{"id":319981,"date":"2018-08-31T13:18:47","date_gmt":"2018-08-31T17:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/?p=319981"},"modified":"2021-12-15T07:11:56","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T12:11:56","slug":"decorate-with-sculpture-busts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/decorate-with-sculpture-busts\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Creative Ways to Decorate with Sculpture Busts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A touch of whimsy, a dose of drama \u2014 a single bust can alter a room. And when placed in just the right spot, these statues can almost feel alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey give humanity in a way that a more abstract sculpture can\u2019t give,\u201d says Los Angeles designer Timothy Corrigan, who loves pieces that beg to be touched. Here are seven enticing ways to work a bust into your home\u2019s decor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Keep It Casual<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Foyer
Photo by Jim Bartsch<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In creating a welcoming entry hall<\/a> that reflected his clients\u2019 diverse interests, Timothy Corrigan<\/a> chose a large center table made in England in the mid-19th century and loaded it with books, sculptures and flowers. The bronze bust, found at a small auction house in the country, was originally part of a larger body sculpture in an estate bombed during the World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe bust\u2019s finish reflects its many years outside, which gave it a wonderful patina,\u201d Corrigan says. \u201cIt provides a more casual and not overly polished feeling for the space.\u201d This relaxed vibe was key, as Corrigan believes an entry hall should never feel formal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He selected an antique Persian rug with \u201cjust enough wear\u201d for the family and a bust that invites you to touch it. A collection of sculptures in wood, marble and brass complement the star of the show.
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Choose Wisely<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Bar
Photo by Reid Rolls<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBringing a bust into a room is like signing a lease with a new roommate,\u201d says Consort cofounder and creative director Mat Sanders<\/a>. \u201cMake sure you and the bust get along.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mixed with art from the client’s collection, a Rick Owens swan-neck bronze vase<\/a> and an industrial bar cart from Modern Living Supplies<\/a>, all the pieces in this New York bachelor pad<\/a> \u201cfit perfectly together like a winning round of Tetris,\u201d says the Los Angeles designer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bust doesn\u2019t have to be pretty \u2014 \u201cI most enjoy busts that are a little busted,\u201d Sanders jokes \u2014 but choose something with a soul you can live with, as \u201csculpture representative of the human form carries with it an energy you will add to the space.\u201d
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Move It Around<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"KKM
Photo courtesy of KKM Design Group<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Having lived among gilt French mirrors and stuffy sofas for 15 years, the owners of this Waverly, Iowa, home<\/a> were ready for something less formal. The goal? Create space that evokes a Parisian salon in the 1930s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe clients are spectacular collectors and chose all the art themselves,\u201d says KKM Design Group<\/a>\u2019s Kimberly Merlin, including the paint-splattered bust from the Bruce High Quality Foundation<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat might work in one client\u2019s living room wouldn\u2019t necessarily work in someone else\u2019s,\u201d says the New York designer. So she recommends trying to live with your art and \u201cmove it if it tells you it\u2019s not in the right place.\u201d Merlin sourced the cocktail table from 1stdibs, and she found the ottomans at a Paris flea market.
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Bring the Drama<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A 1950s clay sculpture of civil rights activist and performer Paul Robeson offsets the clean, cool lines of this Laguna Beach, California, kitchen<\/a> designed by Cliff Fong<\/a>. The bust came from the owner\u2019s previous property and makes a bold statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The piece, says Fong, \u201cexists in stark contrast to the rest of the room,\u201d creating a sense of drama. For a similar look, he advises choosing something \u201coriginal, with character that\u2019s reflective of some type of history,\u201d then giving it room to breathe. Negative space allows people to appreciate a bust\u2019s qualities without any distractions.
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Get Soulful<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Foyer
Photo by Julia Lynn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For a spiritual client who regards the Buddha as a source of serenity, Charleston designer Angie Hranowsky<\/a> aimed to create a sense of calm in the foyer<\/a>. A large painting of the Buddha made entirely of bottle caps by local artist Molly B. sits above a fireplace mantle, while a Buddha bust<\/a> sits peacefully among stacks of books on a low wooden bench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy client loves to be surrounded by books, so we thought, \u2018Why not have them in the foyer as well?\u2019\u201d says Hranowsky. Along with the antique Moroccan rug<\/a>, \u201cthe Buddha adds to the sense of curiosity and unexpected quality of the home.\u201d
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Set a Boundary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo by Ricardo Labougle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A former factory building in West London was the setting for this whimsical dining room conceived by Scott Maddux of Maddux Creative<\/a>. Hand-painted Travertine wallpaper by Fromental cover the double-height wall; vintage school chairs are laminated with old maps<\/a> from Wales and the West of England, where the clients are from. The early 20th-century plaster busts<\/a> came later, helping define the dining area while signaling views to the adjacent spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey have a wonderful presence, but are also playful and fit in well with the very eclectic selection of furniture used through the rest of the house,\u201d says Maddux. The classical element \u2014 and the columns \u201cadded a decorative and historic layer, which helped to soften and humanize the proportion and scale of the space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t

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Go for Bust<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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