Just what is the well dressed wall wearing these days asks Design and Interiors editor, Harjit Gammon

The purists amongst you may be incredulous that people appear to be moving away from hanging art that they have empathy with; to hanging something that merely satisfies the whims and fatuities of fashion. Be that as it may, a deep shift in what is to be found hanging on the walls of the nation does seem to be taking place.

PHOTO ART

Commissioning photographs (of yourself and your children) to adorn your walls may sound rather narcissistic, but it is increasingly popular. I spoke to local photographer Don Lambert to elicit his views on the subject. Historically the mainstay of a business such as his would have been weddings, but these days it is augmented considerably by commissions for family and individual portraits. Don offers a complete bespoke service from shoot (in client’s own home, on location or in the studio), image selection, through to framing. A highly experienced photographer, Don tells me that “a lot of people these days, because of the influence of interiors’ magazines, are becoming more conscious of how things are laid out in the home. The trend is to put photographs on the walls, either in multiples or one large image, rather than in albums.” Using a range of traditional and special effects created through lighting, movement and filters Don promises stunning results that “can make you come alive in print”.

Choosing your style

Traditional or Reportage?

Choose your style from the traditional formal posed style shot to the more candid relaxed reportage-style, such as the children apparently at play. The latter is particularly popular now, but the key is to aim for a style that will not date.

Black and white or colour?

You’ll also need to decide whether to go for black and white or colour photographs. The trend seems to be for the former. Black and white creates a more timeless image, but if you are into colour co-ordination with your setting you may want to opt for the latter. Alternatively, you could consider a black and white shot with a splash of colour.

To frame or not to frame?

Once shot, what next? The choices are bewildering, to frame or not to frame, type of frame-wood versus metal, mount colour, depth, double versus single mounts, thunder fly proofing. You can of course simply abdicate the decision to a professional.

Canvas and acrylic

Transferring photographs to canvas which is then stretched over a solid wood frame begins to blur the gap between photography and art. This type of treatment gives a 3D effect and a more contemporary edge. In cost terms it is similar to conventional framing. Both Creative Design (Bath Row) and the Photoshop in Red Lion Street offer the service. A more inexpensive option is the acrylic print. Your photo is bonded onto acrylic of varying depths, to produce a 3D effect. Both options allow for the use of your own photographs. For a really throwaway, frequent change option you could consider photo posters, but your shots need to be pin sharp to withstand enlargement and scrutiny at these sizes.

Televisions and Technology as Focal points

Having long been shunned and /or rather embarrassedly concealed and disguised in cabinets, televisions have finally come well and truly of age in the design stakes, and competition for wall space. Flat screen plasma televisions are now to be found as the key feature on the walls of many a home and boutique hotel. Tom Evered’s company Horseshoe Entertainment are purveyors of “Entertainment and Environment for the Smart Home”. He told me that “the motivation for wall-mounted televisions is for many a desire to save space and to get away from the mess of cables”. However for another category of customer the decision is a purer design aesthetic, where “the look and finish of the product and its fit with the rest of the interior is paramount”. His clients locally include Agellus Hotels at Oundle Mill (due to open shortly), Nigel Gibson (Loewe television in the kitchen showroom at NGI Design), The George of Stamford, as well as numerous private individuals. Established for two years, in his Horseshoe Lane premises, he now has a team of three full-timers and an unofficial team of many more including his parents and his girlfriend! With the continued fall in the price of the flat panel product (42” around £1,000, 65” panels under £10,000 and a whopping 103” for approximately £55-£60,000) he predicts a steady increase in demand. After all, as he puts it the “decision for our clients is where the TV goes on the wall, rather than what goes on the wall”.

Original Art

Scour galleries for something that truly excites, and remember the process of acquisition is as pleasurable as finding and owning the right piece. Instant gratification is also likely to mean equally fast appeal wear out. Good galleries will allow you to borrow a piece on loan before finally committing to purchase, so that you can live with it before making a decision. So if you hanker for something with more resonance than a simple decorative touch, your efforts will be rewarded with a work that is both original and enduring. The Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham has been selling 20th Century and contemporary art for nearly two decades. Dedicated shopkeepers as well as art lovers, they are open all year round, seven days a week. Long on service and very long on stock - they’ve probably got a larger range of Piper prints than anybody. “We have been selling old-fashioned mail-order for some time now and are well used to working in this way. There are fourteen of us here and we are more than happy to chat with you on the phone,” claim the gallery. You can also see work on line.

Look out too for individual artists exhibiting and selling direct from their own homes. Fenella Beauchamp is one such. With a degree in Fine Art from Kingston University, Fenella is a contemporary artist specialising in screen printing and abstract-figurative drawing. Her recent work includes screen prints of flowers, roosters, vegetables and seafood.

If all else fails you could always opt for a colour co-ordinated piece commissioned to match the decor.

Textiles and Glass

Or perhaps your art penchant is textile-based. The intricacy and detail of a fine textile can be hugely attractive, giving pleasure and repaying scrutiny over many years. Colour, texture, form, and design culminate in a thing of immense tactile appeal, both to the eye and touch. St Leonard’s Street Gallery has a selection of textile and glass pieces on show. Running a business as an Art Gallery and Dealer from his front room has enabled local artist Rob Fogell to showcase his own sculptures as well as the work of other 20th century artists in a variety of mediums. Gunta Krumins glass pieces are striking, exquisite shots of colour that lend themselves well to an array of interiors styles. Several of the Large Dreamscapes lengths of glass (£95 each) would make an eye catching arrangement, or alternatively a single Dreamscape fused glass panel (£475) as a statement piece.

Beauty, as they say is in the eye of the beholder. So whatever your own particular passion, go hang it.

Directory

Stamford and the surrounding area boast a wide variety of galleries, photographers, craftsmen and artists to inspire. Harjit Gammon, Design & Interiors editor lists a selection.

St Leonard’s Street Gallery 4 St Leonard’s Street Tel: 01780 755620

Goldmark Gallery 14 Orange Street Uppingham Tel: 01572 871424 www.goldmarkart.com

Don Lambert 130 Empingham Road, Stamford Tel: 01780 757673 www.donlambert.co.uk

Horseshoe 1 Horseshoe Lane Stamford Tel: 01780 480864 www.horseshoehome.co.uk

Fenella Beauchamp 01780 767321 fenella.fitch@btinternet.com