are significant. It is fair to assume that traumatic experiences are widespread among adults. Particularly in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the mental and emotional fallout of which we are only beginning to understand and measure, addressing the effects of trauma has taken on a new urgency.
Much of the discussion around trauma-informed home design has focused, understandably, on public and institutional contexts often directly connected with health and social services (3). As understanding around the way that physical spaces affect our mental, emotional, and physical health have expanded, so too has demand for spaces designed with health and healing in mind. Where once function and safety were the primary concern in, for example, mental health facilities, home designers are now looking at how to make these spaces soothing and restorative.
Knowing what we know about how widespread the experience of trauma is, it is reasonable to expand our thinking beyond institutional spaces and apply the principles of trauma informed practice to home design, as well as to the way we interact with clients. Our goal is to create spaces that manage the effects of trauma by reducing sudden sensory arousal, while also being actively healing and restorative.
This process begins with creating a safe and inclusive environment for our clients from a project's inception to completion. While it may be safe to assume that most adults carry some form of trauma with them, we don't know what a client's background is unless they feel safe to tell us. We aim to approach our clients with a sense of inclusiveness and sensitivity, allowing ample space to voice their needs. A certain amount of vulnerability and humility lies on us as designers as we hold ourselves accountable for maintaining this safe space for our clients. This accountability allows us to create homes that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also personalized and inclusive to each individual and their needs. As designers, we must keep an open flow of communication between ourselves and our clients, ensuring that communication remains understood on both ends.
Creating an inclusive space starts with mindfulness and care around the way we communicate(4). There is no default listener. Our intention is to allow people from all walks of life feel heard and understood. We are committed to educating ourselves on inclusive language, as certain words may carry racist or ableist subtext. Finding alternatives to non-inclusive language is one component of this, and it helps to avoid language that presumes the ethnicity, gender identity, or experiences of the listener. To maintain our goal of holistic inclusion throughout our studio, we apply these communication values to our client interactions, internal conversations, and interaction with vendors. By holding ourselves accountable even out of sight of clients, we ensure that inclusivity remains a core principle of our studio.
PAINTING BY MICHELLE JANE LEE
When we begin each project, our goal in taking a trauma-informed approach to home design and decorating includes finding ways to reduce sensory overstimulation. Sensory triggers can be hugely disturbing for neurodivergent people (particularly those on the autism spectrum), as well as people with chronic migraines, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Alzheimer's, and other chemical or sensory sensitivities (5). Spaces designed with inclusion in mind for neurodivergence and disability will create an environment that feels safe for all users along various spectrums of need. However, even neurotypical people can experience stress from sensory overstimulation, impacting their health and emotional resilience (6). We address this need in home design by creating varied paths to shelter from intrusive sounds, odors, and light. In addition, we empower our clients to limit and customize their exposure to sensory stimuli (7). One way to achieve this is to create smaller sensory retreats within the home, balancing the calming quality of openness with the comforting sense of being enveloped. We use color psychology, textures, and other sensory elements to comfort our clients. Some of this may overlap with general design knowledge of what is considered calming, and some may be specific to each client's taste and sense of comfort.
PAINTING BY KEVIN MOORE
Our goal as a studio is to create spaces where clients can relax and restore their senses. We achieve this in our projects by intersecting the client's sensory needs with their aesthetic tastes. There is much importance in including art in the spaces we design. At Sarah Barnard Design Studio, art is considered an integral part of home design. Great care is taken not only in the selection of art but also in how and where it is displayed. That said, while there are general notions of what makes a piece of art soothing for a viewer, from the color to subject matter. Ultimately, the most crucial factor is what the client wants to see every day. Clients will benefit most from seeing art that evokes a sense of calm or happiness; however, what that can look like varies widely from person to person. As designers, we offer our guidance and expertise in selecting art for the home.
We can achieve restoration through home design by providing access to nature and integrating natural themes into the spaces themselves. The biophilic design movement has focuses on making nature an integral theme in the home. Biophilic design has tremendous benefits for our emotional, mental, and physical health (8). Views of nature, particularly ones that provide a sense of continuity with the indoors and outdoors, can be one way to achieve this. Prioritizing the use of natural and organic materials can also promote restoration and wellness for our clients. A connection to nature can be undermined by toxic materials that are produced in ecologically harmful ways. On a more symbolic level, we can incorporate nature into an indoor space through organic imagery that evokes the natural world through shape, texture, and color.
Recently, our homes have become even more of a center point in our lives. For many of us, our home has become a workplace, school, and place for recreation all at once, increasing the need for therapeutic and restorative spaces within the home. Unfortunately, mental and emotional restoration has become harder to achieve now that our homes serve more functions than ever. As designers, we must be creative in our approach. We can create boundaries in the home without putting up walls, for example, using a screen to designate an area as a workspace, where the day's stressors can remain out of sight when it's time to relax. We can place extra care and attention into places in the home that offer privacy, letting them act as retreats from the rest of the living space. Thinking beyond a room's most basic function in this way can open up opportunities to create calming, restorative environments in less traditional spaces.
As designers, we have a tremendous opportunity to alleviate trauma by creating healing spaces for our clients while implementing a warm, understanding, and inclusive design process. We may never know or see our clients' struggles, but we can approach each project with empathy, compassion, and practical design knowledge to address their needs. As gratifying as having our clients appreciate our work, it is even more gratifying to know that we can make a tangible difference in their health and happiness.
CERAMIC SLUG BY JOSEPH AND MARJORIE LAKE
Sarah Barnard is a WELL and LEED accredited designer and creator of environments that support mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. She creates highly personalized, restorative spaces that are deeply connected to art and the preservation of the environment. An advocate for consciousness, inclusivity, and compassion in the creative process, Sarah’s work has been recognized by Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Real Simple, HGTV and many other publications. In 2017 Sarah was recognized as a “Ones to Watch” Scholar by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).
Sarah Barnard is a WELL and LEED accredited designer and creator of environments that support mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. She creates highly personalized, restorative spaces that are deeply connected to art and the preservation of the environment. An advocate for consciousness, inclusivity, and compassion in the creative process, Sarah’s work has been recognized by Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Real Simple, HGTV and many other publications. In 2017 Sarah was recognized as a “Ones to Watch” Scholar by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).
Works Cited
(1) https://dcf.vermont.gov/sites/dcf/files/OEO/training/2019/Trauma-Informed.pdf
(2) https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/about.html
(3) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/business/mental-health-facilities-design.html
(4) https://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/guidelines-inclusive-language
(5) https://www.hksinc.com/how-we-think/research/sensory-well-being-for-adolescents-with-developmental-disabilities-creating-and-testing-a-sensory-well-being-hub/
(6) http://universaldesign.ie/What-is-Universal-Design/The-7-Principles/
(7) https://www.asid.org/lib24watch/files/pdf/8477
(8) https://www.fastcompany.com/90333072/what-is-biophilic-design-and-can-it-really-make-you-happier-and-healthier
Cosmopolitcal Design: A New Modality Harnesses the Connection between Home and Nature
With global society and climate in flux, mapping out new ways to live and create in the world has become an essential project. Amid the competing approaches to this transformation, the philosophical school of cosmopolitics, as its name suggests, addresses this challenge in a uniquely holistic way and presents an entirely new perspective on the human relationship with the world.
Albena Yaneva, in her introduction to What is Cosmopolitical Design?: Design, Nature, and the Built Environment, explains that “Cosmopolitical thinkers...see nature as no longer being unified enough to provide a stabilizing pattern for the experience of humans; it is not ‘out there,’ a simple backdrop for human activities.” Cosmopolitics distinguishes itself from cosmopolitanism by positing a relationship with nature and its non-human denizens defined by cohabitation rather than dominance. As Yaneva writes, “These thinkers abandon the modernist idea of nature as being external to the human experience—a nature that can be mastered by engineers and scientists from outside.”
How does this cosmopolitical perspective manifest in the world of home design? To Yaneva, “It challenges design...to encourage the enactment of new relationships both within and potentially outside the designed space.” Cosmopolitical home design is deeply tied to its locality and integrated with its environment. Yaneva describes cosmopolitical design as “required more than ever to address the primordial question of what it means to live together. That is, the co-existence of humans and non-humans, of how they share space and find ways to live together in peace.”
Because the cosmopolitical way of thinking is so all-encompassing, the approaches to incorporating cosmopolitics into home design are fittingly varied and can be scaled to projects as vast as urban planning or as circumscribed as landscaping a backyard. Manifestations of cosmopolitical home design can range from home renovation with the local climate in mind (for example, placing windows for optimal warmth or cooling of interior spaces) to pollinator-friendly gardens teeming with plants indigenous to their region.
To interior designer Sarah Barnard, WELL AP + LEED AP, bringing cosmopolitics into her home design practice means cultivating spaces that are specific both to her clients and as well as to the local environment and that encourage an accord with the natural world. Sarah says, “Finding ways to harmonize the design of a space to a specific environment instead of working against it is both challenging and rewarding. When a designed space and its greater environment are fully integrated, the effect is almost easier to feel than observe.”
Sarah explains, “I always look for opportunities to create inviting connections between the indoors and the outdoors. This continuity with the natural world is beneficial for emotional and mental health—it’s not just a source of beauty but nourishment.” For an artist’s bungalow, Sarah created a visual continuity between lush indoor plant life and the garden outside, and then took it a step further. Sarah designed the outdoor garden to support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. The garden is a Certified Monarch Waystation, providing resources to support migrating Monarch butterflies by providing food, water, cover. Sarah said, “Designing homes for wellbeing doesn’t have to stop at the comfort of the client. Incorporating elements of design that nurture the local ecology deepen our relationship with nature and result in spaces that are unified with their surroundings.”
This particular expression of cosmopolitical home design can be achieved even with limited outdoor space. For an oceanview penthouse, Sarah transformed a balcony into an inviting habitat for local and migrating wildlife by adding potted olive trees and an herb garden. “Considering plants not just for their decorative beauty but also what they can offer to the local environment is a concept that works on virtually any scale,” Sarah says. To decorate the interiors, Sarah selected natural and eco-friendly furnishings and textiles, adding that “Organic materials have a gentler environmental impact, and from a wellness perspective, are kinder to the people who live with them.”
When selecting materials and furnishings for home decorating, Sarah often looks to her clients’ priorities to guide her approach to creating spaces that embody a cosmopolitical perspective. For one high-rise suite, the owner’s love of animals was demonstrated not only through the choice of art and decorative objects, but also wanted this care toward animals extended outside home design and beyond aesthetics. Sarah addressed this by using exclusively vegan materials and furnishings for this project. Sarah explains, “No space exists in a vacuum—every object and material we use has a footprint that goes well beyond the front door, so considering the story of the materials we use and the impact that they have on the world is a way to invite cosmopolitical ideas into home design.”
Sustainable materials can also have unexpected origins. For the kitchen of a historic craftsman bungalow, Sarah installed a countertop made of recycled beer bottles, a non-extractive alternative to a more traditional quarried stone countertop. “Not only is the material beautiful and environmentally conscious, but there’s also a little whimsy in how it reinvents something ordinary and adds character to the space,” Sarah says. The implications behind cosmopolitical home design may be weighty, but there is always room for playfulness.
“When I look at my work from a cosmopolitical perspective,” says Sarah, “I see tremendous opportunity for creativity. We are seeing our way of life change in real-time, and as a home designer, I’m lucky to be able to be a part of facilitating that transformation for my clients.”
Sarah Barnard is a WELL and LEED accredited designer and creator of environments that support mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. She creates highly personalized, restorative spaces that are deeply connected to art and the preservation of the environment. An advocate for consciousness, inclusivity, and compassion in the creative process, Sarah’s work has been recognized by Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Real Simple, HGTV and many other publications. In 2017 Sarah was recognized as a “Ones to Watch” Scholar by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).
Curating a Mindful Experience: Focusing on Art at Home
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD, ARTWORK BY RENAE BARNARD.
Selecting and arranging artwork in a home can be a gratifying process for all involved. While science is only beginning to explore the emotional effects and benefits of art, people have been driven to produce and seek artwork throughout human existence. In a study at the University College London, researchers found that looking at beautiful artwork activates pleasure centers in their brain and elicits a neurological response similar to falling in love.
SARAH BARNARD HELPED THIS CLIENT CURATE AND COLLECT AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF FEMINIST ARTWORKS.
It only makes sense that we should turn to artwork to influence emotional experiences in home design. As an interior designer with a fine art background, I recognize art's incredible power to enhance wellbeing in design. Commissioning artworks or objects by local artisans can be an incredibly rewarding way to elevate a client's home, and invest in the local creative community.
A DIVERSE COLLECTION OF LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS.
When selecting artwork for a family or group, it's key to ensure that everyone has a voice. Inviting individuals to have control over their domains and some level of veto power in shared spaces can aid in decision making in the home design process. Having a say over designated personal spaces guarantees that everyone is getting something they love, at least in one part of the home. In common areas, everyone should have a choice, and this is where having a designer with additional resources helps. I have developed relationships with many unique and talented artists throughout my career, which has helped me find and commission beautiful and obscure pieces.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD, ARTWORK BY SUSAN HANNON.
When approaching all home design elements, it's essential to consider a room's use and intentions before purchasing or commissioning artwork. For family rooms that are often bustling, high traffic spaces, bold, energetic works of art can invigorate a room and inspire conversation. Large scale works can provide a welcome alternative to a television, and offer a focal point in spaces with many moving parts and multiple functions. Shared areas of congregation are ideal for bold abstract pieces or narrative works that inspire investigation and conversation.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD, ARTWORK BY KEVIN MOORE.
In a recent home remodel for a family residence, Scalar Fieldby Kevin Moore hangs above a breakfast nook composed of a custom dining sofa and handmade walnut dining table. The warm colors and textures of the pieces play off each other, for an inviting eating space that encourages both quiet daydreaming and lively discussion. The piece's unique, geometric shape adds architectural interest to the corner, expanding the room and adding to the area's significance in the home. The nook encourages a mindful dining experience, inviting the owner and guests to pause and enjoy the beauty and serotonin-boosting effects of an in-house art display.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD, ARTWORK BY REID WINFREY.
A small, sleek bar becomes increasingly expansive with a dreamy painting of a surfer by artist Reid Winfrey in a beachy bachelor pad. In areas without windows, artworks with natural themes or escapist qualities are often beautiful alternatives to a view. This piece reflects the homeowner's interests and passions, connecting them to natural locations and activities they love, and offering insight into their personality to guests. Creating intentionality in small areas of the house can significantly affect overall mood and pacing, offering small, meditative opportunities. Art can be a useful tool to train the mind to slow down and be appreciative of surroundings and experiences.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD, ARTWORK BY RENAE BARNARD.
Collecting artwork invites a level of personal connection and customization that can create a deep emotional experience of the home. A large wall sculpture by Renae Barnard entitled Aggregate Libertycompliments custom furniture in a residential redesign. Colors and textures in the artwork and the living room mimic each other, softening the boundaries of the artwork and the residence for an immersive and transcendent experience. Quiet rooms for focus may benefit from works that feel calm and soothing. Natural colors and themes help decompress, and textile pieces, in particular, can bring an added layer of comfort and calm.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD, ARTWORK BY RENAE BARNARD + RUBEN VINCENT.
For a home office redesign, our studio commissioned a sculptural piece by artist Renae Barnard for artwork that referenced the home's natural surroundings. As an alternative to the already prominent ocean view, our studio saught to connect to nearby natural elements that required more careful observation. Ultimately, the studio found inspiration in the finches visiting the olive trees on the homeowner's patio. Noticing them requires careful consideration of the surroundings, inviting the homeowner and guests to become increasingly mindful. The finches' flight to the skyrise penthouse in the clouds inspired the final form of the fiber sculpture Cumulous.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD, ARTWORK BY KARRIE ROSS.
Fanciful imagery in muted earth tones creates an airy and uplifting mood for rest. Displaying artwork near a bed may contribute to peaceful habits before sleep, and provides mind-quieting observational opportunities. A watercolor and mixed media piece by artist Karrie Ross is an atmospheric addition to a residential bedroom redesign. The piece's overall effect is peaceful, guiding the viewer away from chaotic thoughts or visuals before bedtime. The details within the artwork hold the viewer's attention and offer avenues for thoughtful examination, pulling focus away from the stresses and memories of the day. Using the emotional experience of a work of art to guide a room's mood can provide ample opportunities to shape home design support and uplift its residents.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD, ARTWORK BY BRIAN JOHNSON.
Commissioning or curating artwork is ultimately about inviting positive emotions and experiences into the home. A piece does not need to mirror a pre-existing aesthetic to be the perfect fit for a client's home if it inspires pleasure and supports wellbeing. Incorporating artwork into living spaces can be an enriching process, inviting time to reflect, think, and appreciate the beauty of daily life.
INTERIOR DESIGN BY SARAH BARNARD.
Sarah Barnard, WELL AP and LEED AP, designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that connect deeply to nature and art. Barnard has been featured in publications internationally and was named a "Ones to Watch Scholar" by the American Society of Interior Designers. Empathy and mindfulness are the foundation of her practice creating healing, supportive environments that enhance life.
THIS IMAGE USED WITH PERMISSION PROVIDED BY GREGORY FIRLOTTE @ LA DESIGN MAGAZINE
This article was written by Sarah Barnard for Issue 2 of LA Design Magazine, Celebrating Design and the Arts. Published by the American Society of Interior Designers, Los Angeles, CA.