Wild at Heart

This is one of those homes some people will love and many will hate. It's crazy bright, bold, full of contrast, and not without more than its fair share of nuttiness. The Hamptons beach house of fashion designer Lisa Perry is filled with more art than the Guggenheim, and all those towering white walls have the bombastic feel of a major American museum. I can't even imagine what it would be like to live here. Let's take a tour and see what you think.

White walls, black trim, lucite console, jade green and Chinese red = a good start.

For some reason I find the lamps and flowers ultra annoying, but I never met a Frank Stella I didn't want to french kiss, so this one makes the grade for me.

Those chairs are very larval, but I might have a soft spot for furnishings of the grub worm persuasion...

I suppose I could pick this apart, but I won't. Instead I'm going to imagine that I'm eating eggs benedict washed down with mimosas, and when I'm full to bursting I'll just scoot myself across the floor until I fall into the pool. Hopefully I will survive the long journey.

Look! They have my eggs ready and waiting. Over easy, how did they know?

Hey kitchen, I just might love you. I think the prints are by Enzo Mari, but I may be embarrassing myself, here. Cassie will know.

That Gaetano Pesce chair appeared in Max Azria's amazing home. Apparently it's very fashionable.

Mmmmmmm... no. Valentine's Day only comes once a year, and it should stay that way forever and ever.

Let's look beyond the fact that there are way too many beds in here and just agree this room is awesome. I want a green rug (pass on the wall to wall action) and a giant stuffed elephant in the worst way. Ok, I said I was going to look beyond it, but really -- four kids stuffed in one room when you live in a giant mansion? Or maybe it's a dormitory? Perhaps they hold Michael Jackson style dinner parties? What gives, people???

Insert your thoughts here. I probably share them.

That's it -- what did you think? Are you ready to move in, running the other way, or just planning a big heist?

[Lux Productions Photography via Trendland]

That Seventies Series: Supergraphics

According to my vintage decor bible, Living Spaces, back in the seventies you couldn't walk into a house without bumping into a supergraphic mural. Somehow my superhip mom must have missed the memo, but that's ok because I'm on a mission to fill in the gaps of my obviously deprived childhood. So, hot on the heels of Karly's post about those supertalented Austinites, Redstart, I'm bringing you another day of supersized mural goodness. No wallpaper required.

My obsession all started about a year ago with this image by design superheroes, Wary Meyers:

wary meyers

I really couldn't stop myself from painting my own hall ceiling a glamorous golden in homage to WM's greatness (read all about it here), and now I'm thinking the baby's nursery needs a supergraphic of its own. I mean, if you were a baby, doomed by evolution to months of nothing but cooing and an unfortunate inability to flip over on your own, wouldn't you want to spend your spare time staring at walls like these?

supergraphics

Living Spaces was going all avant garde with this one, eschewing the biomorphic for something a bit more Kazimir Malevich or Henri Matisse. But don't worry -- they have a few other tricks up the old book sleeve:

supergraphics

supergraphics

Ok, so the colors are a little... pukey in the bottom pic, but you get the idea. Some zany homeowners or decorators got hold of 1) tape 2) paint 3) rollers, and went to town all over those walls. Taking a cue from artists of the 60's and 70's, the supergraphic is an eminently attainable artwork.

frank stella mural

Frank Stella, minimalist artist of the 60s, designed this vintage graphic for the homeowners, but the simple lines mean you can do it yourself. Also, much of the art that inspired the supergraphic movement was meant to be wall sized, so the designs are already properly scaled.

sol lewitt

sol lewitt

OG artist Sol Lewitt started his Wall Drawings series in the 50s and kept it up almost until his death in 2007.

bridget riley

Not to be outplayed by the playas, Bridget Riley revolutionized the Op Art movement of the 60s, and contributed enormously to the supergraphic aesthetic. Plus she was a lot hotter than Lewitt and Stella.

Although superpopular in the 60s and especially the 70s (check out this Supergraphics Kit you could buy back in the day), the surge of huge, colorful wall graphics died down in the spartan 80s and traditionalist 90s. In recent years there has been an upswing in painted murals as an alternative to expensive and difficult to remove wallpaper, but until recently many mural patterns have been naturalistic rather than truly abstract forms.

For everyone tired of trees, birds and flowers, check it, yo:

robert coxon

robert coxon

robert coxon

Decorative painter Robert Coxon's murals may look vintage, but they're totally modern. And how much do you love the 70s aesthetic of the actual photographs?

Perhaps you've got a boring old bathroom that needs a splish splash of pizazz? Supergraphics to the rescue!

supergraphic bathroom

Clothing designer Brian Lichtenberg's home is just as colorful as his cloth. Love this drippy take on the bold, primary horizontal lines, and this would be so easy to DIY. Just embrace your mistakes.

supergraphic bathroom

This faceted bathroom turns the sink and faucet into floating works of art. I suddenly feel the urge to rip out my own bathroom and start over, cubist style.

supergraphic bathroom

Wary Meyers are masters of all things painted, including this groovy lime mural in a vintage bathroom, complimented by a matching green painted radiator. Sweet!

missoni shower

And who wouldn't want a shower painted in a bright Missoni pattern? I'm not sure how it works, but it sure is pretty.

living space bathroom

Just don't do this to your bathroom. Or photograph your half grown children naked together in the tub, and then PUBLISH it in a book! Were these parents TRYING to traumatize their kids for life?! Since Living Spaces was published in the late 70s, these "kids" must be almost 40, now. Hopefully they do not read this blog.

Let's put the horror behind us and move on, shall we?

wary meyers

Wary Meyers give us supergraphic as headboard. Supersmart, and supercheap!

supergraphics

Awww, a sweetly sleeping puppy, a guitar, and pink with purple supergraphics. What more could a girl want? (Found here.)

m interiors

A view of M. Design Interiors' room with attitude. I've blogged this house before, but its awesomeness can't be denied.

missoni home

The overscale polka dot wall in this Missoni showroom recalls the above mentioned Bridget Riley's work, as well as that of crazy but brilliant artist, Yayoi Kusama:

yayoi kusama

When I say that she's "crazy," I mean that she's been institutionalized for much of her life. So if you're seeing spots where there aren't any, be very afraid. Or, hey, become a famous artist!

supergraphics

No post on supergraphics would be complete without this GORGEOUS image found over at If the Lampshade Fits. Sista knows a thing or two about supergraphics, and has great taste to boot.

supergraphics

If you're on a small budget and need big art, a supergraphic just might fit the bill. There are so many DIY friendly shape and color combinations that there's something to fit just about any space. I was considering a black, all over paint job for the nursery (yep), but I think a wall mural might be more interesting and kid friendly -- although I do love me some black! What do you all think?

elliot smith

Finally, I'm leaving you with a great picture of the wall where the cover for Elliot Smith's Figure 8 was shot. Bless his groovy, little pea pickin' heart. Woudn't Mama Be Proud?