What does it actually take to curate artwork for a hospitality space?
In Episode 5 of The Big Deal with Steph McGovern, we found ourselves on board the luxury Cunard cruise ship MS Queen Anne, with a very different kind of art brief. As the semi-final challenge, the remaining teams mentored by hospitality art curators ‘Double-Decker’ were asked to curate artwork for the ship’s cabaret bar - not designing the room itself, but adding the artwork that would ultimately bring the finished interior together.
It sounds simple enough. Find some great artwork, put it on the walls and make it look exceptional.
But curating artwork for a space is about much more than filling empty walls. You have to think about the people using the room, how they will experience it, the atmosphere you want to create and how each individual artwork contributes to the bigger story.
For our collection, we called the concept “Revelry Reimagined” - taking inspiration from the glamour and Art Deco influence already present across Queen Anne, but bringing it into a more contemporary world.
Curating “Revelry Reimagined”
The cabaret bar was dark, atmospheric and theatrical, with low ceilings, booth seating and a real sense of speakeasy glamour. It was the kind of space where guests would get dressed up, have a drink, meet friends, watch entertainment and settle in for an evening.
That immediately gave us a sense of the kind of artwork we wanted to bring into the room.
Rather than creating a collection where every piece looked as though it belonged to the same period or came from the same artist, we wanted there to be a visual thread running through everything. We looked at traditional Art Deco-inspired pieces alongside contemporary and more avant-garde photography, including work by Robert Fairer and Philip Treacy's Piano Hat.
There were portraits, black-and-white photographs, larger statement works and smaller, more intimate pieces. The idea was that the artwork would reveal itself differently depending on where you were sitting. From one booth, you might notice a large piece across the room; from another, a smaller portrait might become the focal point.
The collection was ultimately about glamour, performance, fashion, celebration and a little bit of drama. That was the story we wanted the artwork to tell.
The interiors establish the world. The artwork completes the story.
And that is something we think about far beyond the world of television.
Art curation isn't about filling empty walls
When artwork is considered late in an interior project, it can sometimes become an afterthought. The furniture has been chosen, the lighting is installed, the colours and materials are decided - and then someone asks, “What should we put on that wall?”
But artwork can have a much bigger role than that.
The right piece can change the feeling of a room, create a focal point, draw people further into a space or introduce something unexpected. It can add colour and contrast, soften a strong interior or reinforce an existing sense of luxury and character.
More importantly, a collection of artwork can create a visual story.
This is where we believe there is a real difference between putting artwork on a wall and curating artwork for a space. One is about decoration. The other is about considering how the artwork, interior and people using the space all work together.
Start with the space — and the people in it
Before we start looking for artwork, we start by understanding the space itself.
Who is going to use it? What are they doing there? How long are they likely to spend in the room? Where will they sit or stand? What will they see when they first walk in? Are there particular areas you want to draw attention to?
A boutique hotel lobby has a very different purpose from a cocktail bar. A restaurant needs to consider diners sitting at different heights and angles, while a private members' club might have people moving between several areas throughout an evening.
All of those things affect the artwork you choose and where you place it.
For the Queen Anne cabaret bar, we knew people wouldn't simply walk in, look at the walls and leave. They would be sitting in booths, talking, drinking and watching entertainment, with their attention naturally moving around the room. That meant the artwork needed to work from different viewpoints rather than relying on one obvious focal wall.
It is these practical details that can make the difference between artwork that simply looks good and artwork that genuinely feels right within a space.
Build a story rather than matching everything
One of the biggest misconceptions about curating art for interiors is that everything needs to match. We don't think it does.
In fact, some of the most interesting collections bring together different artists, mediums, periods and visual styles. What matters is finding the thread that connects them.
For “Revelry Reimagined”, that thread came from the atmosphere of the room. Art Deco references could sit alongside contemporary fashion photography because both contributed to the same feeling of glamour, performance and theatricality.
The same approach can work in a hotel, restaurant, bar or private home. Instead of asking whether every artwork matches the sofa, wallpaper or colour palette, we like to ask a bigger question:
What story should this space tell?
Once you understand that, the artwork becomes much easier to curate.
Scale, rhythm and sightlines matter
Choosing the artwork is only part of the process. Where it goes matters just as much. A large artwork can create impact from across a room, while smaller pieces encourage someone to move closer and spend time looking. Groups of work can create rhythm across a long wall, while a single carefully placed piece can give a quieter area a sense of importance.
We think about how those different moments work together.
In a hospitality environment especially, you don't necessarily want every piece competing for attention. Some artwork can be bold and immediate, while other pieces can be discovered more slowly.
That sense of discovery is important to us. Art doesn't always need to shout. Sometimes the piece someone notices after sitting down with a drink is the one they end up talking about.
Art should work with the interior — not disappear into it
There is a balance to finding artwork for an interior.
The artwork needs to feel considered within the space, but it shouldn't simply disappear into it. Sometimes the perfect piece is one that complements the materials, colours and architecture around it. Sometimes it is the piece that introduces contrast and gives the room something unexpected.
Ollie's background in interior design, with experience across private residential and commercial projects, naturally feeds into the way we approach art curation. We think about artwork in relation to furniture, proportions, materials, lighting, colour and how people move through a space.
Because an artwork can be beautiful in isolation and still be completely wrong for a particular room.
That's why our starting point isn't usually, “What artwork do we have that might work here?”
It's, “What does this space need?”
Art curation for hospitality and commercial interiors
This way of working is particularly relevant to hospitality and commercial interiors, where artwork has the potential to become part of the overall guest experience.
For a boutique hotel, artwork can help establish a sense of place and give different areas their own identity. In restaurants and bars, it can contribute to atmosphere and create points of conversation. In private members' clubs, show homes and other luxury spaces, it can help create an environment that feels distinctive rather than generic.
This is where commercial art curation can make such a difference.
At Bella + Ollie Art, we can work with clients to source and curate artwork around a specific space, aesthetic, brief and budget. That can include art sourcing, curation, artist liaison, framing, installation and final placement, depending on what the project requires.
We can work with an interior that is already finished and needs that final layer of artwork, or we can become involved earlier in the project so that the artwork is considered alongside the wider design.
And while we have a growing collection of artists we work closely with, we aren't limited to those artists. We can source beyond our existing collection to find the right work for a particular brief.
From The Big Deal to Bella + Ollie Art
One of the things The Big Deal has reinforced for us is just how much thought can go into selecting artwork for a space.
On Queen Anne, we had to consider the existing interior, the atmosphere of the cabaret bar, the people who would use it and the story we wanted the collection to tell. But those same principles apply to the projects we work on outside of television.
Start with the space. Understand the people. Think about the atmosphere. Build a story. Consider scale, placement and sightlines. And most importantly, choose artwork that makes people feel something.
Because we don't believe art should simply be there to make a room look finished.
It should give people something to discover. Something to talk about. And sometimes, something they'll remember long after they've left.
That's what good art curation can do.
If you're an interior designer, hotelier, hospitality business owner, property developer or private client looking for artwork for a project, we'd love to hear from you. We can help with everything from individual art sourcing to complete art curation, working around your space, aesthetic, brief and budget.
Bella + Ollie
Explore Our Art Curation Services
Looking for artwork for your next project?
From boutique hotels and restaurants to private homes and commercial interiors, we can help you source and curate artwork that feels considered, personal and completely at home within the space.
How do I choose artwork for my home or interior?
Choosing artwork for an interior starts with understanding the space, rather than simply looking for something that matches your furniture. Consider the size and proportions of the room, existing colours and materials, lighting, how the space is used and the feeling you want the artwork to create. A professional art curator can also help you source pieces that work with the wider interior and your budget.
What is art curation and how does it work?
Art curation is the process of selecting, sourcing and arranging artwork around a particular space, concept, audience or aesthetic. Rather than choosing individual pieces in isolation, art curation considers how a collection works together and how people will experience the artwork within the space.
How can artwork improve a hotel, restaurant or bar interior?
Artwork can play an important role in creating the atmosphere and identity of a hospitality space. The right collection can create focal points, add personality, encourage conversation and give guests something to discover, while helping the interior feel distinctive and considered.
What is commerical art curation?
Commercial art curation is the process of sourcing and selecting artwork specifically for commercial spaces such as hotels, restaurants, bars, offices, clubs, show homes and other hospitality or public-facing environments. The artwork is chosen with the purpose, audience, interior design and overall aesthetic of the space in mind.
Do you offer art curation services for hotels and hospitality spaces?
Yes. Bella + Ollie Art offers art curation services for hospitality spaces including boutique hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs and private members' spaces. We can help with everything from sourcing individual artworks to developing a complete collection for a project.
Can an art curator work with an interior designer?
Yes. We work with interior designers to provide art sourcing and curation support for private residential and commercial projects. We can become involved at any stage, whether you need help finding a few key pieces or want support developing an entire art collection around an interior design scheme.
Where can I find art sourcing services for an interior design project?
Bella + Ollie Art provides art sourcing services for interior designers, property developers, hospitality businesses and private clients. We can source artwork based on the project's aesthetic, space, brief and budget, including artwork from artists outside our existing collection.
What does an art curation service include?
An art curation service can include artwork sourcing, collection development, curation, artist liaison, framing, installation and final placement. The exact service can be tailored to the individual project and can range from sourcing a small number of artworks to curating an entire collection.
Can you help me find artwork for a restaurant, bar or hotel?
Yes. We can source and curate artwork specifically for restaurants, bars, hotels and other hospitality spaces. We consider the atmosphere, interior design, audience, scale, sightlines and overall experience when selecting artwork for the space.
Follow the Journey of Bella + Ollie Art on The Big Deal with Steph McGovern BBC 2
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern BBC 2 | Bella + Ollie
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern: Siblings Bella and Ollie, The Artists We Met & What Came Next
What happened to Bella + Ollie after The Big Deal with Steph McGovern? Discover the artists we work with, what we learnt from the BBC art competition and how the...
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern: Siblings Bella and Ollie, The Artists We Met & What Came Next
The Big Deal with Steph McGovern: Siblings Bella and Ollie, The Artists We Met & What Came Next
|Isabella Sheppard
0 comments