How to transform your home with art

Repulse Bay House, Hong Kong

Many designer homes, while stunningly decorated and renovated, seem to lack personality. A collection of art, lovingly curated and displayed, can really transform your home in to a place that really tells your story. Art creates a two-way dialogue between the artwork – which has its own point of view – and its surroundings in…

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Decluttering, without regrets

Do you feel overwhelmed with stuff that you and your family have accumulated over the years, but at the same time very reluctant to make a start on getting rid of things? I believe the minimalist trend can go too far. If you are too radical you can throw away possessions which connect you to…

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Five essential Art Collecting terms explained

Editioned artworks are orginals in their own right.

If you are collecting art, what are some essential terms you need to know? Provenance Provenance means the record or history of an artwork’s ownership. Ideally, an artwork can be traced back to when it was first exhibited and sold. If it was acquired directly from an artist, the relationship of the first owner to…

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Fake or Fortune?

Frances Burke "Berwick Roses" oil on canvas

Do you have artworks in your collection that you really know next to nothing about? Have you ever wondered if you might be sitting on a work with potential to set the artmarket on fire and feature in one of those articles we all love to read about with titles like ‘Painting found in attic…

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How and where to start collecting art

Photo of art gallery

If you are wondering how to start collecting art, then the best place to start your journey is where you can’t buy any. I refer to major public art galleries that have large permanent collections covering many periods and styles. Of course many of the artists whose works you will see there are either very…

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Lessons from the world’s best art collectors

Detail of Frederick Leighton's masterpiece "Flaming June"

Are you thinking of starting an art collection? Here is a brief guide to some of the 20th Century’s best art collectors, and a lesson we can learn from each of their stories. Sir Denis Mahon (1910-2011) Denis Mahon majored in art history at Oxford in the early 1930s. At the recommendation of Kenneth Clarke,…

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Sculpture in your garden

Rodin's sculpture of Adam in the Israel Museum's garden

I was reflecting on the trend for outdoor living rooms. Frequently I see gardens landscaped with screens, water features and other random decorative elements that add form and structure and – let’s face it – are easier to look after than plants. But sculpture in your garden can add impact and lasting value in a…

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The art of framing

Classically framed artworks in a gallery

There is an art to framing and displaying art in your home. Of course most artworks are sold in some kind of frame, and frames can be costly, so why go to the trouble of replacing them? Well, you don’t want your home to look like a showroom. So an important thing to consider in…

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