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As Apartment Therapy’s Executive Home Director, I head up our decorating, trends, and designer coverage. I studied Media Studies at UVa and Journalism at Columbia and have worked in media for more than a decade. I love homes, heels, the history of art, and hockey — but not necessarily in that order.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
If you’re a regular France & Son, Scout & Nimble, or Horchow browser or shopper, then you’ve probably stumbled upon Four Hands. Known predominantly for their furniture and other goods, they’re a go-to source for many pro designers looking to furnish clients’ spaces with stylish, substantial pieces that ship in a fairly quick time frame. Well, now that the brand has officially launched their Four Hands Art Studio offshoot, designers — and everyone else! — can now shop approximately 800 ready-to-hang artworks by nearly 200 different independent artists working at the top of their field around the globe.
Part of what makes shopping for art so intimidating is the curation process: How do you find a piece that resonates with you, supports an actual living artist or late artist’s foundation/estate, and doesn’t cost a small fortune? That’s the void Four Hands Art Studio is trying to help fill. In their assortment, the brand has done the legwork to bring museum-quality, ready-to-hang works to market from a wide variety of sources working in different styles across multiple mediums, from watercolor and oil painting to collage and photography.
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You’ll find everything from iconic snapshots by Slim Aarons (licensed through Getty Images) to painterly prints from emerging artists that boast rich colors and textures, which rival the originals they’re reproduced from. The frames are all made from American maple, so you know you’re getting something that’s built to last, and the lead time for pieces is about two weeks (not including shipping). Pricing isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s on par with some of the other artist-driven marketplaces you may already know: Tappan, Artsper, Saatchi, or Minted. If you order through Scout & Nimble, which seems to have the largest Four Hands Art Studio assortment right now, know that every artwork ships free regardless of size, which is a nice added bonus.
Pieces come in a wide variety of sizes, and, of course, the bigger you go, the more expensive they get. Four Hands has a decent selection of sizable offerings under $500; some favorites include the work of artist and registered nurse Aileen Fitzgerald, whose framed landscapes hark back to early Impressionism, as exemplified in her 24-inch by 16-inch piece Hillside Haze II (shown above) and artist Kara Buse, who produces atmospheric desert photography, like her work Light Leaks 12.
In general, art tends to be on the splurgier side of the home purchase spectrum, especially when you’re supporting someone making a living doing what they love (either directly or through a marketplace that’s dedicated to discovering talent). Whether you spend a lot or a little on a piece though, if it truly strikes a chord in you, it’ll bring so much personality to your space that it’ll earn its keep on your walls in spades.
Blair is Apartment Therapy’s Style Shopping Editor, where she covers the latest brand launches, need-to-buys, and anything related to her two unofficial beats — cane and rattan. Whenever she’s not perusing for the latest home finds (a rarity), you’ll probably find her reading, watching a horror film, or on the hunt for the best tacos in New York (recs are encouraged).
Despite the convenience of a digital calendar, there’s nothing quite like flipping through a fresh new wall calendar or cracking open a brand new planner for the year. Plus, a wall calendar isn’t just there for keeping your plans in order; they’re also pieces of art that stand on their own among the other imagery and artwork in your home. Part of the fun, too, is that each month brings a new scene, so you always have something different to look at.
Some months might end up being all-time faves for their imagery, and if you find yourself wanting to make a given page part of your every day decor, I’m here to tell you, well, of course, you can do that! This year, instead of leaving your 2022 calendar to languish in a drawer somewhere (because, let’s be real, you’re going to forget about it), why not frame some of your favorite months’ images so they’re with you year-round?
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That’s what Hill Stark did in her Denver, Colorado home. “For an instant gallery wall, repurpose a calendar you like,” she says. Here, you can see that Hill framed nine vegetable-themed calendar pages to hang as a grid in her kitchen, but you can customize this idea however you’d like, depending on your calendar from last year or whatever past-their-prime calendars you can find at thrift stores, vintage shops, or in the clearance section of your favorite bookstore. You can also seek out a new calendar for 2023 for the specific purpose of framing its images at the end of this year — there’s nothing stopping you! In fact, it’s actually a pretty budget-friendly way to curate a collection of wall art.
Hill herself suggests being mindful about your curation by choosing a calendar with images that are all the same size and within the same theme. That way, your gallery wall will have instant cohesion, and many calendars are formatted this way anyhow, so it shouldn’t be too tough to find something to your liking. “Carry a list of the dimensions of your rooms on your phone/ in your email for easy reference,” she offers as a tip. “You never know when you’ll find a steal of a deal and need to purchase something on the spot.” Now’s certainly the time for finding current calendar deals, so what are you waiting for?
Name: Sophia S Lewis
Location: Upper West Side — New York, New York
Type of home: One-bedroom apartment in six-floor co-op
Size: 800 square feet
Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: When I was born, my parents rented a junior suite in this building. Soon after, the apartment below went for sale for $100k in the mid-’90s in a sheriff’s sale. We bought it for my uncle, who was on the autism spectrum, so he could stay close to my family — my grandparents live six blocks away. My parents have since moved to California, and my uncle sadly passed away in 2019.
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The apartment was in disastrous condition — mold in the ceilings, destroyed windows by two cats, and the remnants of severe hoarding everywhere. We had to completely gut the space, redo the floors, and remove the mold. I moved back to NYC and into the apartment once the renovation was complete. So, I now live in the same building where I was born, 30 years later. Initially, my grandma couldn’t come to visit without leaving with tears in her eyes. I have since curated the space to be a pseudo-gallery of my grandmother’s paintings and turned a sad place into a happy place. My apartment includes 16 pieces of her original artwork. She is still six blocks away and enjoys coming over. I’m now taking care of her in her old age, as she once took care of my uncle — it’s a really special position to be in and a role exchange. I also have a group of friends in my building — similar to the TV show “Friends.” I love every inch of my apartment and am happy to keep it in excellent condition.
My style is a bit of a mish-mosh with bamboo cabinetry and an imported white tulip dining table from Italy. The living room features a cozy white rug and tall white shelves flanking the windows, and I’m particularly fond of the open shelves in the kitchen and the heated toilet seat in the bathroom.
I identify as an earnest empath, reflected in my apartment’s tribute to my grandmother’s artwork and maintained as a soft shrine in memory of my uncle.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Chic, art-centric, modern, clean, and textured
What is your favorite room and why? The living room features a five-foot wide acrylic painting over the velvet couch from ABC Carpet. It’s beautiful and a grand centerpiece.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Honestly, shoe storage from the Container Store.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Champion women artists and collaborate with your dope granny.