We just love the work of designer Christopher Patrick of Christopher Patrick Interiors! That’s why we’ve brought him on to the blog to share some of his favorite art interiors with us! Check out his picks below.

As an interior designer I’m often asked to select artwork for my clients.  It’s a tough task considering that artwork can be so personal; but a challenge I’m willing to undertake.  I’m a firm believer in pairing works of art that you love with interiors that you love.  Not everything has to be matchy matchy.  Whether its traditional or contemporary, abstract or realism, photography or oil on canvas, artwork can make a space more engaging and dynamic.  I’ve chosen a few examples that explore different ways designers have added artwork to their spaces to create a cohesive look.

Victoria Hagan uses an over-scale photograph in sepia tones to compliment her tailored interior.  Anchored by a large velvet sofa, this piece of art becomes like a portal into a different world.

Jamie Drake has never been one to shy away from color, and this project is no different.  Using a collection of Gene Davis paintings to add even more color to an already bold entry hall, Drake has managed to turn an otherwise feature color into a “neutral” background color to set off the artwork.  I love the way he’s gathered this collection into two groups of three with a third group of four at the top; one more way to add drama to the space

Frank Roop added artwork in this space that compliments the interior’s overall color scheme.  The nature inspired color palette is only further enhanced by photographs of landscapes.   On such a graphic focal wall, Roop has paired out of focus photography to balance the crisp horizontal stripes.  In white frames and white matting these works of art are set apart from the colors on the wall.  It’s a perfect combination.

Sara Story has combined a graphic piece of art to compliment the bold nature of her interior.  The warm tones in the brick are repeated in the artwork which becomes a focal point over the sofa.

Don’t forget your kitchen!  I love adding artwork to kitchens, it makes them feel more like a living-room and less like a utilitarian-space.  Its a way of visually softening the space without adding tactile objects that can be ruined by the goings on in a kitchen.  Magdalena Keck has created a wonderful collage that does exactly that.  Using a monochromatic scheme as her backdrop, she softens the harshness of the space by adding visual interest in dramatic photography.

Be creative.  Jonathan Adler uses a multitude of mediums to add art to his space (and in a creative way to boot)!  Porcelain sculpture lamps add visual interest to the end tables.  Graphic pillows create a collage of color and pattern on the sofa.  Vintage glass bottles add color to an otherwise neutral space.  And the unusual placement of the paintings (in front of windows) add an unexpected twist to this space that becomes a foil to the traditionalism of the symmetrical space planning.

These rooms are incredible! Thanks for joining us today, Christopher!

In honor of our Bedroom Makeover Giveaway with Crane & Canopy, we pulled together three of our favorite bedroom makeovers from expert interior designers and homeowners just like you. With these rooms as inspiration and our $500 bedding and art giveaway (which you can enter for a chance to win here), you’ll be one step closer to making your dream bedroom a reality.

Put a Frame On It

DesignSponge featured this bedroom makeover from interior designer Shannon Kaye. There are a lot of DIY touches that look absolutely stunning (interior designer-approved). Beyond the new wall color and fancy bedding, we love the bold photographs (framed perfectly) hanging on the wall.

Happy in the Hamptons

Photo Credit: Trevor Tondro of Housebeautiful

Housebeautiful editor Frances Schultz worked on her East Hampton home renovations one room at a time. It’s pretty darn cool to turn an arched wall into a vanity, but what really catches the eye is the art. Look at that gorgeous gallery wall.

Paintings and Pillows

Don’t have a mirror that you can perfectly fit into the enclaves of your room? You can make a difference in your bedroom without grand gestures. Simply adding colorful throw pillows and a beautiful painting above your headboard can make your bedroom a whole new space. This bedroom makeover was featured in the wonderful Apartment Therapy.

Are you inspired yet? Enter our giveaway and you’ll earn $250 to Crane & Canopy as well as $250 to UGallery. It’s a perfect place to start. Have fun and get to makeover-ing: http://www.ugallery.com/giveaway.aspx

We’ve partnered with the amazing Crane & Canopy to bring a lucky winner a $500 Bedroom Makeover. The winner will receive $250 to Crane & Canopy and $250 to UGallery. Enter for a chance to win here: http://www.ugallery.com/giveaway.aspx

It’s been a New York Times kind of month. We’ve spotted UGallery in the NYTimes twice. The first feature was in their Homes section. UGallery artist Autumn Rose has a painting hanging in a master bedroom designed by interior design firm Tilton Fenwick.

Photo Credit: Trevor Tondro

You can send Autumn a “Congratulations!” by visiting her profile! I’m sure she’d be thrilled to hear from you! And then our very own Gallery Director, Alex Farkas, was featured on the New York Times’ Bits Blog for capturing the challenges of a small business with a single picture (this photo was taken on UGallery’s Instagram!)

How’s that for spreading the art love?

This weekend I took all my UGallery art and made a gallery wall. It was so much fun that I have to send you all some inspiration to create your own artful wall. I scoured the web to see which site gave the best advice on setting up a gallery wall and found it at the one and only, Apartment Therapy. Apartment Therapy’s article How to: Create a Gallery Wall is exactly what you’ll need before getting started. Read their five easy steps after the break.

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We stumbled upon Greg Constantine’s Poetic License series on Pinterest. A particular favorite of ours is his “Art Doesn’t Have 2 Match the Couch” composition.

It got us thinking. Does art have to match the sofa? We turned to our home guru, Apartment Therapy, for the answer. They address the issue head on with their article Art Above The Sofa. Here is what they had to say:

“There are so many different ways to hang art in your home. If there’s a blank area above the sofa in your living room — you’re looking at several different options to occupying that space. There’s no one definite way that this needs to be dealt with and that’s what makes deciding how to hang artwork so much fun.

Some choose to make a huge statement by hanging one large piece of artwork. It’s where the eye immediately goes upon entering the room and if you love the piece that much, this is an excellent option. It’s an even better option if the piece serves as a pop of color as one of the bits of interest.

If you don’t have just one large piece, hanging artwork and photos gallery style is an extremely popular option. This is really successful for those who own a lot of artwork and can’t just choose one item to hang on its own. Group unlikely photos and prints together and you’ll be surprised that they will actually work together!Lay out the framed pieces on the floor first before hanging, that way you can map out a shape before committing to holes in the wall.”

So, not only does art not have to match the couch, but it doesn’t have to match your entire interior aesthetic! Still, if you want to match it, go ahead. The beauty of hanging art is that it is completely, one hundred percent, up to YOU!

Leading DIY design blog DesignSponge featured a great decorating tip in this post a few days ago. A chap named Tyler Goodro from plastolux transformed the frame of an antique George Washington portrait into something pretty darn artsy.

After stumbling across the work, Tyler says he “busted out the acrylics and a paint brush and went to town on the frame. I also replaced the plexi with glass, now it is a little more my flavor modern!

Frame mimics art - what a neat way to bring a new feel to an old frame!