Give your art a little breathing room.

The observation

The London exhibition took place on 16–17 October 2026; it is a recent reference rather than a current event listing. Our focus is an independent residential interpretation, not a reproduction of the show.

For a Jakarta home

Choose the first work before choosing the entire arrangement. Look at it from the place where you naturally stop: the sofa, a dining chair or the turn into a corridor. A picture placed only to fill an empty wall may have little relationship to how the room is experienced. Try a temporary paper outline of the frame before making any fixings.

Give the work an appropriate neighbour. If the artwork is visually dense, a simpler surface beneath it can give the eye somewhere to rest. Keep practical objects that are used every day within reach without building a permanent obstacle course in front of the wall.

For a couple bringing separate collections into one home, identify the pieces each wants to see regularly. They do not all need identical frames or a single large gallery wall. Smaller groups in different rooms can preserve individual stories while allowing the interiors to feel connected. Leave some space for a future purchase rather than treating the first installation as complete forever.

Discuss lighting and preservation with the artist, gallery or a qualified framer for the actual work. Test reflections from the seats in the room and consider exposure throughout the day. Decorative lighting should not be selected on the assumption that all artworks tolerate the same conditions.

Start with a small collection record

Keep the work’s title, maker, dimensions, purchase documentation and any care instructions together in a private household file. Give the designer the dimensions and display requirements needed for planning, while retaining personal financial records privately. That modest preparation makes a collection easier to accommodate as the home changes.

Before you specify