Living With Art: Miami Art Week & Interior Design

Every December, Miami becomes more than a destination. During Miami Art Week, the city transforms into a living gallery, where luxury art and design move through hotels, fairs, and private collections. This year, the fairs felt especially connected to interiors. Paintings were not only sold for museums and investments, but for paintings in house settings, where a work of art becomes part of daily life.

From the grandeur of Art Basel to the curated intimacy of Untitled Art, the week offered a reminder: interior design choosing artwork is an act of personal expression. A painting is not accessory or decoration. It is the most eye catching element in a living space, and often the most unforgettable.

At Lavish, we experience Miami Art Week as interior designers. We walk through booths considering how pieces will live in real rooms, how a color palette will interact with architecture, and how natural light will fall across a surface at different hours of the day. Miami Art Week is a place to discover, but also to imagine: each new acquisition could be destined for a high end apartment interior, a tropical penthouse, or a beach residence set high above the water.

Installation view of Eric Firestone Gallery’s booth at Art Basel Miami 2025. Courtesy of Eric Firestone Gallery.

Art Basel Interiors

This year at Art Basel, galleries leaned into atmosphere. Certain booths radiated energy; others felt serene. We saw abstract paintings with gestures of cobalt and citron, quiet sculptures in brushed steel, woven tapestries, and monumental forms in stone and fabric. It was impossible not to imagine them in homes.

The Joan Mitchell painting, used here as our cover image, was a standout. Wild brushstrokes, luminous color, and a sense of movement made it feel alive.

In a living room, the painting would be transformative. Against matte plaster, with linen drapery and curated lighting, it would become an anchor for the entire room. This is luxury art Miami at its best: expressive, cultivated, and deeply modern.

Many collectors this year focused on works that will move directly into private residences. The fair’s energy reflected the idea that artistic house design is not about following trends. It is about building a home that feels confident and personal. Every acquisition revealed not just taste, but identity.

Artist: Secundino Hernández, "South of the Border," 2022. Victoria Miro Gallery.

Displaying Artwork in Your Home

One of the most common questions we hear is how to begin displaying artwork in your home. There is no single formula, but there are principles.

A large painting works beautifully above a console or in a dining room, where conversation gathers. Smaller pieces can create gallery walls in entryways or hallways, telling a story as you move through the house. Sculptures and objects find a natural place on pedestals, consoles, and bookshelves, where they become statement pieces.

A successful composition pairs space, scale, and personality. In this way, home decor becomes a language, where lighting, furnishings, and art hold equal weight. A good room does not feel decorated. It feels resolved.

Installation view of Victoria Miro’s booth at Art Basel Miami Beach 2025. All artworks © the artists. Courtesy of the artists and Victoria Miro.

Lighting and Placement

Many works at the fairs were shown under exquisite lighting, which supported every gesture, texture, and tone. Good lighting is essential at home as well. Every collector eventually asks: how to light artwork in your home?

We recommend layered solutions:

• soft overhead glow

• focused wall-washers

• discreet picture lights

• controlled exposure to natural light

In a living area, especially near windows, art becomes more dynamic. Morning light reveals brushwork. At night, a painting becomes intimate. A sculpture in bronze or metal wall art gains depth and shadow, bringing a sense of drama.

Placement matters too. A large painting might lead a hallway, while smaller works cluster around seating. A living room or dining room benefits from balance: one strong focal point, surrounded by pieces that complement rather than compete. The goal is to find the perfect relationship between art and architecture.

Artist: Idris Khan. "After the Two Dancers," 2025. Victoria Miro Gallery.

Material and Craft

Miami Art Week was rich with texture. We saw interior design wood wall art, bronze, steel, ceramic, and fiber. Some galleries leaned toward industrial interior design wall art, where metal and concrete felt architectural. Others presented hand-painted panels, glazed forms, and intricate textiles that invited touch.

These materials translate beautifully into luxury curated home decor. A mid-century residence, for instance, might feature walnut millwork, iconic seating, and a boldly painted canvas. A beachfront penthouse could pair white plaster walls with glazed ceramics and sculptural lighting. Homes with a quiet, minimalist spirit often find poetry in one beautifully crafted work of art.

Whether in Los Angeles, New York, or South Florida, art pieces complete the room. They give context, texture, and meaning.

Artist: Elmgreen & Dragset, "Sunshine," 2025 © Elmgreen & Dragset / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Where Art Meets Personal Style

One of the great pleasures of interior design is discovering clients’ taste. Some love contemporary art, others prefer figurative, minimal, or conceptual work. Some build growing art collections; others want one or two powerful statement pieces that define their home.

This is why interior designers often attend fairs. We look for work that speaks to personal style, that feels timeless, and that feels alive in a room. In artwork in celebrity homes, we see this same principle: art is chosen purposefully. Nothing is random. An entire residence can be shaped around one painting.

This is the charm of Miami art for home. The fairs are international, yet the experience is personal. Collectors discover pieces that will move into their life: the living room where they relax, the bedroom where they wake each morning, or the dining room where they gather with friends.

Artist: Do Ho Suh. "Spectators," 2023. Victoria Miro Gallery.

South Florida Identity

For those living here, art is part of place. Homes open to blue water, palm trees, and wide skies. The light is brilliant. Many of our clients, especially those drawn to interior artistry Fort Lauderdale FL, are seeking pieces that echo this environment.

Art Basel interiors reflect this brightness. Rooms are generous. Stone, linen, and oak balance against metal and glass. Interiors by design wall art becomes the focal point. Homes feel curated, but relaxed. There is luxury, but also comfort.

This is the essence of luxury art Miami: airy, expressive, and full of life.

Artist: Tony Lewis, "Summons," 2024.

A Luxury of Choice

Miami Art Week reminds us that there is no singular style. A home can hold a painting, a ceramic vessel, woven fabric, or interior design metal wall art. Some rooms lean into mid century warmth; others are sleek and sculptural. A living space can be quiet or bold.

The key is intention. When a homeowner chooses thoughtfully, the art becomes part of the architecture. A room feels finished, not staged. A painting becomes memory. A sculpture becomes story.

This is the heart of luxury curated home decor. It is not about quantity. It is about resonance.

Need Help Curating?

As Miami Art Week concludes, inspiration fills the city. New art pieces are traveling to homes across South Florida, settling into rooms full of light and texture.

If you would like support in interior design painting and decorating, or want a designer to help select pieces that speak to your home, Lavish offers art curation as part of our services. We work with private clients on selecting work, planning placement, and ensuring it lives beautifully within the architecture.

If you’d like help selecting art that speaks to you and your home, contact us.