SOMA Living April 2023

HOME DESIGN “What’s with the squiggly lines?” asked Kim Kelly my real estate partner. “It’s art,” I replied while holding up a large abstract photograph. “Hmmmm... okay, if you say so,” she said while rolling her eyes at me. I held the piece up to a wall in the family room of our latest listing: a home I fully renovated in Maplewood. “At least it’s colorful, and it matches the décor,” she conceded. “It should. I created this piece specifically for this room,” I replied. “And just what is it?” she asked. “It’s actually a photograph of a stream that I manipulated in photoshop and added colors. I want to use pieces of art in this house that mean something to me and also fit in with the design story I’m trying to tell. A house isn’t a home

without art,” I declared. “How so?” she asked. “Art is an expression of the people who live there,” I opined. “And what about those people who can’t create their own art?” Kim questioned. “There’s plenty of places to find art. It doesn’t have to match the décor - it just has to make you happy. See…if you find pieces you love, because they speak to you, you put them in your home. Pretty soon you’ll have a home filled with self-curated art that means something to you and tells YOUR story. It’s what makes a home a home,” I stated. With the picture fastened to the wall, I turned to her and said, “So always remember…” I looked to Kim to finish my sentence. “…don’t forget the art!,” Kim huffed.

Habitatilist Group design studio renovation planning & interior design

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APRIL 2023 | SOMA LIVING 19

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