In the living room at Fox Hall, a pair of antique Italianate gilded wall brackets stand on either side of an oil painting that my husband and I discovered at a gallery in Prague. To this day, it is one of our children’s favorite paintings! The antique Chinese porcelain jars, purchased in Hong Kong, were given to me by my parents. The delicate wall brackets serve to complement the graceful curves of the porcelain.
A pair of lovely wall brackets will enhance any wall!
Wall brackets support three-dimensional artwork such as porcelain vases, sculptures, clocks, and even candlestick holders. They have graced European interiors for centuries. Wall brackets are my go-to decorative element for adding a touch of elegance to a room.
This collection of Canton porcelain flanks the Chinoiserie mirror. Due to the circumference of the porcelain, they required rather large wall brackets!
Wall brackets give dimension to a wall. I recommend always purchasing them in pairs for symmetry. They come in all sizes, shapes, and forms, and can be gilded wood, stone, plaster, or acrylic.
Look closely! The Lucite wall brackets add a quiet, contemporary touch to the pink walls in Fox Worth.
Wall brackets should complement both the object they hold and the room. They are discussed in detail in my book, The Pretty & Proper Living Room.
The four gilded brackets from the Mario Buatta sale at Sotheby’s in NYC now happily grace our Palm Beach living room.
This pair of wall brackets are based on an 18th-century design. They are hand-carved with an antique gold gilt. Scully and Scully offer some lovely options.
Grandmillennial Tips:
If you have a piece of porcelain, such as a vase or a Chinese ginger jar, and wish to display it on a wall bracket, remember to measure the widest point of the porcelain piece. It must be the same size as the depth of the wall bracket shelf. The widest point on the porcelain may require a larger shelf surface on the wall bracket to accommodate the vase's depth.
In a house with slamming doors and overzealous housekeepers, remember to stick a small piece of museum putty or posterboard clay under the porcelain pieces displayed on wall brackets. This helps to keep the pieces in place.
There are endless options to place on top of a wall bracket. Look around your house for a pair of “something pretty,” and ponder… are they wall bracket-worthy?!
Forbidden Faux Pas:
No-no: To hang a pair of wall brackets too high when placed on either side of a piece of artwork.
What is done: Center the entire composition of both the wall bracket and the item placed upon it, ensuring the overall length of the artwork or mirror is aligned. The composition can be hung a scant lower than the true center of the artwork.
My advice? When you discover a pretty pair of wall brackets, buy them! Eventually, you’ll find something fabulous to display on them!
Xx Holly
PS: If you are a lover of fine art, here is a unique opportunity… I would like to introduce you to my dear friend, Ty Murphy, a world-renowned expert. He is a brilliant source that you may wish to know, and also share with those friends who collect exceptional art.
Ty Murphy, LLM, is an international specialist art advisor, author, and legal expert in the art market. He is the author of “The Art Market: A Concise Guide for Professionals and Collectors” and “Training Household Staff to Care for Fine Art and Antiques.” He is also the host of the upcoming TV series, “The Art Guy,” and is currently seeking participants.
Ty works with Family Offices and high-net-worth individuals, providing legal and art due diligence services for acquisitions, appraisals, authentication, and comprehensive collection management. He advises on blue-chip artworks by artists such as Monet and Picasso, ensuring each piece is fully vetted and verified.
Take a peek at his website and see the impressive experience he has. His official site is www.domos.uk. His Irish accent and congenial personality never cease to make me smile! Also, here is an interesting Forbes article about Ty.