"A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body"  Margaret Fuller, Poet

• Home • Meet The Artist • Policies • My Mission • Contact Me • Links •
 

The art of hand painted furniture originated in the Orient hundreds of years ago. The technique of painting furniture, cupboards and cabinets crossed over to Europe and into England. Decorative painting flourished not only on furniture, but also in homes and churches. Professional artists painted the personal belongings of the wealthy, and the peasants copied them, thus creating the primitve forms of folk art found in almost every country.

Painted furniture has been popular since the ancient Egyptians perfected the art of painting on wood. It goes in and out of fashion but never out of style. "All you have to do is go to Versailles or any Italian palazzo to see how well painted furniture goes with everything else," said the veteran New York interior designer Tom Britt. "The grander the palace, the more you see."

My mission for The Artful Home is to fulfill the needs of people who want to creatively claim their living spaces by surrounding themselves with distinctive, one-of-a-kind creations that are affordable, fully functional and aesthetically pleasing.  I want to show people how they can use color, pattern and design as a vehicle to communicate their own individual  personality.

Our homes are our biggest purchase likewise, our best investment.  We spend a lot of time and money in effort to make our homes livable, comfortable, beautiful and like ourselves, unique.  Our homes are reflections of who we are, what we love, our hobbies, and what we are all about.  To this end, I feel it is important to furnish and decorate your home with everything and anything that makes you happy.  The rules have been broken, no longer does everything have to match. 

Decorating our homes is about surrounding ourselves with all the things we love and that bring us joy regardless of period, style, color, or pattern.  The truth is, this is your home, and if you love something it will always go.  Look through any interior design magazine and you will find that eclecticism reigns supreme.  The most interesting abodes are those that mix it all up.  For instance, in my living room I have a collection of African masks, leather couches, antique tables, contemporary lamps, and potpourri of flea-market finds and it all works!  It works because these are the things I love .  

Today, more than ever before we are spending more time at home: we work, play, eat and entertain in our homes.  Home is where we can share with those we love; our experiences of life's daily trials and tribulations.  Our homes are our havens - our soft place to land at the end of the day.

At The Artful Home each piece is unique. Unlike mass-produced painted furniture where twenty people can buy the exact same piece, no one else can purchase the same piece you do.  Every piece is one-of-a-kind; no two are alike.    All the pieces in my collection are available on a "first-come, first-serve" basis.  Therefore, if you find something here that speaks to you, something you like so much that you just have to have, I suggest you order it right away.   However, if you find something that you really desire has been already sold, do not despair --
I can work with you to create a custom piece that would be similar in feel, but not an exact copy.  It is in this way I can ensure my clients that the pieces they purchase from The Artful Home are one-of-a-kind.

The inspiration for many of my works comes from the pieces of furniture themselves.  Most of the furniture I paint is recycled.  I purchase used furniture and I give it a second chance at a new life.  I only purchase furniture that is solid wood and is sound (no major repairs needed).   I then give each piece a thorough cleaning.  Any old varnish and/or paint is stripped off.  I then go over each piece with a fine-tooth comb: any holes are filled, all joining points, legs, drawers are checked and  reinforced, if needed.  Then each piece is sanded smooth and primed with a high quality primer.  At this point they are ready for paint.

This is where the inspiration comes in.  I usually sit for a while with the newly primed piece and wait for it to tell me what it wants to be.  I know this sounds funny, but the furniture tells me how to proceed: what colors they will be, what designs and patterns.  No two pieces will ever be alike.  It is a very interesting and satisfying process.

Why recycle older furniture?  Why not use new unfinished wood? 
I do use unfinished wood, when a client needs or wants a specific piece that is not in my collection.  There are a number of reasons why I use older furniture.  I feel the craftsmanship of "yester-year" is better than today.  Most of the furniture was crafted of solid hardwoods, very little was "pressed board."  Additionally, craftsman were more hands-on and there was a great degree of integrity and pride in each piece.  Attention to detail was paid to joints, drawer construction, legs, etc. -- lending older furniture a character and structure that is unique.  Moreover, older pieces of furniture have been proven to withstand the test of time and will continue to do so for many years to come.  It is my hope that my pieces will become tomorrow's heirlooms.

All the pieces in The Artful Home Collection are varnished and protected with several coats of non-toxic polyurethane.  The pieces are art yes, but they are functional art -- my furniture is made to be lived with.  All the pieces are durable and easily cleaned with a sponge and some water.  Don't be afraid to use the furniture.  Sit in the chairs, that's what they are for!

So please come on  in, take a look around.  If you have any questions please feel free to email me. 
I will be more than happy to promptly respond to any inquiry you might have. artful.home@verizon.net
When you purchase a piece of hand-painted furniture from The Artful Home you gain the best of both worlds; contemporary hand-painted solid wood furniture of enduring value and timeless beauty.

                                                                    Enough talk.  Go shopping!

When you're finished shopping I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't mind taking a few moments to tell me what you think about The Artful Home at Your Feedback.

Shop, have fun -  that's what it's really all about.

Thank you for coming to The Artful Home.  Laura, Owner and Artist

All photographs by Laura Povlin
Web site designed and maintained by Laura Povlin
Send mail to artful.home@verizon.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2004 The Artful Home. All rights reserved