Kate Watson Smyth’s Top Ten Edit

Discover Kate Watson-Smyth’s Top Ten Edit 

Kate Watson-Smyth, the tastemaker behind the Mad About The House website, was asked to pick her 10 favourite pieces from our online marketplace, she loved them so much she chose 12! Here they are in no particular order….

Dave Earle – Brooklyn

I have always been drawn to architectural images and fine detail and this has all of that.  As well as the Brooklyn Bridge – which I have walked along – I also love his Chrysler and Empire State buildings. It would make a great triptych if you were able to have all three.

Katie Edwards – London Gold

One of my interior design mantras is Something New, Something Old, Something Black and Something Gold. This picture talks to all of that.  Add those four things to any room and it will improve it. Or you could just buy this new picture and add it to your old room.

Dom Pattinson – Pulp

This is just fun. Too often we take both our art and our interiors too seriously – it’s partly the sums of money involved; it’s not the same as splashing £20 on a pair of sandals – but that doesn’t mean we can’t have something fun. 

Eduoard Buzon – Island

This is quite different from the normal things I am drawn to, which is the great thing about buying art online – you can stumble across things that you might not otherwise see. I love the mixed media – photo, print and colour – and would love to have it in my home. 

The Connor Brothers – Tell Me Beautiful Untrue Things

Generally speaking I have not been a fan of the mania for putting words all over our walls, but this reminds me of the covers of the Mills & Boon novels we used to read in secret at boarding school (we were supposed to be reading more literary tomes) and sometimes everybody just wants to hear something so beautiful they don’t care if it’s untrue.

Bonnie and Clyde – Ice Cream Parlour

Once I had discovered Eduoard Buzon, it was a short skip over to this – more affordable too. Again I love the mixed media, the collage effect and the liberal dosing of black in among the pastels to give it some edge. That’s another interior design rule – every room needs a drop of black. Maybe not every painting does but I will always be drawn to those that do. 

Jayson Lilley – Bridge Road – SOLD

Like the Katie Edwards and the Dave Earle, this is a mix of place, architecture and metallic. I’m drawn to the immense scale of this bridge against the distant landscape. Browse more of Jayson Lilley’s work here »

Alison McWhirter – Pink and Cream Roses Against Paynes

I was unfamiliar with this artist until I looked at the site and now I’ve found her I love her work. While not usually a fan of florals I love the stylised way she has painted these roses – it’s almost a snub to the reverence with which artists generally revere this flower. It’s both bold and vaguely abstract at the same time.

Mojgan Habibi – Untitled 4 – SOLD 

Is it the hat? Is it the face? I think it’s both. I am drawn to the expression gazing away from the eye of the painter and clearly deep in thought. I also like that it looks old – I don’t want every picture in my house to look like I bought it last week. Something that looks like you might have inherited it from a grandparent is also cool. Browse more of Mojgan Habibi’s work here »

John Piper – Penwith Farm – SOLD

Having said that you shouldn’t choose a picture based solely on whether it goes with your décor I have to admit that this is full of colour combinations I adore. That it happens to fit well in my house is perhaps then no accident. It’s not that I chose if for the colours but that it reflects all the colours I love and therefore would fit perfectly on my walls. This is my favourite. Browse more of John Piper’s work here »

Elaine Kazimierczuk – More Marigolds!

Again I am drawn to the impressionistic idea of the flowers rather than the details of the flowers themselves. The colours are warm and rich and I find this an intensely restful picture. I’m also convinced when I stare at this (and stare away the tensions of the working day) that I can see a crocodile, a frog and a bird. When you see something new every time you need never get bored.

Henry Walsh – Gather II

There is something that reminds me of Lowry in this print. It makes me wonder what they’re all doing and why they have gathered there at that spot. I’m going to go with a Women’s March #TimesUp kind of vibe.

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