Incorporating Art and Handmade Pieces Into Your Interiors

We say this over and over but here we go again, your home should tell your story! It should be unique to you and your family. When we cross the threshold we want to learn about you and your hive! Our homes certainly tell our stories and art and handmade pieces play a big role in that storytelling! Handcrafted pieces come in all different shapes, sizes, and price points. There is no right or wrong. It’s all about what works for you and your family. What fits your budget and what appeals to you spiritually and aesthetically?

Custom server by Theadore Alexander, topped off with out clients amazing art work, a pretty stunning combo!

Custom server by Theadore Alexander, topped off with out clients amazing art work, a pretty stunning combo!

Kylie’s home is filled with vibrant art, many pieces are centered around dance, a hint that this is something near and dear to the occupants! Using art and handmade pieces is one of our favorite ways to communicate who we are and what we are passionate about. Check out our previous blog here; Hopkinton Holiday Tour for resource information on some of our fave local artists!

Kylie’s ballet painting by Liz Ricketson. So in love with this!

Kylie’s ballet painting by Liz Ricketson. So in love with this!

Our home is also filled with “treasures” and artifacts, more sentimental than investment-worthy, and who cares! We have lots of handcrafted pieces created by my dad and thankfully our daughter inherited her grandfather’s creative streak! Their pieces are on display throughout our home. I also find working with my hands quite rewarding and therapeutic. Painting in all forms is big at our house and the “evidence” is everywhere! Check out a sampling below; a hand-bound/illustrated cookbook, featuring favorite family recipes and traditions! Next up, the mantel serves as a perch for one of dad’s carvings and our daughter’s painting of Nan’s farm, all treasures to our family. Display all that family art, and encourage creativity!

If there are family art pieces, let’s get them out on display and showcase all that family talent. No family talent, we doubt that but that’s okay, we can outsource! We are so fortunate to live in a region that is rich in art and handcrafted pieces and it is so satisfying to support all that local talent!

We got such a big kick out of working with Boston-based Cannon Hill Woodworking. Zachary and his team were a joy to collaborate with. Their passion and devotion to their trade are evident in everything they do. They took great pains with each step of the process. It was so much fun to see the pride on their faces, upon delivery, after months and months of planning, sourcing, and crafting. The pieces are heirloom-worthy and will live on for many generations! We can’t wait to share more photos that showcase the impact of these handcrafted pieces in the hub of this home.

We can’t wait to show you more of this project. Check out that magnificent table and bench by Cannon Hill!!!

We can’t wait to show you more of this project. Check out that magnificent table and bench by Cannon Hill!!!

Another fave Boston resource is Art Applications in Boston. Doug, Bruce, and teammates can whip up just about anything we ask for, and we have some pretty crazy asks! Check out the chic table in the client project below. They made the piece to our specifications and then wrapped it in burlap, to add another wonderful layer and texture. A protective topcoat will assure its longevity in this high traffic family area. They also help us reinvent and refinish pieces that have great bones but are in need of a facelift, or a little reinventing. Check out the wonderful green server below, if that doesn’t make for a happy space?! They are masters at wrapping pieces in wallpaper and grasscloths, all to amazing effect!

Custom burlap-wrapped coffee table from Art Applications of Boston and entertainment cabinet reinvented by Vintage Furniture Reclaimed!

Custom burlap-wrapped coffee table from Art Applications of Boston and entertainment cabinet reinvented by Vintage Furniture Reclaimed!

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Dining room server after a little facelift courtesy of our friends at Art Applications!

Speaking of reinventing, check out this Instagram page; Michele of Vintage Furniture Reclaimed specializes in resurrecting and reinventing great old pieces (see her work on the entertainment cabinet above). She is a wonderful resource, and very knowledgeable about her craft. Be sure to follow her Instagram page! Michele has a great eye and knows how to curate distinctive pieces for your home.

There is also plenty of local talent on our radar screen, companies we can’t wait to work with! Check out all the amazing work being created by O & G and Hwang Bishop both Rhode Island-based businesses. We love their classic looks with a twist. They have such wonderful colors, and finishes, all swoon-worthy! Be sure to follow their Instagram pages as well!

O & G Colt Highback Arm-Chair above and a selection of Hwang Bishop light fixtures below, wow!

O & G Colt Highback Arm-Chair above and a selection of Hwang Bishop light fixtures below, wow!

And that is just the tip of the iceberg! We can’t wait to get out and explore (soon) all the wonderful local talent our region has to offer! Think creatively, use handcrafted items to enhance your home aesthetically, it really will add joy! Please don’t forget to share your resources for your favorite craftspeople!

Kylie Bodiya