The Case for the Last 10%
If you’ve gone through a remodel and then fitted out your home in furniture, layered with textures, and small nooks of love, it feels like a lot of work to return to the last part of the puzzle - the last 10%. Adding art is what gives your rooms its soul.
This Santa Monica home began its life with solid Art Deco bones and was recently transformed through a thoughtful remodel into a light-filled, contemporary space. The renovation and interior design gave it clarity and calm — clean lines, layered textures, and a serene palette. What remained was to bring in the heart: art that could anchor the home and give the space vibrancy.
Moodboard + Early Direction
We began with a moodboard for the shared spaces grounded in sage, terracotta, and blues, echoing the home’s palette of earth and air. We started working together before I had my Art Match Tool, but if I did, the style would be Warm Minimalist with luxe accents.
On screen, it felt cohesive. But once we tested options in the room, it was clear the space needed more energy — brighter color, more playfulness, and scale that added presence without overwhelming.
Sourcing + Testing
We aligned on the need for a figurative piece of art here to hold space for the stories of the client’s past, present, and future and to act as an invitation to engage. We reviewed dozens of works together from emerging artists. Some were too dark, others too bold. Through those rounds, we realized the room would be better served by a conversation - two works that worked in harmony rather than one oversized statement.
Selection + Install
That’s when we discovered French artist Camille Jouarre. One of her figurative works felt exactly right, but its natural companion had already sold. Rather than compromise, we commissioned a new piece. Over several iterations, the artist refined colors and composition until the two works found balance. We wanted tension in the way the pieces spoke to each other - too much becomes chaos, too little feels one-note.
On installation day, the change was immediate. We chose float frames in dark walnut to echo the console, grounding both works in the room. The pieces brought in the brightness the space had been missing. In the client’s words: “We love the pieces. The colors are so striking and even caught our kids’ eyes”.
Why the Last 10% Matters
Great design sets the stage. Art is the final layer that gives a room its pulse. It’s the last 10% that turns a finished space into one that feels personal, magnetic, and alive. At its core, art advisory is sourcing and editing, but it is also about refining, playing, and digging deeper into what makes a house feel like a home.
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