Decorating: How to Create a Visual Ode to Mexico’s Frida Kahlo
Pay homage to the famous Mexican artist by incorporating elements of her look and style into your home
Did you know that 2015 is The Year of Mexico in the UK (as well as The Year of the UK in Mexico)? As part of this cross-nation celebration, there are events from the Latin country all over Britain, from Luche Libre at the Royal Albert Hall to an exhibition devoted to the ancient Mayas in Liverpool, as well as a big Mexican presence at September’s London Design Festival. By way of a mini celebration, Houzz is presenting a series of stories dedicated to Mexico’s vibrant style, starting with an ode to artist Frida Kahlo…
Add some Frida attitude to accessories
Alongside her husband, Diego Rivera, Kahlo is arguably one of Mexico’s most famous artists. Her often incredibly personal paintings include strong surrealist and folkloric elements and explore cultural identity and gender, as well as celebrating the colour and heritage of Mexican art and customs.
Her striking style and image serve as the perfect inspiration to add a new touch to your home.
Alongside her husband, Diego Rivera, Kahlo is arguably one of Mexico’s most famous artists. Her often incredibly personal paintings include strong surrealist and folkloric elements and explore cultural identity and gender, as well as celebrating the colour and heritage of Mexican art and customs.
Her striking style and image serve as the perfect inspiration to add a new touch to your home.
Don’t hold back with the flowers
Kahlo, who died in 1954 aged just 47, loved flowers, and frequently displayed them in her work, as well as wearing her iconic and magnificent flower crowns.
Large and colourful flowers look beautiful in every room, and are a great addition to your home’s colour scheme. A fun vase, such as this quirky one that allows you to re-create Kahlo’s flower crowns, further boosts the vibrancy. If you’re after something longer lasting, the quality of artificial flowers these days is amazing – and they will look after themselves, to boot.
Kahlo, who died in 1954 aged just 47, loved flowers, and frequently displayed them in her work, as well as wearing her iconic and magnificent flower crowns.
Large and colourful flowers look beautiful in every room, and are a great addition to your home’s colour scheme. A fun vase, such as this quirky one that allows you to re-create Kahlo’s flower crowns, further boosts the vibrancy. If you’re after something longer lasting, the quality of artificial flowers these days is amazing – and they will look after themselves, to boot.
Take liberties with her look
Frida Kahlo, who was of German and Mexican heritage, was a prolific self-portraitist who used her own image to explore her anxieties about gender, ethnicity and identity. She often manipulated her own likeness to document her inner turmoil, but also to express her love of colour, indigenous dress and sense of self.
A fun and adventurous take on the self-portrait, such as this painting, is a stylish way to add a modern twist to Kahlo’s style and still pay homage to her work.
Frida Kahlo, who was of German and Mexican heritage, was a prolific self-portraitist who used her own image to explore her anxieties about gender, ethnicity and identity. She often manipulated her own likeness to document her inner turmoil, but also to express her love of colour, indigenous dress and sense of self.
A fun and adventurous take on the self-portrait, such as this painting, is a stylish way to add a modern twist to Kahlo’s style and still pay homage to her work.
Add tropical flair
Unapologetically colourful flowers and vibrant green leaves also work well in the form of rugs or cushions, and can add bold flashes of colour to an otherwise neutral scheme. This bright rug is evocative of one of Kahlo’s own paintings, and combines well with large leafy plants in this stylish hallway.
Learn how to bring a taste of the tropics into your home
Unapologetically colourful flowers and vibrant green leaves also work well in the form of rugs or cushions, and can add bold flashes of colour to an otherwise neutral scheme. This bright rug is evocative of one of Kahlo’s own paintings, and combines well with large leafy plants in this stylish hallway.
Learn how to bring a taste of the tropics into your home
Invoke pop art
Kahlo was a brave and innovative artist who was way ahead of her time, and would surely have appreciated pop art’s love of bright, uncompromising colours. Combine two greats of the art world by depicting her likeness with a Warhol-like pop art print that gives Kahlo’s self-portrait a modern twist and celebrates her love of vibrant colours.
Kahlo was a brave and innovative artist who was way ahead of her time, and would surely have appreciated pop art’s love of bright, uncompromising colours. Combine two greats of the art world by depicting her likeness with a Warhol-like pop art print that gives Kahlo’s self-portrait a modern twist and celebrates her love of vibrant colours.
Add small touches…
Kahlo’s look is so iconic that even little accents, such as this small reproduction of one of her self-portraits, is enough to stand out among a crowd of larger paintings while still being part of a cohesive wall display.
Kahlo’s look is so iconic that even little accents, such as this small reproduction of one of her self-portraits, is enough to stand out among a crowd of larger paintings while still being part of a cohesive wall display.
…or go all out
Another idea is to pay homage to Kahlo’s style in a big way by dedicating a whole wall to her love of nature, wildlife and colourful design. Many of Kahlo’s paintings feature animals such as monkeys, tropical birds and big cats.
A vibrant feature wall with bright greens, colourful flowers and a tropical theme is a powerful way to channel the Mexican artist’s style.
Another idea is to pay homage to Kahlo’s style in a big way by dedicating a whole wall to her love of nature, wildlife and colourful design. Many of Kahlo’s paintings feature animals such as monkeys, tropical birds and big cats.
A vibrant feature wall with bright greens, colourful flowers and a tropical theme is a powerful way to channel the Mexican artist’s style.
Honour her serious side
Despite her use of colour and tropical imagery, Kahlo’s paintings are very atmospheric, intense and symbolic. Honour her striking style and personal subject matter by making her work the centrepiece of an arrangement. A print of one of her more muted self-portraits becomes all the more striking by standing all on its own in the spotlight.
TELL US…
Are you a fan of Frida Kahlo’s work? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Despite her use of colour and tropical imagery, Kahlo’s paintings are very atmospheric, intense and symbolic. Honour her striking style and personal subject matter by making her work the centrepiece of an arrangement. A print of one of her more muted self-portraits becomes all the more striking by standing all on its own in the spotlight.
TELL US…
Are you a fan of Frida Kahlo’s work? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
The iconic 20th century artist was born in 1907 in the Casa Azul, the Blue House, in a suburb of Mexico City, and returned to live there through many years of her life. (The Casa Azul was also the first place Leon Trotsky and his wife stayed in Mexico.)
Many homes in Mexico use vivid hues, since traditional folklore gives symbolic value to colours, a fact Kahlo applied in her work. Capture the mood by applying a coat of vivid cobalt blue to a patio or hallway, and then adorning the space with plenty of flowers and plants for a fresh, exotic and inviting space.
Be inspired to be brave with colour