Art on the Lake
When Marc and Valerie Savard settled into their new cottage on Clear Lake, they knew they would need to breathe new life into the space. They wanted to create an inviting home that reflected their family’s fun-loving personality, and be a happy place to spend time with family and friends.
The original lakehouse property lacked the warmth and character the Savards were looking for, so one of their calls was to Jo Smeeth, principal and founder of INDA Interiors, to bring in unique design elements that were expressive, bright, and cheerful.
With architecture and interior finishings led by Clear Design Studio, Jo focused on transforming certain key walls into vibrant, artful expressions.
“As this is the family’s secondary residence, I wanted to create fun little moments to help make the space a happy place to be as soon as they walk in the door,” says Jo.
When it comes to making these moments, however, it’s not as simple as selecting a good-looking piece of art and hanging it on a blank wall.
“Showcasing art is like a dance and a puzzle,” says Jo.
“The magic is in finding a balance between an art piece
and the surrounding environment.”
Creating harmony within a room and across the home, says Jo, is about selecting a piece of art for the expression it offers, and then making connections to the existing space with lighting, colour, tone, and texture.
“The homeowners were familiar with INDA’s style, and I became familiar with theirs. They are such a fun family, so I knew any design contributions we made needed to reflect this.”
Art by Paper Collective and Erin Rothstein
Photo by Jules Lee for INDA Interiors
“No yolk, I’ve been obsessed with this egg print since first laying eyes on it. The homeowners, funny enough, have an inside joke about an egg, which makes this wall feel a little serendipitous. To showcase the art while making the kitchen feel lived in, we added a white-oak floating shelf to the back wall and added more design features. It was important to pair art that was unique in size and frame finish to have texture and tone to play with; this brings depth and adds warmth to the space, and the edgy marshmallow print was a perfect fit!”
Art by Christine Flynn
Photo by Jules Lee for INDA Interiors
“After selecting this piece for this corner of the living room, I learned that my client actually inquired about this exact piece just a year or so prior. It was meant to be! We chose a warm-white tone for the wall to make the print pop without feeling stark. We have brighter art pieces within eyeshot, so having something muted on this wall created a sense of harmony.”
Art by Paper Collective
Photo by Jules Lee for INDA Interiors
“This print is so cool. With the billowing flags and hilly sandscapes, it has a calming nature to it that brings you right onto the beach! The soft blue sky adds a pop of colour while the gold and white sketched wallpaper lets the blue shine through without being too loud. The transom window of this principal bathroom was screaming for a great piece of art underneath it– who says art has to be hung at eye level? I really like bending the rules on art, and this piece frames the wall perfectly.”
“I really like bending the rules on art.”
Art by Kerri Rosenthal
Photo by Jules Lee for INDA Interiors
“This was one of the first pieces I sourced for this project. Hanging right at the lower-level doors to the outside, which take you down to the lake, seeing this piece each time you go in and out is like a little reminder of the best days ever at the cottage. The medium is also different from the rest – it’s plexiglass, which reflects the light in an unusual way. It’s also durable, which gives off a feeling of resilience – no matter the weather or mood, you’re always invited to catch a good vibe!”
Art by Mark Gleberzon
Photo by Jules Lee for INDA Interiors
“The colours of this piece spoke to me instantly – it beams with boldness. This piece is also part of a series of paintings called ‘Guardian’, which felt fitting to place at their front entryway. I have one of this artist’s paintings in my own home, and always feel a boost of energy when I see it. Plus, the homeowners’ daughter is particularly fond of fairies, and this piece reminds her of one!”
INDA Interiors – Joanna Smeeth
www.indainteriors.com
