Busted

 

For some time, I have been looking for the perfect antique bust for my home.  Like any piece of artwork, they are especially personal and consequently, it can be tricky to find the perfect piece that speaks to you.  The right selection can absolutely bring a space to life.

 

 

Designer Lars Bolander is a collector of antique busts and frequently uses them in his interiors.

 

 

In his own home, he uses them in abundance…..

 

 

 

A perfect centerpiece on a center table.

 

 

photo credit Pieter Estersohn

Charlotte Moss cozies up with this fellow f0r the cover of one of my favorite design books:  A Flair for Living.

 

 

photo credit Peter Vitale

Several rooms in the Greystone Estate Showhouse included busts. Here, elevated on a marble pedestal, one gets the impression that this bust is, as they say, an “important” piece.

 

 

photo credit Peter Vitale

Where this bust, as part of a table arrangement, is more casually placed and feels significantly less stuffy.

 

 

 

Gerrie Bremmerman is another designer who likes to include a bust her rooms.  I love how the carefully carved “replica” of the human form, really can give a sense of life to an unoccupied room.

 

 

More Gerrie Bremmerman, this fellow appears to just be hanging out.  Seemingly casually placed, he provides a perfect counter-weight to maintain the balance of this mostly symmetrical arrangement.

 

 

This room, by Windsor Smith, shows just how much life a bust can bring to a space.  Without this wonderful piece of sculpture, this room would feel very different.

 

 

Houstonian, Kay O’Toole has lived with this handsome gent for some time.  He appears atop a lovely Swedish stove in the March 2007 edition of Veranda….

 

 

 

And, in March of 2010, he resurfaces in a corner of her kitchen.  This time with a little friend on his shoulder.  I think it’s brilliant when something that is so innately formal is brought back down to earth a bit by the addition of some whimsy. 

 

 

On the subject of whimsy--

Suzanne Rheinstein embellishes this pair with greenery for a very appealing late winter display.

 

 

More from Suzanne Rheinstein.

 

 

A designer noted for his clever and abundant use of architectural elements, Michael Trapp creates what almost appears to be a grisaille painting in this dining room.

 

 

 

A perfect focal point for a stairway landing.

 

 

photo credit Peter Vitale

As is true with most smaller accessories, small busts look best as part of a larger collection.

 

 

The side lighting on this collection by Suzanne Kasler is just so beautiful and really enhances the mood of the display.

 

 

And finally, this is the handsome new man in my life. 

Strong and silent, ruggedly weathered—what more could a girl want!  After looking for the right piece for years, I found him last weekend for a steal at a local flea market!  Not sure where he’s going to land permanently, but I know this will be a long-term relationship.  Right now, the kids and I are trying to decide on a suitable name for him (something not too serious, more tongue-in-cheek), anybody have any suggestions?