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This season, beachside décor is making waves across the country. Designers are calling for crisp linens, whitewashed walls, wicker furniture, bamboo placemats and other boathouse-chic accents. Below, you'll find 3 easy ways to lend your home an inviting seaside feel you can enjoy all year round.

1) Decorate with Beach-themed Art

Nothing says summer like beach- and ocean-themed art. Try decorating your walls with art featuring lighthouses, tropical vistas, ships & boats, and other oceanside images.

2) She Sells Sea Shells…

Just about everyone has a seashell or two in their collection of knickknacks (if not, you can usually find them at local arts & crafts stores). You can easily make fresh, creative displays with your shells; otherwise, try our seashell-themed art prints and canvas.

3) Splash Your Walls with Summer Colors

Try waking up your walls with art in these inviting, oceanic hues:

What Creative Tension Can Do for Your Décor

Have you ever seen people in outfits that match just a little too well? Like, say, a red velvet blazer paired with a green turtleneck, red and green plaid pants, red flats and a green beret with a plaid bow? The problem is there's too much repetition of color and pattern in that outfit; there's no creative tension. Now on the other hand, a red velvet blazer paired with skinny black jeans and a funky graphic-print t-shirt -- that's intriguing.

The principle of creative tension applies to home décor as well. When you're decorating a room or home, it's easy to accidentally overdo it with a particular color or theme. If you want to avoid getting stuck in a decorating rut, try keeping these 3 tips in mind.

If your style is Global, for example, and your furniture is largely earth-toned wicker and wood, try introducing a little color with some colorful Chinoise cushions and Asian Artwork. The images above are, from left to right, Moon, Flower and Moth and Moon, Persimmon and Moth by Anita Munman.

If you tend to favor neutral tones and whites in your decor, why not add a vibrant splash of color to lend even more drama to the overall effect? This Abstract Artwork, Passport: Bora Bora, by Marlys K. Mallet, nicely does the trick. The round, Asian-style lanterns also bring a nice counterpoint to the clean, angular and Contemporary feel of this room.

Art is either plagiarism or revolution.

—Paul Gauguin

In his life as well as his art, Paul Gauguin chose the path less taken. One of the most influential and revolutionary French painters of the Post-Impressionist movement, Gauguin abandoned the imitative art popular in his era and instead favored expressiveness through color.

How do you see this tree? Is it really green? Use green, then, the most beautiful green on your palette. And that shadow, rather blue? Don't be afraid to paint it as blue as possible. —Paul Gauguin

Gauguin's artwork was strongly influenced by folk art and Japanese prints, although earlier in his career, he spent years studying, painting and exhibiting with Impressionist greats like Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne.

His most successful body of work was painted in Tahiti and the Pacific Southwest, where he lived from 1891 until his death. The paintings he produced in the tropics are characterized by their vivid colors, flat forms and nostalgic, "primitive" feel.

Gauguin's art and personal life showed many markings of a departure from society and, perhaps, a preference for a more simple life. The video montage below is a celebration of the colorful diversity of Gauguin's paintings, set to a backdrop of Tahitian choir music. Enjoy!

Take a tour through paradise -- custom frame a Gauguin art print today!

Have any Gauguin facts to share? Leave a comment!

A Summer Bouquet of Art with Flowers

My friend Laura has her own little slice of paradise. She owns a lovely, rambling old farmhouse and several barns on a 250-acre plot of land, miles from town. My son loves being invited there for bonfires, barn tours and weenie roasts, but what really fascinates me this time of year are the flowers.

These days, Laura's property is literally blooming with life. Now that the tulips have come and gone, there are bright, bold irises, delicate petunias and oceans of peonies with fragrant, heavy heads.

Let me tell ya -- I'm no green thumb. I bow down to gardeners like Laura. When it comes to flowers, I do better with the kind on patterned dresses or in framed art. So in honor of Laura, I've compiled a little online "bouquet" of the flowers on her farm (some of them aren't in bloom yet, but you get the idea).

Lilies, begonias, hibiscus, hydrangea, gardenias, petunias, chrysanthemums -- you name it, Laura's growing it. And I'm sure if I missed any good ones, she'll leave a comment and let me know…

What's blooming on your land (or walls)? Post a comment and let us know!

My work is a game, a very serious game.
—M. C. Escher

One of the world's most famous graphic artists, Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) was also one of history's most intriguing minds. The Dutch artist used the world of art as a playground in which to explore the architecture and mathematics of infinity.

Are you really sure that a floor can't also be a ceiling?
—M. C. Escher

Forever questioning the parameters of existence, Escher created works of art that were both mathematical and philosophical in nature. The image above, for instance, employs complex geometry to portray men endlessly climbing up and down staircases -- symbolizing, perhaps, the onward march of time and humanity.

Escher's work was rich with geometric distortions, patterns and tessellations (repeating tilings). Surprisingly though, he had no formal mathematical training; his mathematical sense was largely intuitive. As a young boy, the artist was far from an A-student. While he always excelled in drawing, Escher's grades were generally poor and he failed all his high school exams.

Only those who attempt the absurd...will achieve the impossible.
—M. C. Escher

Nonetheless, without any formal background, Escher went on to devote himself to the study of mathematical principles, from which he devised his own unique mathematical approach to explorations of symmetry in art. In his lifetime, he amassed a huge body of work, including 448 lithographs, woodcuts and wood engravings and more than 2000 drawings and sketches. He also authored and published papers that outlined his mathematical approach to art, such as Regular Division of the Plane with Asymmetric Congruent Polygons.

I am always wandering around in enigmas.
—M. C. Escher

Today, Escher's enigmatic, intriguing art continues to be enjoyed and celebrated by millions worldwide. Explore the edges of infinity -- visit our M. C. Escher art gallery now!

Have any Escher facts you’d like to share? Drop us a line!

What is a face, really? Its own photo? Its make-up? Or is it a face as painted by such or such painter? That which is in front? Inside? Behind? And the rest? Doesn't everyone look at himself in his own particular way? Deformations simply do not exist. —Pablo Picasso

Over the centuries, many famous artists have chosen the multifaceted beauty of women as their subject -- and their muse. The video montage below is an innovative celebration of the faces of some of art history's most famous leading ladies, each one carrying her own unique beauty.

In the video, you may have recognized some familiar images. For instance, there was Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, as interpreted by Sandro Botticelli in The Birth of Venus.

This famous work of art portrays the long-limbed goddess emerging from the sea on a shell. She is blown shoreward by two Zephyrs, symbolizing spiritual passions, and given a flowered cloak by Horae, Goddess of the Seasons. The original painting is currently in Florence, in the Uffizi Gallery.

You probably also recognized the eternally enigmatic Mona Lisa.

Widely considered to be Leonardo da Vinci’s magnum opus, or greatest work, the Mona Lisa is one of the most renowned paintings in history. Over the years, it has been scrutinized, studied, written about and parodied more than perhaps any other work of art in the world. Today, it hangs in the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

The charming redhead below was also one of the many female faces in the video montage.

Who was this nameless Venetian beauty, rendered immortal by Albrecht Durer’s meticulous brushstrokes? Her comportment and jewelry suggest that she comes from a family of means, yet her dress is not overly ornate. Whether an aristocrat or a commoner, her beauty certainly defies any social status.

Another mystery woman, this time by Henri Matisse:

As famous for his expressive line drawings as for his paintings and sculptures, Matisse was a master of evoking form with few lines. In this charming portrait, the artist likens his subject to a beautiful, blooming flower.

Without question, women have inspired countless works of art throughout the ages -- and certainly more than this short blog entry can cover. Do you have a favorite muse/portrait? Feel free to post a comment and some photos.

With the easy, breezy weather in full swing, designers and decorators across the country are shifting their focus to moving the "inside room" outdoors. This summer's most stylish patios and porches now feature furniture and accessories that are barely distinguishable from what you might typically find inside -- relaxed sofas and chairs, stylish carpeting and WeatherPrints™ -- the world's finest outdoor art.

WeatherPrints™ are beautifully resilient masterpieces that can withstand all of nature's elements, not just during summer months, but all year round. They retain their quality and vibrancy in all kinds of weather conditions, including intense humidity, UV rays, rain, sleet and snow, making them great for patios, porches, and indoor/outdoor pool areas.

Whether you're throwing a summer garden party or just looking to spruce up your backyard, outdoor art's a quick and easy way to upgrade your porch and patio decor. Elegant and intrepid, each WeatherPrint™ looks so much like unframed canvas gallery wrap, the difference is undetectable, even inches away.

WeatherPrints™ won't fade, crack or rust, even in the harshest weather. How do they do it? They're made of a specially-formulated, hardy, aluminum-based composite substrate, then printed with Ultra Violet-protected inks, and, finally, treated with a powerful weatherproof coating. Because they can withstand high levels of moisture and humidity, WeatherPrints™ also work great in steamy spas and bathrooms.

Here are just a few of our new outdoor art prints:

Discover the beauty and ease of outdoor art. Decorate with WeatherPrints™!

Outdoor Art Saves the Day!

The other day, a good friend of mine asked if I knew of any no-hassle ways to add a little flair to her front porch. The answer was easy: aside from all the usual stuff like potted plants and floormats, why not try WeatherPrints outdoor art?

If you read last week's ArtBeat entry, you know that WeatherPrints are works of art that hold up beautifully in all kinds of weather -- sunshine, rain, and even sleet and snow! Weatherproof art -- what'll they think of next?!

WeatherPrints can take an outdoor porch like this...

...and transform it into a mini oasis like this:

This work of art, Patio Urn I, by Liz Jardine, fits in beautifully with all the green foliage and flowers in bloom right now, and it will perk up my friend's porch all winter long. Yet another decorating mission accomplished!

If you're curious to know all the nitty gritty details about what WeatherPrints are made of, check out this in-depth entry on Outdoor Art.

Until next week!

According to a June 26 article from ApartmentTherapy.com's LA blog, one of summer's hottest décor trends is framed art with leaf imagery.

The colorful, nature-inspired artworks above are at once Contemporary and Global -- and, as the ApartmentTherapy.com writers rightly point out, they're much easier to care for than actual plants!

On the lookout for art with leaves? ArtSelect offers a wide range of beautiful images to explore.

There are botanically inspired tropical designs:

(Block Print Palm, by Chariklia Zarris, and Ferns IV by Edward Lowe)

There are artful Abstracts with images from nature:

(Quiet Leaves by Dominique Gaudin and In Play by Chris Donovan.

The ephemeral x-ray photography prints of Steven. N. Meyers afford an unusual glimpse into the delicate structures of leaves:

(Leaf Bouquet and Celosias by Steven N. Meyers)

The decorating possibilities are endless. So...are you ready to turn over a new leaf in your home décor?