Choose with your heart, then place with intention. Our design team's guide to styling a Catherine Hiller original, or a framed print, in a luxury interior.
Fleeting Love by Catherine Hiller. Image courtesy of catherinehiller.com.
When Port Melbourne artist Catherine Hiller is asked how to choose a painting for the home, her advice is disarmingly simple: "Choose with your heart, rather than matching colours of your cushions!" We agree completely. Once you have fallen for a work, though, how you place it makes all the difference. Here is how our designers approach abstract art in the homes and commercial spaces we style, using the Catherine Hiller collection at Cocolea as our guide.
1. Let scale do the work
Catherine's originals measure 123 × 153 cm. That is a generous, architectural scale that holds its own above a three-seater sofa, a king bed or a long sideboard. As a rule of thumb, aim for the artwork to span roughly two-thirds of the furniture beneath it and hang it 20 to 25 cm above the top of the piece. At this size one painting is often more powerful than a gallery wall, and it gives the room a clear focal point. Pair an original with one of our luxury sofas or a sculptural sideboard and let the painting lead.
2. Build the palette out from the canvas
Instead of matching a painting to a room, let the painting set the palette. Pull one secondary colour from the canvas into a cushion, a throw or a vase, and keep your larger surfaces calm: stone, timber, linen or boucle. The layered, saturated oils Catherine builds up from dark grounds look richest against quiet neutrals and natural textures. Our decor and homewares and designer rugs are an easy way to echo a single note without overpowering the work.
3. Light it like a gallery
Oil on linen has depth, with ridges of paint that catch the light and shift through the day. A warm white picture light or an adjustable ceiling spot angled at about 30 degrees brings out the brushwork without glare. In living and dining rooms, a statement pendant from our luxury lighting collection set on a dimmer lets the painting glow in the evening.
4. Match the mood to the room
Abstract art is emotional, so think about how you want to feel in each space. An expressive, romantic work like Fleeting Love can anchor a dining room where people gather and linger. Lone Flower, with a single-subject title, suits a bedroom, study or reading corner. As Seasons Sigh speaks to change and renewal, which makes it a natural choice for an entry or hallway, the transition space of a home. Inner Bloom brings uplifting energy to a main living area and can be seen in person at our showroom today.
As Seasons Sigh, detail. Image courtesy of Catherine Hiller.
5. Original or framed print?
An original gives you the physical surface of the oil paint, the texture and the singular presence of a one-of-a-kind work. It is an heirloom and a true investment piece. A framed canvas print captures the composition and colour at a comparable size for a more accessible price, and it is perfect for a second home, a hospitality space or a room you plan to evolve. Each work in our collection is available both ways: originals at RRP $4,550 and framed prints at RRP $1,200, with a limited 5% Cocolea saving currently applied.
6. Art in commercial interiors
A signature painting is one of the most effective ways to give a clinic, salon, boutique or office an identity. It softens a waiting area, gives a reception wall a talking point, and tells clients that the space was designed with care. Our clinic and wellness fitouts and hospitality fitouts often include an art strategy from day one. We also coordinate custom commissions with Catherine when a space calls for a specific size or palette.
See the work, then decide
Nothing replaces standing in front of a painting. Visit our Port Melbourne showroom to see Inner Bloom in person, or book a styling consultation and we will help you choose the right work, size and placement for your home. You can explore more of Catherine's gallery, follow her studio on Instagram, and read her story in our feature Meet Catherine Hiller.