Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Anthro-Inspired Upcycled Vintage Art

One of the retailers that always inspires me is Anthropologie.  Are you a fan?  I must say that I rarely buy their clothing, mostly because I feel the style is too young for me.  There's something about being in an Anthro store, though, that just makes me feel creative and artsy.  Their merchandising is incredible, and their displays are extremely artistic.  The profusion of color and pattern in their home décor line is so spirited!


In thinking about some of my vintage art pieces, I decided to play with color and pattern-mixing and to use the Anthro vibe that so influences my emotions.  Spring seems to be the perfect time to splash some color around, don't you agree?


I started with three of these orphaned (and slightly dull) art pieces.  The images are quaint, but the framing really wasn't doing them any favors.  By focusing on the colors in the art, I pulled out some bright accents. 


This European canal scene is brought to life by painting the frame teal, which echoes the shades of the water.  A little antiquing medium adds some "aged" character.  For fun, this leopard-print edge really modernized the art.  It was super easy to create with patterned washi tape :)  Then, I just sealed the whole frame with clear, matte medium to protect it and give it a hint of lustre.


A soft, deep orange was my go-to accent for this French street scene.  Teal worked as the perfect accent, both because it is found in the image, and because teal and orange are complementary colors.


(...dusting the cobwebs off of my Interior Design education to share with you there, haha.)


The cherry red/pink color in this European street scene really pops!  Doesn't it jazz up the art?  And by the time I was working on this third piece, the wheels were really turning in my head.  I got bolder with trim, using this apple green, khaki, and turquoise striped tape to echo the bright greens in the art.  (Again, red and green are complementary colors, so they play well together.)  The pattern-on-pattern of the washi tape next to the art turned out to be one of my favorite parts of this project.

When styling this vignette, the black and white photo seemed fitting in its green frame (a baby photo of "yours truly" carries the antique theme through, haha.)


As you can see, a little paint and decorative trim can do wonders to upcycle old, abandoned, and tired art.  Wouldn't this trio be fabulous as part of a gallery wall or in a Boho-style room?


(These lovelies can now be found in my Etsy shop.)


Until next time................

Julie



Sharing with: Share Your Cup, Thoughts of Home, A Delightsome Life, French Country Cottage, Shabby Art Boutique, Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Dwellings the Heart of Your Home, Cozy Little House, Domestically Speaking, A Stroll Thru Life, The Dedicated House, Bella Rosa Antiques

34 comments:

  1. So pretty and colorful!! Yes, I find Anthro to be an inspiration as well.

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    1. Thanks, Sally. I could just move into one of their stores, haha.

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  3. Great work on those frames! That baby picture of you is adorable :)

    Thank you so much for your visit and comment. It's nice to "meet" you.

    rue

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    1. Thank you, Rue :) It's great to have another blogging friend!

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  4. Great ideas! Thank you for sharing.

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    1. I'm so glad you stopped by MaryEllen! Thanks for commenting :)

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  6. Yes, you really rejuvenated the artwork and frames. Great idea!

    I'd love it if you'd join us at Thoughts of Home on Thursday.

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    1. Thanks, Stacey. And I did link up to Thoughts of Home! :)

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  7. Very creative! I love the look and your vignette is pretty!

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    1. Thank you, Janet! I appreciate your visit and comment :)

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  8. Great upcycling with the pretty bright-colored frames and adding washi is such a great idea! Love wandering around Anthro.

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    1. I think I'll be washi-Ing everything now, Carol :) Thanks for your visit!

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  9. I passed by a set of these deep frames with cardboard yesterday. I am going back to see if they are still there. Love the frames.

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    1. I hope you get the frames, Donna. These were fun to update!

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    2. The frames were still there and also on sale! I gave you a shout out on the blog today :

      http://distresseddonnadownhome.blogspot.com/2016/03/habitat-habit.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DistressedDonnaDownHome+%28Distressed+Donna+Down+Home%29

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  10. Frames make a huge difference and I like your updates.

    My husband is a professional artist and it amazes me the impact the right frame has on a painting.

    Thanks for sharing with SYC.

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    1. I am so envious of anyone with fine art talent. And I agree about the framing...it can make a huge impact! Thanks for your comment!

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  11. Its amazing how the frame updates transformed the art. You post was truly a joy to read and I hope that you will continue adding your ray of sunshine every week on Thoughts of Home on Thursdays.

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    1. I appreciate the compliments, Laura. I'll be sure to be back for Thoughts of Home!

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  12. These look great. I have walked away from some vintage art because I just couldn't imagine how to update it. Now I know!
    Yes, thinking of your style I can see why you would be drawn to Anthropologie. More style boards please!
    Cheers!

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    1. You are so sweet, Susan! Lately, I'm all about using color. It's fun to add life to something with a little paint. And there are so many fun patterns and colors!

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  13. Julie,
    I am a Anthro fan as well. In fact last week my sister in law and I visited our local store.
    I too leave inspired and with some fresh ideas.
    Updating these frames totally transformed the art.
    Their clothing line is a bit young, but I have been known to find a top or two!
    Jemma

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    1. Jemma, I have also bought a few tops, scarves, etc. :) But the real reason I go in there is for the home decor and the inspiration. You and I have similar taste!

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  14. These are fabulous! I love the easy transformations. I often wondered what to do with washi tape! Now I know!

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    1. There are SO many pretty washi tapes, AnnMarie. It's easy to get creative! Thanks for stopping by :)

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  16. Wow, I love it. I find these vintage style prints all of the time. This project fits perfectly with my "Let's Talk Vintage" link up... hop on over if you get a chance!

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  17. I smiled at your complementary colors comment. My husband the artist points that out to me quite often as we consider various colors around our home. It's so true, though. Your orange and teal are gorgeous together and that's why. I just love the vignettes you've created here,
    Julie. I hope you'll share more of your design knowledge with us. Hugs, Nancy

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    1. It must be fun living with an artist, Nancy :) I do so admire that talent! I guess that we do retain some of what we learn in our education, haha. It's nice of you to ask me to share more, and I'll definitely throw some tips in now and again! Hugs to you.

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  18. You prettified those up quite nicely! I never would have thought to paint the frames like you did, and I really love the colors you chose. Guess I'll be looking at some of those paintings/prints in Goodwill a little differently, now.

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    1. What a sweet comment, Cynthia :) Good luck and have fun with your thrift store shopping!

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