Simply Framed was founded on a love of custom framed art, so it should come as no surprise that our founder, Dara, has amassed an interesting collection of art over the years. Any which way you turn, you’ll find beautiful, thought-provoking, irreverent and/or deeply sentimental pieces that bring personality and style to her space.
Would you like to see a few of Dara’s favorite custom framed works of art? We thought so. Keep scrolling.
Dara with the gallery wall that spans her living room.
While there are many statement pieces throughout Dara’s home, the gallery wall might just be the pièce de résistance. It features works by William Powhida, Aurel Schmidt, Ethan Cook, Field Kallop, Adrian Kay Wong via Uprise Art, and Bryan Gunderson (Simply Framed’s finance consultant who also happens to be a very talented abstract artist!) as well as photography by Laura Bell via 20x200 and a few vintage finds. Dara took her time collecting the eclectic combination of old and new, and also figuring out the right positioning on the wall.
From Dara: “Even a professional framer spends a lot of time contemplating their gallery walls! Over the course of a week, I cleared the floor and played around with different layouts before finally deciding and hanging everything. It’s amazing how much I love this space now that there’s finally a mix of art on the walls.”
Another angle of the gallery wall, which overflows into a charming dining and reading nook. The chairs are from Cisco Home and upholstered in Perennials fabric, and the vintage bowl is from Scandinavian Antiques.
“The Mister Rogers print by Adam Lister that I keep on the bookcase was a gift from Ryan, a former Simply Framed employee. Mister Rogers is someone I really admire, and this print is a reminder to be kind and treat everyone with respect. While I’d love to take credit for the cool styling, it was actually the work of Kathryn from Our Love Is Loud. She really helped pull this corner together.”
Large (40x60”) Paris print by Kate Holstein custom framed full bleed with a spacer in a Simply Framed Black Label Frame in Whitewash Maple. The sofa is Jasper by Interior Define, and the pillows are from West Elm (grey with buttons) and Jenni Kayne (white.) The blanket was a gift from Jodi Cook of Cook Design House.
Personal letter custom framed in a Simply Framed Black Label Frame in Silver Grey Ash with an Island Mat to showcase the edge of the stationery. The sconce is from Serena and Lily, and side tables are Cisco Home.
“I love finding art in unexpected places, and this letter is a great example. It literally fell out of the back of a frame hanging at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. If you zoom in, you can see that it was written on stationary while Paul Bettany was in residence at the hotel. I love how weird and random the memento is, and the contrast created by the understated frame.”
“When my son Miles was born, my friend Emily Johnson of Hartland Brooklyn designed this amazing announcement. We obviously had to frame it, so it now lives in a Natural Gallery Frame with a white mat. The Curious George book is the one my brothers and I grew up with, and over the last few months, we’ve been reading it nightly. Spoiler alert: The premise involves kidnapping a monkey from the jungle in Africa with the intention of bringing him to the zoo. (Probably not something that would be published today!)”
Tulips Handkerchief from Third Drawer Down featuring artwork by Alex Katz, framed in a Max Plexibox Frame in Neon Lime. Wallpaper from Cole & Son.
Fancy Room Tea Towel from Third Drawer Down featuring artwork by David Shrigley, framed in a Max Plexibox Frame in Aqua.
“I love David Shrigley’s art, and was excited to be able to enjoy it without making a significant investment. The balls beneath it are from the ball pit that Miles used to have in our living room (it’s since been sadly retired) and the vintage bench is from Scandinavian Antiques.”
If you’re inspired by Dara’s art collection and looking to start or grow your own, head to our blog to browse source lists, tips, and more. And when it’s time to get that art collection professionally custom framed, look no further than simplyframed.com.
