photo credit: Alexia Fodere The Wall Street Journal
An art collection and a home are two of the top hard-asset classes people are investing in today. Most homeowners live with their art collections. Others build their homes around it.
The Wall Street Journal reports that some serious art enthusiasts are setting up their living spaces to highlight everything from old master paintings to contemporary video installations and multimedia sculptures. Some go so far as to bring in museum-lighting experts or construct gallery spaces to rotate collections. Architects and home builders say working with art-obsessed homeowners brings its own challenges, from installing heavy sculptures and oversize paintings to figuring out how to offset edgy art that may be provocative—or even intentionally offensive—upon first glance.
In some cases, collectors have spent more on their artwork than on their home, which can cause security concerns. Some wealthy individuals take care of that issue by installing sensors to set off alarms if anything is touched or moved, similar to systems found in galleries or museums. Others rely on a system that can envelop a painting with a hard surface on command—useful both for security and to protect the art when the homeowners are away.
Owners say the effort and cost are worth it. “You could buy a table you could put flowers on, but I thought that was a ridiculous waste of money,” says Ms. Bishop Good, a collector with a New York apartment who is also an artist. “I’d rather buy a piece of art to be a focal point.”
Take The Wall Street Journal’s tour of some homes designed around art collections to see how some high-end homeowners are showing off their paintings, video installations, and sculptures.
Meantime, if you are thinking about designing a home around your art collection in any of the upscale communities of Montecito, Hope Ranch or Santa Barbara, just call me at 805.886.9378 or email me at Cristal@montecito-estate.com. With more than 25 years in the industry, I am also here to help homeowners in these upscale communities sell their home using my tried and true marketing strategy. Let’s get together and discuss your needs!