Offering a unique, on-trend assortment of art has always been part of the Chairish DNA, which means our merchandising team constantly has their eyes trained on both the art market and which pieces are flying off our virtual shelves. For the latest installment in our series, Webinar: Trends In Art, we turned to Chairish’s Director of Merchandising, and resident art expert, Ashley Williams, for a primer on the importance of art, along with a cheat sheet to the latest art trends. Below are a few of our favorite highlights, but to get the full download on all things art, be sure to watch the full webinar HERE.
Art & Interior Design
The interiors world has always had a very cozy relationship with the art world, and for good reason. “Art has the ability to transform a space and add nuance,” says Ashley. Art can be used to further a particular aesthetic look or, as Ashley says, “complete the color story.” But it can also take things in a totally new direction. A modern, minimalist work in an otherwise traditional room can bring in something unexpected and highly personal. “The right art can act as a great counterpoint to something more ornate,” says Ashley.
Art On Chairish
Inspirational spaces are everywhere today, but translating those looks at home can elude many of us. “We are very intentional about how to recreate these aspirational interiors,” says Ashley, “and art is a very important part of the product mix here.” Ashley breaks down some of the ways art is organized on Chairish to help you find the piece you’re after.
VINTAGE ART WE LOVE
“These are some of our favorite pieces from our vintage and antique collections,” says Ashley. “You can see everything from Art Deco sculpture to more academic and classic paintings of equestrian subject matter, to modernist abstracts.”
CHAIRISH ARTISTS COLLECTIVE
“We have a great collective of around 100 artists on Chairish, and any artists that is part of the collective has been actively submitting their originals.”
CHAIRISH PRINT SHOP
“Related to the Artist Collective, we saw that our customer was reacting strongly to the original art by these emerging and established artists, so we decided to launch a print shop. It includes about 15 of our best-selling artists and features exclusive prints for Chairish. Each piece is made-to-order, arrives framed, and shipping is included in the price.”
THE A-LIST
“Our A-List has around 4,000 items. This is our collection of our most desirable, iconic pieces, superfine and rare antiques. Everything from sculpture to paintings on canvas.”
8 Art Trends To Know Now
1. New Portraiture
“What we love here is it’s a new, sometimes irreverent, sometimes anonymous, sometimes stylized take on traditional portraiture,” says Ashley. For a few great examples of the range available here, check out the work of Josh Young and Kendra Dandy.
2. Fashion Forward
“There’s some overlap here with portraiture,” says Ashley. “You’ve got a nice mix of fashion icons to pop art to really over-the-top subject matter.” Looking to add a fashionable splash to your wall? “It’s a great way to do a more muted gallery wall using fashion photography,” advises Ashley.
3. Pop Art
The long-standing relationship between fashion and pop art is legendary. “You can thank Andy Warhol for that,” says Ashley. Outside of just classic Warhol pieces, pop art has been turning to some sweeter subject matter. “The Chairish customer loves art of pastries, and we love it too. It’s really fun and playful, and a new way to render the still life.” Also look out for oversized gems, coming soon.
4. Flora & Fauna
“This is spanning everything from the beginning of flora and fauna, like classic botanicals and chinoiserie pieces, to newer interpretations that might be more graphic,” says Ashley of the resurgence of this classic category of art. “Pressed botanical pieces do well in airy spaces where there’s blurring of the boundaries between indoor and outdoor,” Ashley notes, hence their prevalence in the work of designers like Celerie Kemble.
5. Scenics
“A micro-trend within flora and fauna are scenics,” says Ashley. “This is a decorator’s staple. It straddles between fine art and decorative, but it’s on the wall and a lot of this work is hand-painted so we wanted to cover it here.” This includes stunning scenic panels and ready-to-hang wall murals.
6. Animalia
“This is definitely a top trend for us. We see this sell in all different types of styles, genres, time periods,” says Ashley of this hot trend, which covers everything from 18th century oil paintings of dogs to super stylized modern takes on big cats. Also in the mix…birds! “Birds do really well for us. Parakeets, cockatoos, you name it, the customer loves it.”
7. Tiled Gallery Wall
In case you were wondering, “the gallery wall in all forms isn’t going anywhere. It’s a staple,” says Ashley. “This is a bit of a nod to a more organized and less chaotic gallery wall if you will. We’ve seen an uptick in these large sets selling well, and specifically sets that are organized in a way that creates a less haphazard look.” Great news for fans of the classic grid.
8. Modernist Abstracts
“This is a mix of art from contemporary established artists and vintage art,” says Ashley, noting that the trend can take shape across painting and drawings. “This is such a timeless style that you can see contemporary artists working in, but is what some of the greats from the modernist era started with.”
For even more insider secrets for shopping art on Chairish, including handy shortcuts to find what you’re looking for quickly, and the ins-and-outs of selling art on Chairish, check out the full webinar HERE!