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Pairings: Antique Artwork with Modern Furnishings

10-17-08artwork1.jpg

This photo from Alcro struck us with its chic combination of modern Eames chairs and an antique portrait. We love this method of combining old and new styles...

 
 

In this room, the scale and drama of the portrait adds a nice point of contrast to the spare furnishings. Grandeur and simplicity balance one another. This look isn't difficult to recreate at home. Since art isn't usually expected to match a sofa or dining set, there's a lot of flexibility in what you hang on the walls, no matter what your style is.

Photo: Alcro

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Comments (9)

I'm all for a mix of eras and styles done right. But this looks like a rich kid's first apartment.

posted by PhillyLass on October 17th 2008 at 1:22pm
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I really like this look as well, but I agree - this photo isn't the best example. I would love to see more examples.

posted by Myshkin on October 17th 2008 at 1:38pm
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Philip Johnson's Glass House has one painting and it's from Nicolas Poussin dated 1648-49. I just went to visit the house this past Wednesday and the combination of Mies van der Rohe furniture and this old painting worked really well. Both had warm tones which helped.

posted by azure on October 17th 2008 at 1:52pm
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How is the house looking, azure?

I love this look, and am trying to use it in my new place. I wish I could afford a large Old Master.

posted by Jaze on October 17th 2008 at 2:04pm
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You can: www.allposters.com.

I have framed El Greco and Van Gogh reproductions hanging in my studio apartment. I bought them because I love them. But the paintings, along with their ornate silvery frames, help soften a room with lots of modern straight edges and shiny surfaces.

posted by JefferyK on October 17th 2008 at 2:48pm
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Yah I agree...they could have used a much better example than the photo above. It would have been better if there were more photos...not including the one above.

posted by suzy8track on October 17th 2008 at 7:10pm
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beauteous.

posted by fledgling aesthete on October 18th 2008 at 2:44am
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This is so good... not only the style mix, and the spareness, the muted but rich palette, but also the scale game, that big picture in the small room... magic

posted by Philip_Littell on October 18th 2008 at 9:25am
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Oh totally. I've got an old engraving of St. Peter's Basilica above an Eames chair. And in the other room I've got a pair of antique manuscript pages near an Eames rocker. Really good stuff can work together if you do it right. The trick is to balance the frilly-er stuff in smaller doses against the larger, more simpler pieces. A big modern couch could have a loverly classical landscape above it.

posted by Modfan on October 19th 2008 at 10:54am
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