Kitchen snd Bath Design: Strategies for Working with Artists

Abstract A continuing trend in both home building and remodeling is to aesthetically personalize kitchen and/or bath designs to better reflect the tastes and needs of the client. One method of doing this is to utilize custom commissioned artwork such as stained glass, murals and frescos, faux finishes, trompe l’oeil, mosaics, and painted floor cloths. This field report shared the results of a survey conducted with a small group of designers and artists from a major metropolitan area. All of the participants had worked nationally or internationally. Only those responses representing more than 50% of the designers or artists were noted. Some of the topics addressed included who typically generates the initial idea for custom artwork and when in the design process, what is the involvement of the client and designer, how are artists selected, and who is responsible for installation. From the results of the study eight strategies were presented. These were intended as helpful aids for designers working with commissioned artists to personalize client spaces.