I am always stretching the bounderies and always searching for interesting projects and objects to bring a story to the interiors I design.

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With this in mind, I have created a list of my top five Atlanta must-visits, for those of you in the area for my presentation. Allow me to share them with you…

Bar Margot at The Four Seasons

Described as a ‘funky community lounge,’ Midtown’s Bar Margot is a stunning spot known for its handmade pasta, high quality coffee and thoughtful presentation. I can personally recommend the oysters, with sweet potato whoopie pie for dessert – a real culinary delight!

High Museum of Art

This family home turned art museum (known to locals as The High) is a leader in its field, and it’s easy to see why. With over 15,000 pieces in their permanent collection, plus special guest exhibitions, there’s always something new to see, no matter how many times you visit.

Lenox Square

If you find yourself tempted by a spot of shopping, I can highly recommend Lenox Square. A large shopping mall in the Buckhead neighbourhood, Lenox Square is home to luxury stores such as Burberry and Louis Vuitton, and offers a truly therapeutic atmosphere for a day of indulgence.

Ponce City Market

A more relaxed shopping experience, Ponce City Market is placed in an impressive historic setting, with a vibrant community feel. Perfect for a relaxed half hour in a bohemian setting, or for an afternoon of fun with children- the put put golf proves very popular with younger crowds.

Atlas at St. Regis Hotel

With fine dining described as the ‘best in seasonal American cuisine’ Atlas prides itself on an innovative approach to classic dishes, and has partnerships with local farms for the freshest ingredients. Delicious! Not only that, but the restaurant boasts a gallery of 20th century artwork selected from The Lewis Collection – not to be missed.

Will you be in Atlanta this Friday? If you are, and haven’t registered for my talk already, you can do so, here. It would be fantastic to see you there. Until then!

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The problem many face when incorporating art into their interior is that they simply don’t know where to start, or what will work for their space. Topics such as optimum framing, lighting, hanging and displaying can often draw blank faces, and lead to many avoiding the subject altogether, which is a real shame. On October 20th, I will be hosting a talk to aid in this dilemma, helping you make the most of your favourite works of art.

Displaying Fine Art: Installation, Framing, Lighting

‘Displaying Fine Art: Installation, Framing, Lighting’ will take place in Atlanta, at the Southeast’s preeminent design center, ADAC. A stunning development, ADAC is a beautiful piece of architecture, and contains 60 showrooms, as well as presentation space. It is within this space that I am holding my discussion, and I would love for you to join me there.

Drawing from expertise gained from years spent designing interiors around significant collections of art, my presentation will provide essential insights into displaying and living with fine art. Joining me will be two of Atlanta’s leading art and framing experts, the wonderful Frederick Brooks of Brooks & Black Fine Framing  and Spalding Nix of Spalding Nix Fine Art. Together, we will share our knowledge, and facilitate a question and answer session, to ensure you get the most from your visit.

‘Displaying Fine Art: Installation, Framing, Lighting’ opens at 9am for coffee and networking, with the talk itself beginning at 9:30am. You can find more information on ADAC’s website, here and  register your interest, here.

I’d like to take this opportunity to personally invite you to attend, and look forward to seeing you there!

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The inspiration for Gregory dining table flowed from the Colorado mountain setting in which this stunning table was designed to be placed. The Gregory dining table is a bespoke piece which is handcrafted in England and I sourced exquisite timber for the table top and added an organic twist to the base to bring flow and sculpture to the piece.

This handsome round top table for eight which is featured above is finished in veneer palm wood in high gloss with a chamfered edge. The Base is made of curved wood with bronze liquid metal finish.  This table can be used in a number of ways from an occasional table, display stand and dining table. The shape and form is perfect for conversation to enable friends or family to comfortably contribute over formal dinners or informal dining occasions.

My most creative piece to date which embodies the very spirit of April Russell is the Bunny Bar pictured above. The inspiration for the Bunny Bar stems from my childhood in New York and experiencing first hand the fun, laughter and glamour of Cocktail Hour. Crafted by hand in England, the Bunny Bar is a chic statement piece crafted internally in oak and the exterior frame is made up of reeded mouldings and finished in a specialist painted technique to resemble vintage rattan. Dressed or undressed, doors closed or open, this stunning cocktail cabinet will bring glamour to every occasion from a relaxed evening tipple to a full cocktail soiree.

You can see the full range of my bespoke furniture range here www.aprilrussell.com/bespoke and remember with the Art of Bespoke we can adapt any piece to your your requirement be it functionality, finish or size.

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See the Design Society website for further information.

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I was then privileged to be part of Brown’s London Art Weekend #blaw2015 where we held a very successful  master class on the Art of Interiors. It is an amazing weekend in St James’s and Mayfair where over 100 galleries open their doors and you can explore a vast range of exhibitions ranging from Old Masters to Contemporary.

Here are some of my top picks from the galleries in London and New York to inspire you to visit them in order to choose stunning artwork and sculpture for  your homes.

The photograph above is shot by the talented Miles Aldridge and is theatrical, colourful and simply makes me smile every time.  Any one of his works of art could hang any where in your home to provide a real talking point! Grimaldi Gavin, 27 Albermarle Street, W1S 4DW.

I’ll bring you everything (c) Anna Barlow, Courtesy Rebecca Hossack

I recently came across the work of Anna Barlow pictured above. Sticky ice cream … We all scream for ice cream and Anna’s work is so realistic that you could almost smell the sweetness. A collection of these pieces at different heights in a smart clean contemporary kitchen would be very cool. Rebecca Hossack, 28 Charlotte Street, W1T 2NA

New Penwith, 1974, (c) Bowness, Photograph by Ellen Page Wilson, courtesy of Pace Gallery

I simply love Barbara Hepworth’s work and her commitment and passion during her lifetime. The Barbara Hepworth Museum in St Ives is a must see and currently there is an exhibition at the Tate Modern until 25 October 2015. If only I were able to exhibit such a piece in my drawing room! Pace Gallery, 32 East 57th Street, New York NY, 10022.

Complex Yellows, 1966 (C) Patrick Heron, Courtesy of Austin Desmond

The HOUSE designed by April Russell, www.houseevents.com

This is such a dynamic piece of art pictured above. I hung this piece by Patrick Heron over the fireplace with a TM Lighting picture light over it in the House at Olympia which I designed and curated in June . It takes your breath away with the bold design and colour. Austin Desmond, Pied Bull Yard,68/69 Great Russell Street, WC1B 3BN.

Remember to be open minded when visiting galleries, the more you see the more you learn.

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At House we will be launching our AR bespoke furniture range. At April Russell we design one-of-a-kind items of upholstery and furniture for our clients who desire individuality and exceptional quality.  Our furniture is lovingly handmade and finished in English workshops by craftsmen of the highest calibre. We look forward to see you on our stand G32 to show you our new range such as the Bunny Bar below which is being featured in the HOUSE.

The Bunny Bar by April Russell

At April Russell, The Art of Interiors we design around our clients existing or growing art collection which is why there was such a synergy between House, Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair and April Russell as we wanted to show how to decorate with art within your interiors. Working as an Interior Designer, adding art to a home is one of my favourite stages in a long process.   We love texture and colour on walls and soft furnishings and leaving the patterns to jump from the art as you will see from the shot of our Palm Beach dining room below.

A peaceful winters retreat – April Russell

I very much look forward to seeing you at House and hope you can join us for our masterclass on the Art of Interiors on 18 June at 3pm. An expert panel from the worlds of contemporary art and interior design discuss the artistry of interiors. Whether an interior designer or a homeowner, we face multiple decisions when considering art for interior environments.  On 19 June I look forward to taking you on a VIP tour of the Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair and inspiring you on How to Decorate with Art.

Heany lamp & shade by Fermoie

The signature piece from our new AR collection being featured on stand G32  is the Wiltshire sofa covered in Fermoie fabric and to celebrate our collaboration with Fermoie we will be giving away a Heany Light & Shade. Visit our stand or register on our website to be in with a chance of winning!

I hope you will feel at home in our wonderful HOUSE!

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Joinery is a passion and I set to work designing an office area that works as an extension of the Drawing Room.  I was inspired by a piece of furniture I saw at Isle Sur la Sorgue in France and I designed the desk in the above photo which also works as a console table with a seating area adjacent and shelving and storage cabinetry above including an ingenious open and close mechanism at the touch of a finger!

By adding a pair of chairs from Nicholas Haslam, which I recovered in Fermoie  fabric, I created a cosy space to work, watch the news and just enjoy the outdoor views.

Whilst designing the credenza in the dining room pictured above I couldn’t resist the Verdigris Sea urchin handles from Collier Webb. Their gorgeous ironmongery offsets the furniture beautifully.

Most of the vintage furniture was sourced through dealers in the UK.  It was key to give personality to spaces that carried little architectural richness.  One fine example was the cocktail bar featured above which started out as a simple rattan wardrobe.  By adding a base to give height and redesigning the interior this piece became the focal point in the room for a number of reasons!

The piece de resistance was completing the interior design with large vintage society photographs and lithographs to offset the furniture.  I must say working in the US is always a joy and I am ready for my next commission.

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Once I get to know my client it is time to start thinking strategically. We explore essentials such as the architecture, positioning and lighting. I like to design interiors layer by layer, creating an environment which is simply unforgettable.  To achieve this effect I use furnishings and bespoke wall finishes to create a stylish, traditional or modern interior that has artwork as the focus.

In the picture above of the Belgravia Townhouse you can see that it has beautifully proportioned rooms that set the stage for the contemporary art collection. Light, clean walls with a pearlescent bespoke paint finish provide an ideal backdrop for the vibrant artwork.

If you have a large dominant piece of art, don’t shy away from it – embrace it! You can use an elegant colour pallet to allow the artwork to speak from the surrounding walls. I picked out the warm orange tones in the interior design of the living room pictured above to  bring to life the main painting and unite it within the space. Hanging a smaller picture next to the larger piece allows us to mix frames and styles, creating a sophisticated yet contemporary setting for both pieces.

When decorating with art in your home, remember that artwork can also provide a talking point. I hung the above contemporary piece of sculpture in the dining room of one of our Belgravia apartments to provide the guests with a talking point over dinner. Always consider carefully where to position art. The focal piece was hung where all guests could see it, creating a contemporary and striking back drop.

Hallways are as important as any other space in your house. For the modern London property pictured above I commissioned bespoke crackle glazed panels and the client chose the large painting. Positioning the sculpture at the end of the hallway draws in the eye and gives the statue the attention it deserves.

I hope you found the above advice useful and are ready to embrace the truly artistic side of your home! If in doubt, find out more about our art services.

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New York

Lyn Devon
I was lucky enough to showcase my jewelry collection alongside Lyn Devon last year, at London’s Grace Belgravia. She was a joy to work with, and her collection is as stunning in person as it is in pictures – her pieces always fit perfectly!

Gerald Bland
With a background at Sotheby’s, Gerald Bland caters to the design elite. His boutique offers an eclectic range of everything from early 20th century design, to a selection of fine art. Visiting this spot truly is an experience.

Holland & Sherry Bespoke
Known for delivering the most sought-after textiles to the world’s most prestigious tailors, Holland & Sherry Bespoke is a favourite of mine. With menswear, custom embroidery, wall coverings, rugs, leather, and accessories, there is something to suit all tastes. Everything truly is unique and bespoke – I can’t get enough!

London

London is where I currently spend the majority of my time, as I am relocating from my Chelsea home, and so am in the process of househunting! When I’m not planning my new home, I can be found indulging in the following…

The Mount Street Deli
With a wonderfully diverse selection using only the finest produce, the Mount Street Deli is a favourite of mine. The menu changes daily, so you’re always in for a surprise. You simply have to try it!

Gabriela Ligenza Hats
There is no better place to buy beautiful hats than from Gabriela Ligenza. A quote on the website sums up the in store experience perfectly – “She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that’s best of dark and bright.” I adore this boutique, and wouldn’t go anywhere else.

Willer
Willer is an unrivalled spot for those seeking exceptional objects, furniture, textiles, tableware and lighting. It is one of the first places I turn to when tasked with sourcing something astonishing for a client, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Do you have a favourite boutique? Do share your discoveries with me in the comments, below…

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