Interior designers are influenced by many different art forms. From paintings, to photography, to film, to architecture, to music, there is a wide range of art forms in which designers can find inspiration. A great interior designer is a curator of inspiration and creative ideas for future projects. According to Jim Jarmusch,

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent.

Poet, T.S. Eliot, said,

A good poet will usually borrow from authors remote in time, or alien in language, or diverse in interest.

One artist who has been influential on many art forms and mediums is Andy Warhol. Warhol’s pop art was a drastic change from the art of his time. His legendary works of art influenced every sector of design and creativity with bold, innovative designs.

According to The Design Nitch,

Color is key to Andy Warhol’s art as he depicts rather realistic renditions of familiar people and products but it’s how he applies color to the canvas that make his work stand out so it was color that drove this design. Most of his works are anchored by silver, black, or red and so I used these colors to anchor the overall color scheme. It was then accentuated by pops of the more garish colors we see in his art like like orange, pink, yellow and minty green.

Celebrity, fame and wealth were a prominent topics in his paintings so this is represented with more glamorous and decadent furniture pieces like the pink and red velvet sofa and black leather side chairs. As well as accessories like the dollar sign brass object.
The graffiti-like application of color we see in his work is brought to life by the rug.
The threat of death is seen in many of his works with guns pointed directly at the viewer so that is represented in this space with a skull candle and “vanity kills” mirror that plays up the idea of death and the vanity that comes along with fame and celebrity.

We can’t forget repetition, which is seen in the design by repeating various items such as the three orange coffee tables, pair of black side chairs and pair of chandeliers.
Finally, Warhol’s work has a lot of quirk, which is brought to life in this living room design with the throw pillows, jack side table (an everyday object), and accessories.

Warhol’s designs shaped the art world in a powerful way. Interior designers who are looking for bold, innovative designs can draw inspiration from his creative use of color and repetition. Through these elements, Warhol creates masterpieces witch delight and inspire.

According to Holiday Home Times, using the color palettes contained in your favorite paintings is a great way to bring modernity into your interior design.

The one thing that most people find really difficult about doing up their interiors is choosing colors. It all starts, for most people, with the wall paint. Paint companies confuse you by telling you that they have millions of shades, and then expect you to choose. It’s difficult enough choosing what to order from a menu at a restaurant, let alone choose a few colors out of millions that you’ll have to live with for a few years. I have a solution for you. Let your favorite painter – Monet, Van Gogh, Hussain, and the like – choose for you. The key to getting the right mix of colors is to balance them out.

When was the last time you browsed your local art museum looking for color palettes for your next project? Tangible Interiors is located in Chicago, and we are blessed to have wonderful art museum resources in our city. One such museum is The Art Institute of Chicago; this Chicago museum was voted the best museum in the world in 2014. The Art Institute is famous for its Impressionist collection which features works by Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh.

By seeking out artists which inspire us, we can find creative inspiration for our interior design projects. Interior designers need to find ways to collect and store design inspiration. By keeping up with new, bold ideas, interior designers can have a vast amount of creative ideas whenever they approach a design problem. Many design problems need to be solved in a creative manner; by researching various art forms and projects, we can be ready to add value to any space we encounter. By learning from great artists, we can design spaces which are innovative and beautiful.