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