I am not sure if the author in the article below succeeded in capturing the essence of Monet. What do you think? Regardless I thought the idea of dedicating a 4x4 foot plot to create a canvas was a fun idea. Wouldn't it be fun for forum members to create a canvas with a mutually agreed theme and then share our individual outcomes. Four Hundred and fifty dollars for an instant garden is a ridiculous amount of cash but if we started planning now for next spring/summer winter sowing, dividing, and swaps could make the cost minimal. Anyone interested? Here is a link that might be useful: Monet at the Home Depot

Thanks Rosie. That painting is a pleasure for me on so many levels - the crazy coloring, the "art" labeling, the primitiveness... I am way too constrained to create that freely. And then there is the personal - knowing all DH was going through at the time and his very surprising decision to try painting for respite. It inspires me. For the OP, reflect on what is appealing to you about those museum pieces you like. Crystalize that as best you can. Any gallery would be happy to help you discover works you love, for a price. If that price is prohibitive, try 'lesser' galleries, student art shows, resale shops, art fairs - just look and trust yourself to respond. Let yourself make a mistake or two, it's the only way to learn what you really love. And yes, framing can make all the difference.

Hi Folk I started on the exciting journey of glass totems, mushrooms etc but have accumulated far too much glass and it's taking over my life and home! I need to 'down size' to keep the peace at home with my 'significant other' and to get some garage room back! Are there any other 'glass freaks' who live in SA especially, who would be interested in buy some cheap glass off me? I went 'wild' and bought heaps of stuff at opshops and garage sales and need to recoup some of my outlay. I'm NOT looking to make a profit so will re-sell it at 'opshop' prices. I promise you'll get a bargain! I live in country SA but can get stuff to Adelaide or if anyone is driving through the 'South East' of SA and wants to drop in, my home is on the highway to Melbourne and Mt Gambier. I have heaps of platters, microwave plates, bread & butter plates, bowls (large and small), vases, etc etc etc! PLEASE save me from drowning in glass! :)

great advice upthread I'll try to be short, probably repeating several people: -get rid of the white console next to the fireplace/look for smth else instead if you need it there for function -think of other window treatments. curtains? woven blinds? roman shades? any of these will look better. move your sectional a bit from the wall, both to allow room for window treatments and because furniture generally needs at least couple inches to breathe..that wil also make room seem larger -you already purchased the ottoman in the same color and style of the sofa..off white, right? well something different would be better, but it's okay..buy a throw, fold it and put there to break your lines a bit. tray is great too-both for function and beauty. you'll appreciate it when watching this TV -I liked reading how your wife gets her art:) okay..so if there's no real room for other suggestions(I'm also prejudiced against mass produced canvas art..maybe she can be talked into a print instead?..)..put that art there first. Make sure it fits-seems huge?.. Say you go for that a very similar art, you have there-a bit of white, black, brown, indigo blue, fiery yellow white and brown you already have in your room (btw like your furniture) pull your other colors (in pillows and throws and accessories) from that art -deep sophisticated blues, golds. can be metallic accessories (like vases or flower pots?), can be softest fur pillows can be velvet, can be knitted throw. everythhing you buy-make sure it's a different texture..leather is sleek you've got enough of it. Speaking from experience-I also have my fair share of leather:) then look for a big ticket items like curtains and a rug. (or simultaneously..just keep your general scheme in mind). you can decide to make them fairly neutral. repeat the color of the furniture, just different material of course. or go for one vivid deep color but make it a shag rag for example. Don't try to match pattern to art..art has a mind of its own. Look at the room as a whole..what does it ask for? and know yourself of course..say I love many rugs but I don't like to clean them lol. You know whether it's high traffic area, what your habits are, and whether you'll be sad for 5 min if the rug will have spots and then get over it, or will be sad for 5 days. when you buy a side table try, again, to introduce another texture, just different material in this case. maybe wood. maybe ceramics(garden stool?some of these look really modern). every new material you bring creates dimension. Dimension is something you look for when creating spaces. Why? well that what we've used to. Ouside always has it. Even when it's a desert or an ocean. It has depth. we need to recreate it with all sort of ways and means that are availiable to us.. Good luck! will be a cool room edited because of thousand typos..))