Young House Love

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Our First Big Art Purchase

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.

KitchArt Close Angle

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).

KitchArt 2 Samantha French

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.

Kitch Art Full Room

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).

KitchArt 1 Frame And Mat

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.

KitchArt Straight At Fridge

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.

KitchArt Angled

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.

KitchArt Radio Focused

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.

Comments

  1. Hope says

    Art was always the thing we splurged on when we were in our little NYC apartment since we had no room to buy furniture It continues to be what we would rather spend our money even now that we are down south in a proper house. We just bought some canvas prints from Etsy as well and they cost more than we spent on our dining room table that my husband made.

    Reply

  2. heyruthie says

    A) I love that you bought this! You guys love it. It’s original, and it adds to the character of your kitchen.

    B) I *totally* can’t look at it! It gives me a mini panic attack! I have bad nightmares about drowning, and for some reason this painting triggers it! LOL! I have no idea why! Let us know if you ever have any guests who have that same reaction to it! Art is so subjective. Isn’t it funny?!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      No way! We’ll let you know if anyone else has the same reaction! So far it has elicited a few “can’t wait til summer!” and “I need a vacation!” sentiments from relatives and the photography crew! Haha.

      xo,
      s

  3. Amanda says

    Wow, way too many comments to see if anyone else already said this, but you should price out buying a professional mat cutter. My mom bought one a few years ago (I think for around $400). It sounds like a steep cost, but even with the coupons for professional framing the cost gets pretty crazy. We’ve been able to make all of our Goodwill/repurposed art and frames look like a million bucks… It’s paid for its self ten fold.

    Reply

  4. Lindsay B says

    I wouldn’t have guessed you guys would’ve picked something like this, but it works so well in the room. The more I look at the piece, the more I love it! Tell Clara I see the Nemos too!

    I’m about to paint a bunch of frames white (I told my husband he can thank you guys for my love for white things. I’m painting everything white now). What paint finish did you use? Is it flat, or the glossy stuff? Thanks!

    Reply

  6. Georgina Moore says

    I really love the piece. Went to the etsey shop. Very nice work. You have done a beautiful job on your kitchen. The art is an unexpected surprise in a kitchen, it works perfectly

    Reply

  7. Heather {Behind the Camera} says

    I used to work at a framing shop, it was nice because I could buy materials at cost & frame art pieces myself. The equipment to cut the mats and cut the frames is so expensive, (not to mention the math involved in creating a double mat, people just don’t realize) and the really high archival quality cost a pretty penny. However, I no longer work there, and could never justify paying the cost to have item professionally matted & framed.

    On to the art you bought…I can totally see how Clara sees the orange flecks as fish – she has a creative little eye too…I love it! It’s amazing how artwork really finishes off a space. I love how you framed the piece – so economical! :)

    Reply

  9. Erin says

    I am in LOVE with the whole kitchen and that swimming lady art has sealed the deal for me… BUT, I see you still NEED to put out your grey and white polka-dot mugs! They are essential, more so now than before!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I still have to find the perfect spot to hang that! We love it so much and have it protected in a special spot so it doesn’t get crushed but it’s still waiting to be hung and appreciated! Poor bees!

      xo,
      s

  13. Terri says

    Love the new print! Along with the other subtle pops of color, your kitchen really comes alive!

    I’m curious about something. How does do you seem to deconstruct everything without creating another mess for yourselves? I have window moulding that needs to be replaced, but I’m worried about damaging the surrounding drywall in the process. Any advice that you guys could give me would be great!

    And congratulations on the new kitchen!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Our theory is that one in five times, something nearby gets a little roughed up in the name of fixing something else – but thanks to caulk/putty/primer/paint and other lifesavers you can usually make it look as good as new! Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  16. Stephanie N says

    Different art for a kitchen, nice job!

    It helps to balance out the room. It was starting to look cluttered to me down by your stove. Now everything looks more balanced. Amazing what a piece of art can do!

    The orange looks like goldfish in the first picture.

    :)

    Reply

  17. karen says

    That’s a sweet print. You should check out Eric Zener’s work- very similar subject matter. He’s likely a strong influence.

    Reply

  19. Kara says

    Love the print – a great pop of color, and who doesn’t love a carefree summery feeling print!

    I’d recommend one more tool for your tool box… a mat cutter. I love art, but certainly have more taste than money, so like you I had to figure out a DIY way to go. I couldn’t afford custom framing, but being able to add a mat was a great way to make different print sizes work in large frames that I found at garage sales. Art shops sell mat board in loads of colors and most also sell cheap single blade hand held mat cutters. Add the straight edge you’ve already got and you’re set to go. Over the past ten years mine has been put to great use and continues to cut great angled mat cuts which really make the artwork look gallery ready. I even cut a triple mat for one piece! A mat cutter is a great investment for continual savings.

    Reply

  21. Elizabeth says

    I have purchased three pieces of “real art” in the last year (one from Etsy and two from UGallery) and I LOVE them all…A LOT! They are all original paintings and they just make me happy.

    Reply

  22. Kaity says

    Haha that imaginary fish thing cracked me up. There’s a three year old running around my house at the moment “fishing” off the verandah with one of his dad’s bunjy straps, and every few minutes he brings over his “fish” and asks us to cook it for him. Too cute :-)

    Reply

  24. LauraC says

    Confession, after reading the first page and a half of comments, I skimmed the rest just looking for Bob. Either missed it or he didn’t chime in. Man, hoping for some cheap entertainment tonight ;-)

    Reply

  26. Sunny says

    I love it. I actually have my BA in History of Art and have yet to buy any actual art myself…sad right? I guess I thought that buying diapers was more important, anyhow some day. Congrats on yours it was really a great choice!

    Reply

  27. Stephanie says

    Love the progress of your kitchen! You two have such an eye for color and balance.

    What is the little yellow box sitting on the counter below the Lady with the ceramic apple on top?

    Reply

  28. breeoxd says

    Just get a logan mat cutter at michaels! Its about 150 bucks but you will use it for life and never have to professionally mat again. Ive save my friends, family, and myself literally thousands by buying this gem. Love it!

    Reply

  29. Michelle says

    Nice choice, but I’m also interests in your little radio iPod dock thingy. Have been in the hunt. Can you share what it is?

    Reply

  30. Kate S. says

    I know it’s been said already, but please get that reframed ASAP or at least have the mat properly cut. Paintings on archival paper stick to glass all the time–with just the slightest bit of humidity to blame–and you don’t want to risk that painting (it’s stunning, by the way!).

    Our local Lowe’s will cut matboard with the angled cut for a nominal fee and I bet Michael’s and Hobby Lobby do, too. So even if you don’t want to splurge on a whole framing job, you can get just the mat cut into a window to protect the print.

    This is definitely not a good area to practice frugal living.

    Reply

  31. brandi says

    I love the artwork your purchased for your kitchen! Even better that you purchased it from Etsy! The colors compliment your kitchen nicely! Speaking of artwork have you guys seen the site that takes children’s artwork and turns it into a toy? You might like it for Clara! I found the site through Pinterest(but, of course)! http://childsown.wordpress.com/

    Reply

  33. lesli devito says

    …well you know how I feel. ART is the supreme communicator and I am always amazed at how my art is interpreted…like Clara and the fish…in ways I had never imagined…what I do and see may be just a snippet of what the viewer sees and what it means to them. I can think of few BETTER ways to spend your money, so much else, just breaks or gets dated, but ART is timeless…and it fills your soul…
    By the way…where did you put “Burger”?

    Reply

  35. Kiki says

    Love it! It has the colors of your kitchen, but also a few unexpected colors that really make it add some dimension. I think that I would have a tendency to shout, “Hey lady!” when I walked by her, in the voice of Andre the Giant from his character in the Princess Bride.

    Reply

  36. Cheryl D. says

    That is beautiful artwork! For me Its hard to find something that captures the style I like without looking gaudy. Take my kitchen valance for example, I love the beach outdoors….etc..I had my sister sew the valance kind of a box style but not stiff looking if that make sense. She did a wonderful job but I chose curtains that have kind of a palm look that has yellows, greens, blues (light and lighter of those colors) I absolutely love it but we live in the midwest but I know it doesn’t fit where we live what so ever so I get torn on should I make it look a little more kitchen like or keep it fun even though it doesn’t go with where we live??
    By the way, the artwork you chose is something I would choose. I LOVE IT! BTW your kitchen looks absolutely stunning! Great work.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I think if you love it, it should definitely go with you! We had an old brick ranch and we made it light and airy with sort of a beachy feeling (our first house) and even here in Richmond, VA (not a beach town by any means) it somehow fit right in!

      xo,
      s

  37. JaneS says

    Hi. Looks great as does the whole kitchen. FYI, you can just have Michaels or a frame shop cut the hole in the mat if you like a more finished look, without having to pay for the framing job. Can’t wait to see the floors.

    Reply

  38. chelseyadele says

    Next time instead of the chemicals you don’t like to use try Vinegar. My father in law does tile for a living and when he did our new kitchen floor he told me to wipe the floor down with vinegar after, then follow with pure water. Took the haziness away perfectly!

    Reply

  40. Kim @ Yellow Brick Home says

    Ooh, I love all the colors in that print! It’s so beautiful and dreamy in the kitchen!

    We’ve actually just hung a whole gaggle of frames in my studio:

    http://www.yellowbrickhome.com/2012/01/30/frames/

    All the art has finally arrived, and since those photos were snapped, everything’s been properly framed. It was so nice to check one thing off of our long list of “studio to-dos”!

    We also frame all of our photo strips, and just added another frame to our growing collection (in the bathroom, no less!):

    http://www.yellowbrickhome.com/2012/02/02/booth-art/

    Reply

  41. Lindsey says

    I bet John could make your own mats/frames instead of paying the big bucks to have Michael’s do it. He has all the right tools! My dad started making his own frames after buying a new house and realizing how expensive hanging all that art would be. Now it’s his favorite hobby!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Love it!! Or I could learn too. Haha. I used to cut my own mats in high school and college with an exacto and a t-square but I’ve been too scared to try. Don’t know why when we’re not scared to tile a wall. Haha.

      xo
      s

  42. Beth Wold says

    Very nice. It looks fantastic in your kitchen. So much so that it pulled me out of my lurkerdom to post my first comment. :) I love the idea of buying art you love – So much so that I’ve started writing blog posts about the how, why, when, where, etc of decorating with art(here’s part I – http://www.bethwoldphotography.com/2012/02/choosing-art-for-your-home-part-i.html). In Part I I wrote 5 reasons why you’d buy art you love and I think your print fits all of them! Buying from the artist is so much better then buying generic art(of course your art isn’t very generic when you’ve made most of it yourself!).

    Reply

  43. Bob says

    You knew I would chime in, right?

    “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…”

    You know these don’t go together right? And $195 for a signed print that is in an open edition? And you know this isn’t a “print” but a reproduction, right? And you framed it with the print pressed up against the glass in a room where there will be heat fluctuations?

    Oh $herdog… where’s that art degree when you need it? You paid $195 for a signed poster. O.M.G.

    Reply

    • Bob says

      You know, it would be OK for you to just thank me for trying to share some art information with you. You clearly don’t understand “real” art and that’s OK. I’m just trying to educate you. The amount of “real” art that you could have bought for $200 is astounding. I can’t believe you bought a poster instead.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I just want you to be happy Bob! It sounds like our blog makes you upset. I’m sorry our art choice let ya down, but the truth is that we love it and wouldn’t change a thing! We keep telling you that’s the beauty of the world (we wouldn’t all spend $200 the same way, and every house reflects the people who live there) but it seems as if we’ll just never see eye to eye on that. But feel free to keep commenting away! We can have the same convo every day if you’d like (we’ve already had it 10-ish times now, right?).

      xo,
      s

  44. Bob says

    Words have meanings, you know? It’s not all up for interpretation. You use incorrect words about art all the time. You and your readers deserve to see these things corrected. Who knows, maybe you’ll start using the right words one of these days.

    Will you acknowledge that you did not buy “real” art? Will you acknowledge that you bought a reproduction of a painting that is in an open edition, and is effectively a signed poster? I don’t care if you like it or not, or if you would buy the thing all over again. I’m not asking about your opinion about your purchase. I am asking if you now understand what it is you bought? I think you’ve learned that you don’t put “art” up against glass, so that’s a start.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh Bob, you are exhausting me today, man! If our blog makes you so upset I just wish you would find something that makes you happy! I want you to smile and laugh and have a fabulous day! I know what I bought. And I love it.

      xo,
      s

    • Bob says

      Quit deflecting and answer the question. Although your deflection really answers the question, doesn’t it?

      Nobody is upset. Stick with the matter at hand, $herdog.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Sorry Bob, if you’re waiting to hear: you are right and I agree that I bought a signed poster and could have spent my $195 in any “better” way, you’re barking up the wrong tree, my friend. I wouldn’t have rather purchased a mint Picasso for that spot in my kitchen. In our eyes: this baby is perfect. And art = personal preference of the highest level. But then again, we have had that chat at least ten times now. Looks like you’re not changing my mind and I’m not changing yours. Take care and have a fabulous day.

      xo,
      s

    • Bob says

      You couldn’t even answer the question and instead constructed a straw man to tear down. You are one stubborn woman, I’ll give you that. Inability to accept facts (not opinions) is far from a good characteristic, but as long as you’ve built a world where anything goes, I guess you can’t be wrong. And isn’t that the issue? Admitting you’re wrong… You do it about art and you do it about the kitchen shelves. But hey, surround yourself with like-minded people and you’ll be happy forever.

      xo 4eva,
      Bob

    • Jen says

      Really, Bob? Wow.

      If anyone needs to be “educated”, it’s you, about how to be a nice person. Regardless of everyone’s opinions about art, Sherry is light years ahead of you in that department.

      Keep on keepin’ on, Sherry.

    • Bob says

      Jen,

      You know me so well. I will stop bringing up valid points and instead fall in line.

      “Sherry… that artwork is totally like to die for. I like totally see fishies in it and the color looks ah-may-zing. You go girl!!”

      Is that better?

      xoxoxoxo,
      Bobbie

  46. Courtney says

    I love the painting! Random question and you may have talked about it in a previous post, but is the covered plant on the kitchen counter real or fake? Where did you get that glass cover? It is so cute! Thanks!

    Reply

  47. Patricialynn says

    I see fishies…or at least, something that would seem like fishies to a young girl. If you look at the waves of darker blue above the woman’s arm on the right-hand side of the print, it does indeed look like blue fishes swimming into the frame.

    Clara is quite observant!

    Reply

  48. Stephanie says

    When I first saw it I kind of felt like Clara! I thought it was a bunch of goldfish formed into the profile of a mermaid lifting her head out of the water. Very beautiful.

    Reply

  50. Belinda Del Pesco says

    Congratulations on your 1st real *real art purchase*, the fabulously frugal mat & frame job, and the way it so spiffily compliments your amazmo kitchen transformation. I like the way she is swimming up from the counter top – and I sure do like the artist – thanks for the tip to visit her Etsy shop.
    I cut mats for my watercolors & printmaking with a Logan mat cutter scored from Craig’s List for $55 (they retail for about $400). Maybe check your area for a used Logan? I have a spare I’d give to you if we weren’t on opposite sides of the continent. E-me if you want to cover shipping & I’ll send it.
    B.

    Reply

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