apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think with a wild painting like that (depending on the size) a white base for a room would work well. I would pick up the yellow with pillows and maybe some matching lamps in blue.

Don't match the painting to other items too much or it might lose its "standoutness" (I just made that word up, feel free to use it yourself).

Hang it in the room with what you already have and then see what the room "says" to you.

White bedding with blue lamps alongside this painting sounds really gorgeous. Then maybe add a pillow (I keep picturing another rose motif). Then keep going with the colorful bedding if it seems to need more. Stop when it looks and feels finished.

And good for you for supporting your local artists!

My first instinct would be to keep the rest of the room very subdued and calm and colorless because the painting is so loud. (I really like it, by the way!)

But I'm thinking it might also be a good idea to really pick up the color theme. Now, I would probably keep a white base for the painting like you already have. I would also make the bed (including comforter etc.) white.
But I would consider painting the opposite wall in one of the blues of the painting, and maybe add a rug in a deep red. The colors of the paintings are really strong and usually I wouldn't personally design a whole room based on them.
However, I think it could look really cool in this case if you have some large calm and white pieces (like most of the walls and the bed and maybe a desk/bookcase/whatever), and then some colorful pieces just as large (painting, rug, one of the walls) for a stark contrast.

White bedding, throw pillows in various shades of blue and a night stand painted red or black.

Beautiful painting!
Maybe keep the room neutral with subtle yellow accents, and bring in natural textures and cool details, like a pintucked comforter. I agree with repeating the flower motif and not being too matchy-matchy to the painting.
Good luck.

Everything white/off white and a red chair in the corner, that's my first thought.

Hang the painting (which is gorgeous btw) and see how it works with what you have, then change one thing at a time if it still feels bland.

I personally would bring out the yellow around the room (pillows/curtains) to warm it up subtly. After that, if it feels like it's missing something I'd add in one pop of red or blue with a chair or lamp... or actual fresh roses :)

I agree with using the light yellow color for comfy pillows wtf.

etc not wtf
oops

If you were to paint, I would choose a soft yellow to bring out the background of the painting, and a simple teal/navy comforter. Maybe a few red accents such as a red metal lamp base, a small pillow, or hooks for your house coat. Other than that, fresh and white is good.

And red roses in a vase are always welcome!

I have a lot of bold art in my apartment- most of a very large size (which seems to grow with every painting!) but they are all my own, and I rotate them as I do more, so designing a room around them isn't really a concern. I currently have a very neutral background (grey carpets, white walls, afghan rugs that bring the three neutrals together) with larger accents in lime and light turquoise, and smaller accents in red and yellow. It sounds like a lot of color, but something like this I think with a few larger cool accents and some small intense warm accents would work really well for you. My 6' x 4' paintings never look out of place regardless of their colors!

I agree with picking up the background tones -- instead of the strong reds and teals, maybe the taupe and the lime green/yellow? You could work with warm neutral bases for bigger visual things like the comforter with yellow/lime green throws/pillows, or even a chair...

One should never, ever decorate a room around a piece of art - it makes the room become "Theme-y"...
...nor should one ever choose art that matches the furnishings (the proverbial painting that matches the sofa)

Artwork should stand on it's own within a space.

I totally agree with bepsf (as usual). That said, I think most rooms can usually benefit with a few black accents - I think there was a post on this recently. In this case, maybe it would ground the pale room without being too 'matchy' to the artwork.

While I agree with the opinion that you shouldn't match art to a space or vice versa, I think that it is important to complement the art, give it a space where it looks like it belongs. I think if you stick with a white or pale neutral "shell" and introduce very saturated accents of any color in the accessories, your painting will stand out but still look like it's at home.

there's a big difference between complementing the painting and matching it. you do not want to match.

pick a color, (I'd do something neutral), that is not in the painting but coordinates well for the base of the room, (visually large elements like the bedspread or a painted wall). pull out a color or two from the painting for accents, like the yellow as others have suggested. however, don't feel like you need to match the shade exactly or that you can't include accent colors that aren't in the painting. also, I would avoid any florals, (pattern or knick knacks), or it will become too themed. also, in order to keep the number of colors down, (too many would be overwhelming), try using different textures.

i love all white spaces. I would toss a red pillow on the bed that is in the shape of a rose. I saw some at pier one yesterday. They are round with ruffles sewn around as petals. Just one would keep it from being too theme-y but add some fun color. I love the art!!!!

I don't think it's necessarily wrong to design around artwork. (I was assistant curator of an art museum in my past...) I would NOT use more roses in the room except maybe real cut flowers, though. Color-wise, though, I'd just add a couple of toss pillows in either red or blue and maybe a throw across the end of the bed. (I'd o nly use one of the colors since you are on the brink of a patriotic flag color scheme, and those bother me. Maybe use red and green?

I say, when in doubt, throw caution to the winds! Go for more roses in your room! That poor (loud) piece of art is gonna get awfully lonely in a subdued room w/o any other flowers!

After looking at the painting, here is what I'd do. Pick up a similar tone of yellow, but perhaps a shade either side of it, do either the adjacent wall, or better yet, the opposite wall the painting painting is hanging from, if you can, I'd perhaps add one element of red, in this case, perhaps a red glass vase on a table or shelf next to, in front of the yellow wall and for the bedding, use a medium gray in a neutral or slightly cool cast on the bed with a couple of yellow pillows to tie the two walls together somewhat visually.

If you need a bit more color spread around, add perhaps a smaller painting or print in mostly yellows but I'd stick to something that's yellow/black or yellow and navy to the other wall to help bring the color around, but leave the rest of the room white as you have quite a bit of color in the painting itself, the dark and light blues, the tough of yellow, the red and a little pink too. Any more and the room will be just a busy as the painting and that's not always a good thing.

This would look great in a white on white room as the only splash of colour. Any chance you can paint the walls a pure vivid white?

Keep the white bedlinen and paint all four walls a bold, fire-engine red. Despite what people might tell you, red in the bedroom can be very warm and comforting (especially if you're young), and it will give the room a rakish, boudoir-esque feel. If you are worried about the red becoming overpowering, use white and turquoise accessories to cool it down a bit.

I think that a pale yellow that matches the yellow/green in the painting -- but is *way* lighter -- would be the way to go. In that case, a clean crisp white comforter would look great.

The best way to solve this dilemma is to "test" it out with some virtual painting!

I'm a fan of accents walls, especially in a dramatic color, like red, as suggested by Blandwagon. Otherwise, neutrals are always soothing and are flexible if you change your art one day.

Check out the rooms here: www.mochihome.com. If you send me a photo of the room and the painting, I'll try some out for you. Fun!

bepsf said: "One should never, ever decorate a room around a piece of art - it makes the room become 'Theme-y'..."

You gotta be kidding. Yes, one has to be careful about making a room "Theme-y", BUT, designers will take a painting or piece of art and design around it re: wall colors and furnishings *all the time.* If the designer is good, the room will look awesome.

The worst thing that one can do is design a room and then plop their artwork or hang their painting and "hope" it works.