One of the most powerful genres of art with the ability to transform a space is landscape photography. We’ve been seeing more and more designers incorporate this style into their spaces and have helped many clients find the perfect piece for their homes.

In this post, we’re exploring some of the best examples of landscape photography and highlighting how you can incorporate it into your collection.

SET THE MOOD

Although photography is usually thought of as a more precise art form, a way to capture the exact details of a subject or moment, it also has the ability to suggest information and leave a lot for the viewer to imagine.

Negative space and soft gradients can draw the viewer in without distracting too much from the light and airy feel of a room. Clouds billow above a bed as if mimicking the slowly escaping dreams from the night before. Rose-glow light as if designed by James Turrell shines above a mountainscape, lifting your spirits to start the day. 

The sublime sky above a zoomed-out cityscape invites our thoughts to float away while keeping things in perspective.

Photo cred: First photo by Tessa Neustadt and design by Orlando Soria for Homepolish; Following photos by Tessa Neustadt for Amber Interiors.

 

Sugarlift Picks: When looking for art that sets this ethereal mood, we’d recommend that you look for works that are lighter in tone and have a central character to keep the work in perspective. We selected Kati Dimoff’s "Haystack Rock" as a perfect example (also, because it looks amazing in large format!).

We also love this series of black and white landscapes by the talented Brooklyn-based photographer Matthew Johnson.

COLOR

When thinking of the relationship between our art and design, color can be applied in varying ways. For example, you may want to match the tone of the art with the room -- subtle for subtle and bold for bold.

But don’t be afraid to combine subtle colors in a photo with accents in the room as in this example.

Photo cred: First photo by Tessa Neustadt for Amber Interiors; Second by Tessa Neustadt for Emily Henderson; Third by Havenly.

 

Sugarlift Pick: Whether you’re looking for subtle hues or wave-crashing bold colors, Matt Clark has reels of amazing oceanic photos taken around the world. In this example, the composition of the wave creates a powerful, yet soothing feel and the colors will match those rose gold accent pieces you’ve been eyeing!

SCALE

The versatility of the medium of landscape photography allows you to go big and create a portal into another space. What do you do with that 10 foot blank wall? How about create a window into your favorite promenade in Central Park? 

Or maybe bring in a splash of color that reminds you of that summer in Cap-Ferrat?

Photo cred: First by Kelsey Anne Rose and design by Angela Ferlita Hugo for Homepolish; Second by Roger Davies and design M. Elle Design.

 

Sugarlift Pick: When going [very] big, it’s important to pick a piece that doesn’t have too much going on. With increasing scale, you’re turning up the volume, so don’t pick something too busy. When we think of the ultimate sublime landscape, we think of Sam Morrison’s look out into infinity, also known as "Water World". Can you find the horizon?

 
TEXTURE

It’s one of our favorite design elements of a room. How can I offset the cool clean feel of my marble coffee table with the warmth of a natural fibre rug? The same effect should be considered when finding the right art for your space. For example, the thorny Joshua Tree holds up to the textured patterns of these accent pillows and rug in this design. On the other end of the spectrum, an abstracted landscape provides a smooth, clean, contemporary feel to contrast to the natural wood of the credenza.

Create movement in the space with the texture of billowing clouds under a cool blue filter.

Photo cred: First two by Tessa Neustadt for Amber Interiors; Third by Haris Kenjar and design by Brian Paquette.

 

Sugarlift Pick: One of our favorite texture-forward photographs is also by Kati Dimoff. In this piece, "Grass", Kati has captured deer beds from the morning after, creating an abstract-expressionist composition through natural elements.

Whether you’re hoping to completely transform your space or balance the overall feel of a room, there are many ways to successfully incorporate landscape photography. We’ve covered just a few of the most important considerations. If you want to chat more about finding the right piece, please don’t hesitate to reach out!