That’s what Clara said when she woke up and saw our freshly hung real art in the kitchen. It was cute. And we laughed. And then she squealed “She’s swimming! Look, fishies!” which are most definitely not in there, but the girl has quite an imagination. So hooray for imaginary fishies.
I described this gal as “real art” because it’s actually our first big art purchase ever. It’s a large print of an original oil painting by an amazing Etsy artist that we just couldn’t get out of our mind. And at $195 it was definitely a splurge for folks like us who usually frame free art that we make ourselves or hunt thrift stores and garage sales for cheapo options, but we figure that we’ve done a lot of things to save a really significant amount of money on our kitchen (like reusing our cabinets/sink/faucet, getting pendant lights from an outlet and a range hood on craigslist, reselling things like our old granite and over-the-range microwave on craigslist, building our own fridge surround/hood cover/open shelving, getting on-sale tile and clearanced out cork and installing it ourselves, buying inexpensive lab stools from a school supply shop, etc).
So yeah, it took a bit of rationalizing with ourselves and saying “dude, you have saved money in so many other places, and you love this art and don’t have any real art in the entire house yet- just take the plunge already!” So we did. And it feels good. In the words of Katy Perry: No regrets. Just love.
So yes, we’re calling it our V-day gift to each other (and our beloved kitchen). And it was icing on the cake when Clara got excited about it too. Burger has yet to react but we’ll keep you posted.
Doesn’t our lady swimming with imaginary fish look especially cheerful with two pink tulips leftover from book shoots (yup, those are still going on – they wrap this Friday and today we’re actually shooting cover stuff – ahhhhhh). As for framing our lady, I’m sure one day we’ll man up and pay to have her professionally framed (they always seem to have those 50% coupons at Michael’s) but sometimes it’s a better balance for us when we spend in one area and then work a bit harder to save in another. So for now we have framed it really inexpensively ourselves, just by getting a simple black frame for $21 at Target and a $4 sheet of archival-quality mat-board at Michael’s (they sell it in their framing department for anyone else who wants to try DIYing it).
This entire framing job was just $25 (for a 31″ x 25″ finished piece!) thanks to already having some white Rustoleum Universal spray paint (the kind with the built-in primer). Yup, I’m completely predictable. You know I spray painted the heck outta that frame (after removing the pane and the backing and laying it out on a piece of cardboard outside). Then I just cut down the archival mat-board to fit the frame and placed the print centered in front of it.
So unlike a pro framing job, this mat isn’t a cut-out window that you look through to view the print – the print just floats right in front of it in the middle, with an equal amount of mat around it to beef it up and fit the frame. The luckiest accident of the whole thing is that the mat-board has subtle gray undertones while the print and the frame are bright-bright-bright white. It actually makes for a nice balance since the soft gray-ish coloring in the mat relates to other softly-gray things in the room (the penny tile, the appliances, etc) and the bright white of the print and the freshly sprayed frame ties into the glossy white molding/trim, our counters, and the dishware on the open shelves.
We love that our print (on archival paper with an archival mat, no less) can always be upgraded with a proper frame down the line, but for now it slips right into the room. And it’s refreshing. Like a big ol’ glass of lemonade. Or a dip in the pool. This is actually how we frame a ton of stuff (like all of the things in our hallway of frames, for example) so although it’s not the fancy way, it works for us. Art is definitely one of those highly personal things though, so this method might be heresy for some folks out there! Just do whatever works for you and your house and cover your walls with stuff that makes you smile.
We have to admit that real art is definitely addictive. Our little swimmer lady confirms that sometimes a wall splurge can make you pretty dang giddy. So we’re definitely hoping that the occurrence of saving up for art that we love isn’t just a one time thing! What have you guys been framing lately? Do you have a favorite framing method? Do your children see imaginary fish? Let’s talk.
Alia says
John and Sherry–the print is amazing! I would recommend using the online American Framing for framing it when you are ready–they have great sales, and you can pick your frame from many styles, you mat, and also the type of glass or plexiglass you wish to use. I have alot of unusual sized pieces in my house and they have saved me so much money. I go to Michaels or Jo-Ann to have them measure the piece and give me a quote, and then when I have that information, I can look online and comparision shop on the price. The frames come ready to assemble and are phenomenal!
heather says
i love that painting! i actually look at her stuff on etsy all the time but have yet to pull the trigger. i’m still in the 20 dollar etsy print realm. i bought a cool chevron map print a few months ago and wanted another print but decided not to spend the money. the seller forgot to ship the print i bought and ended up sending me both as a sorry gift. i tried framing them this weekend but they’re both slightly too big for my frames (8.5 by 11 instead of 8 by 10) so i need to cut them down a little and then i’ll hang them up. it’s hard to find great art that speaks to you and that you can afford. love the framing and placement!
Lisa says
I absolutely love the print! I work in an art museum and have the good fortune of seeing beautiful art every single day (I know, I’m so freaking lucky!), but I have yet to purchase “real art” for our home. I have started buying Etsy art as gifts for friends and family. In particular, I love buying Etsy art for the kids in my family because I think it’s something that they will have for a long time (if they like it!) rather than a plastic toy that won’t last two months!
Art is a great investment and something that is part of your life ever day when it’s in your home! Good for you!
YoungHouseLove says
THAT IS AN AMAZING IDEA! I love the thought of buying art for kids – I’m sure they’ll love it and gaze at it on their walls all the time!
xo,
s
Lisa says
This is something I bought for my niece when she turned 1. We live in Brooklyn and my brother and his wife love old maps, so it seemed perfect!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/63669753/old-map-of-brooklyn-with-real-butterfly?ref=sr_gallery_3&sref=&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=brooklyn+butterfly&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade
Emily says
I keep dying over that little yellow (radio?) on the counter. Where is it from? Please tell me not a thrift store and you sprayed it yellow!!! I want one!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- it’s from jossandmain.com on sale! If they don’t have it anymore maybe just try searching ebay or amazon for a yellow Tivoli radio?
xo,
s
Meghan says
I seriously love that print – excellent choice!
Meg says
Love it! I’m lucky enough to live in a university town, with an MFA program. Several years ago I fell in love with with a piece during the MFA final exhibition at the on campus art gallery that I could clearly NOT afford-$2500. I contacted the artist and arranged to meet her at her studio to see similar pieces…and bought a much smaller watercolor (the lust piece was oil) for $150. I framed it with a copy of her artist’s statement and a postcard of the oil I loved. Makes me do a happy dance every time I see it! Yea for real art!
Renee says
Where did you get that awesome little yellow radio?? Love all the pops of color throughout the kitchen, especially the new artwork :)
YoungHouseLove says
That was on sale from jossandmain.com but maybe try searching for Tivoli (that’s the maker).
xo,
s
Denise says
I LOVE Samantha French’s work, and it looks so fab in your newly gorgeous kitchen! (I think I discovered her on Art Hound or The Jealous Curator.)
Anna says
I can TOTALLY see the fishies! It’s all the orange :)
Abigail says
I LOVE how the kitchen is shaping up and can’t wait to see what the cork floor does for the room vibe.
I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see this art post!!!
(I love the print you chose, too)
I am a painter and I have been so perplexed as to why, why, why in all the interior design shows and blogs there is so rarely art from an artist brought into play?
Interior Design is a form of art so it feels to me like it should go hand in hand. Plus going with prints or an early career artist make it just as ‘reasonable’ as most furniture pricing. Yet it can be so much more personal and emotional and every good thing! Not that I’m biased or anything ;)
When I was just getting started my prices were very low and I had a number of friends buy things from me over time. Also, many artists are open to bartering. A little carpentry love in exchange for some art love would be awesome in my book!
Also I just want to 2nd, 3rd or 10th the comments on Micheal’s being pricier with lesser quality and fewer options than a local framer. My family has a frame shop and I grew up in it. I was shocked that my mom’s high end gallery and frame shop were SO much less expensive. It’s pretty scandalous.
Ditto for the comments on keeping the art off the glass and using UV glass of some kind. I don’t know if anyone has added the suggestion of just putting a few spacers between the glass and the art. Kind of like a shim?
Just use little chunks of your archival matt board or I’ve used those little plastic bumpers and cut them in half. The rabbit of the frame hides the spacer. Just nestle them up against the edge of the frame so that they lift the glass that tiny little bit.
I love your blog. (A little too much, sometimes. When am I going to get some work done around here?)
liz says
Wow – beautiful choice. It pulls the room together beautifully! And I bet the darker tones will plan nicely with your cork floor, too. Nice investment, guys!
Ranelle says
Well my husband got back from England to watch a Liverpool match. The program happened to have a small poster of Steven Gerrard – my 2 1/2 year old is enamored. So, inspired by your hallway, I popped it into an Ikea frame and hung it up in his room. :D
Amber says
I’m not sure if you have a Hobby Lobby near you or not. But, I go there to have my framing mats custom cut. It usually is under 5 dollars and you can be as imaginative as you want. We had our signature mat for our wedding cut there and I had two openings cut in the 20×24 mat. Just make sure to put it in the frame the right way! My wedding signature mat will be forever backwards, since that is the side I had everyone sign!
hunter says
I often take something to the framing store and just get them to cut a mat for me. Having the ‘fancy’ mat (beveled edges, multiple colors) makes a huge difference, but isn’t terribly expensive. Then I’ll pop it in a standard size frame off the shelf. I think it strikes a really good balance between a professional look and a reasonable price.
Lily says
I love that print! I’ve seen it before on easy, so beautiful and happy!
It’s also nice to see that you DIY’d the framing. I always get intimated about buying unframed art because of the framing cost/hassle. I think I was just being silly. Thanks for the inspiration!
Aron says
Totally looks like fish to me :). Love it. Great splurge.
Rebecca B. says
I haven’t read through all the comments so maybe someone else already mentioned this…but here goes. I love how out-of-the-box you guys are with your art. I need some for my dining area and feel compelled to pick something that is cooking/eating related. But seeing your vibrant swimmer and imaginary fishies in your kitchen really inspires me to just find a piece that I love.
How long did you oogle this before you splurged? I think my problem is that I want to buy something the moment I see it before really feeling out whether I do truly love it in my space. Can you tell I’m wrapped around the axle about buying art?????? Is it THAT obvy???? LOL
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I think we mulled this over for about a month. We talked about loving it (it’s important that we both love something, so if one of us didn’t it would have been an instant deal breaker). Then we wondered if we should wait since it felt impulsive to buy it right away so we sort of stewed. And then a week or two later we looked at it again and this time we measured the wall and calculated the mat/frame size that we thought we’d want to make it work there (since if it wasn’t the right size for the spot that would have been another deal breaker) and about a week or two later we just said “What are we waiting for? We both love it and it’s the right size and we think the colors will be awesome in the kitchen” and then we clicked buy. Haha. Hope that helps!
xo,
s
Mars says
How do you stick the print to the mat board?
YoungHouseLove says
I used archival “hinges” from a stamp collecting shop (they gently hold things in place without threatening to rip the print).
xo,
s
JanetL says
Has the title of the book been decided? Did you all ready tell us?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s not 100% decided, but we think it’ll end up being Young House Love: 249 Ways To Show Your Home Some Love.
xo,
s
Nicole says
The picture and the kitchen look so amazing. You guys have such great vision! If I toured a house with the original kitchen I would never have thought that anything beautiful could have been made out of the dark paneled natural light lacking box. You’re an inspiration!
jana says
I had to do a double-take when I saw your piece-I was looking at that artists work online last month. Lovely. You should never have to rationalize bringing art into your home-it’s a necessity in my book. I am still enamored with inexpensive pieces we have picked up through the years. They continue to provoke, inspire, soothe and delight-best investments ever!
Brittney says
LOVE the look of the water around her…. it’s almost like it’s alive or something. Cool choice for the kitchen, it’s art-geek-alicious!! :)
Tracey says
Love how the blue color in the artwork goes with the blue glassware on your new open shelves.
Sue says
I’m a firm believer in buying “real art” when it speaks to you. It certainly beats getting home and having to pay to have the item shipped (from another state) because you can’t get it out of our mind. :)
Jennifer A says
1 – That painting is awesome! Great color.
2- I was looking around on the interwebs for painted concrete floor ideas.. and saw a little image of you painting your old patio floor. Awesome I thought, I’ll just read their post on it, because I love their stuff. But when I clicked on it, it was someone else’s blog!!!! Shock and horror, shock and horror.
Joy says
My boyfriend and I just framed ALL (and let me tell you, that’s a lot) of our original art we’ve collected over the years. My best tip is having a frame shop cut museum-type glass (blocks the UV rays) to exchange with the glass in the off-the-shelf frames you pick up for cheap. It makes a huge difference and saves a ton of money. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! Such a great tip!
xo,
s
Lisa says
My son is melting down beside me, screaming “I am so frustrurated at my legos”. As soon as he saw your art work, he stopped and said “Mummy are they fish’s on her?” Apparently it’s the orange stuff.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahaha- I love it! It’s magical art.
xo,
s
maribel says
I’m going to hit my local Goodwills to purchase frames for my future gallery wall. I also need to look into those hinges you are talking about…I usually use tape (that’s a no no I know now, plus it does not last). Question…what makes you decide to make a repeat response to a comment ( i swear I counted more than five times your response about thinking of going to a framer to cut a mat for you). This is what I love about you…you actually read the comments, many bloggers out rarely respond…but that’s ok too.
YoungHouseLove says
One thing that we love about blogging is the conversation and the connection to people all over the world. It’s so crazy and amazing and fun. So I guess we’re just happy to chat. Haha. Plus, when we get hundreds of comments we can’t expect everyone to scroll back through pages and pages for an answer, especially when it just takes us a second to respond – so we don’t mind it at all!
xo,
s
Shelly says
So Cute! I’m a framing NAZI(read I’ve been in the art and framing biz for 15 years) and I have to say for pennies you did a great job! If you had that done at my shop it would have cost you close to $300! That of course would be framed a little different, different quality but I use stuff like this in my home and not one person ever knows the difference! So for DIY framers I do have a few tips if you’re framing fine art. Archival mat is great but if you don’t put archival backing behind your art as well you just wasted your money. Often in ready made frames there is not enough room to put acid free foam board behind the art so just use a uncut piece of acid free mat, the back side of it that is. Also, never use any type of tape on fine art, leave that to pro framers, you can use clear photo corners and trim them so they don’t show and are hidden under your mat. Many people (even artists) don’t realize that they can destroy the value of their art by little things like this. The last thing that I do think is really important with fine art is replacing the clear glass with a UV glass, it will really save the colors in your print if it’s getting any direct light and it will from your pendents. If you havent yet, a mom and pop shop can sell you glass and let them messure your frame and cut the glass for you. Often ready made frames are a little crooked and they will be happy to do that for you and it will be way cheaper if you put the glass in yourself! One last thing & I’ll shut up…that 50% off coupon at Michaels is a scam. EVERYONE in the framing industry will tell you this. 9 times out of 10 if you get a quote from Michaels with the discount then get a quote from a mom and pop shop, the mom and pop will be the same price at their REGULAR price! It’s awful and I don’t know how they have been able to get away with it for so long! JoAnn Fabrics does the same thing. Again GREAT JOB! I love your choice of art and sorry for the book!
:-)
YoungHouseLove says
Love the tips Shelly! So crazy how everyone’s saying the same thing about Michael’s and their framing prices!
xo,
s
Katherine says
Love it! It looks great in your kitchen, really makes things pop!
tia says
awesome
Krista says
So… Why the kitchen?
YoungHouseLove says
Why hang it in the kitchen? I dunno. Haha. We love the color and it adds some happy!
xo,
s
Lucy says
That’s a Samantha French, isn’t it! LOVE her work.
rivka says
Oh wow that is beautiful! Love it! I love the soft grey matt and the orange in that painting really works fantastically with the rest of the kitchen. Gorgeous! And yes, clara I see the fishes, too!
Eileen says
I have been looking at that same print on Etsy for months!! It is beautiful!
Sherry says
Sherry,
On the subject of ‘real art’, have you spent the gift certificate John gave you (for Christmas, I believe) on art supplies yet? And if so what have you made and when do we get to see it?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! I cashed in and got lots of paints and canvases but haven’t made a thing yet! Book stuff has taken over our life, but shooting wraps at the end of this week so I hope i can start putting my new art stuff to use!
xo,
s
jenngchicago says
I LOVE Samantha French – her work is amazeballs!
Alecia says
Love the art! But below it lies that amazing yellow radio…I’m in love with it too! :-) I’ve wanted a radio in our kitchen but the “normal” ones are all dull and gray…where did you happen to run across such a cute piece???!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s from jossandmain.com on sale (it’s by Tivoli if that helps you track it down).
xo,
s
Melissa says
Can definitely see why little Clara thought there were fishies — I had to double-take to see she was just in a pool without them. Cool art.
Linda says
LOL I see fish too! Gold fish :-) Beautiful art work. It must be a pleasure enjoying breakfast looking at that each morning.
Erin says
Love the print… random question. Where do you all keep your “stuff” in that gorgeous kitchen–– toaster, coffee maker, dish rack, etc. My kitchen is full of that stuff and it totally takes away from the clean look!
YoungHouseLove says
We actually don’t drink coffee (don’t even own a coffee maker) and we only use the toaster rarely, so it’s in the cabinet next to the dishwasher. Since we have a dishwasher we don’t have a dishrack (we do occasionally put things in the sink or out on a towel on the counter to dry).
xo,
s
Stacy says
I like the pops of color you keep throwing into your “all white” kitchen. The only art my husband and I have around our house are prints we pick up at IKEA. We have their paris collection, NYC collection and a few random ocean shots. We like the black and white look and have very few colored prints. We also lack the family pics – at daycare the other day they asked us for a family picture for their “quilt” and I didn’t have one to give. Sad :(
Shannon says
I love it! It’s totally a breath of fresh air. Love all the bright colors you have going on in your new kitchen! It looks great! Inspiring me to look for some “real art” of my own! :)
Kim Senn says
I’m a huge Samantha French fan! Your print looks GREAT in the kitchen!
I got a similar print from the hubs for my birthday last month, lucky me! We haven’t decided where to put it or how to frame it yet, though, so I’m happy to read all the comments about saving money on that part. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, you are a lucky girl! Aren’t the comments so great? We learned so much about framing today!
xo,
s
Ravenna says
I am officially in love with your kitchen now!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks!
xo,
s
Janet Murphy says
Should I admit I see the fish? In the orange next to her head, I can see goldfish.
:)
Love it in the kitchen. Bright and fun.
KC says
Let’s hope Clara doesn’t catch THIS lady pooping. That would be gross in the water and all. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, here’s hoping!
xo,
s
Kate says
I live in Richmond and Frame Warehouse in the Libbie Place Shopping Center is my favorite place for framing. They are much less expensive than Michael’s and Ben Franklin, and I think the people that work there have a really good eye. They even have coupons online! Enjoy your new art!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip Kate!
xo,
s
Becky says
I don’t know if someone has already mentioned this but when I bought a mat at my local Hobby Lobby – they cut the mat for free (or really cheap) for my picture to have the fancy cut. Might be worth asking about at Michaels. Mine was a smaller 20 inch print but the mat and the cut was less than $10. Hope it helps!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! Others have offered the same tip so we can’t wait to check it out!
xo,
s
Brenda says
I haven’t read every single comment, so don’t know if any of your Richmond fans has mentioned Main Art Supply yet. If not, and if you’re still planning on having a professional framing job done, do go see them. I’ve had two pieces framed there on the recommendation of a local artist, and both turned out beautifully. What’s more, the staff take their time to talk you through your choices and work out with you what makes most sense for the print and for the location where the art will hang. Not to mention the fact that they have a great little gallery upstairs next to the framing area so you can check out some more local artists while you’re there. Those “fish” deserve a great frame!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we love them and have heard others recommend them for framing stuff! Thanks Brenda!
xo,
s