As international art consultants, Artelier specialises in curating art for residences, including private homes and residential developments. As well as sourcing contemporary art by leading global artists, we also collaborate with artists to create custom art commissions tailored to the project.
Artelier has recently curated extensive art collections for apartments in the esteemed Chelsea Barracks development, located in the heart of London. Delivering turnkey art consultancy services to the developer, Artelier oversaw the art from developing concepts and sourcing artworks, through to final presentation, delivery and installation.
Chelsea Barracks is one of the most coveted residential addresses in London, with extensively designed apartments, townhouses, and exclusive facilities. The development's refined interiors – combining cutting-edge design with bespoke luxury finishes – elegantly complete the prestigious residences.
Chelsea Barracks' developer, Qatari Diar, are a Qatari based company with an international outlook, and are investing in prime London properties. We were approached by the developers and their designers, since we are recognised as leading art consultants for interiors in some of the world's most exclusive contexts. Our project portfolio includes curating art collections for superyachts, private aircraft, and premium residences, working for a clientele that Chelsea Barracks would seek to attract.
Due to our insight into the tastes of this clientele, we know how to offer a curated art collection that meets their discerning standards, and understand that they expect truly original fine art that is cannot be found elsewhere. Artelier is recognised for working with leading contemporary artists who are dedicated to their craft and materials, and are capable of achieving the level of fine finish that is needed for such properties.
We delivered our full art consultancy services for Chelsea Barracks' 6 bedroom penthouse apartments, which are now beginning to be launched. As one of London's most anticipated new developments, it was critical that the luxury apartments' presentation was immaculate – the developers wanted to give buyers the impression of an exquisite, yet lived-in, space, and so a personalised art collection was crucial.
A key concept behind the interiors was the use of custom-made decorative features, crafted by artisans who are able to enhance the qualities of the finest natural materials. For our curated art collection, we therefore sourced artists whose practice is led by an affinity to their materials, and commissioned them to produce artworks specially for the project.
The two penthouse apartments we provided art consultancy for had distinct design concepts and themes – one had a more masculine and urban feel, while the other was more classical and elegant. They each required a selection of artworks that complemented the schemes; Artelier responded by curating a portfolio of suitable artists using our extensive database of works and market knowledge.
As part of this service, we undertook thorough review of the properties, including site visits, consulting the plans and renders of the space, and reviewing in detail the design schemes and furniture packages. The final selection of artists was then shortlisted together with the designers, at which point we begun the commissioning process.
Part of our curation service in the early stages of the project is to thoroughly survey the spaces – consulting floor plans, measuring walls, and finding the ideal placements for artworks. We further curated the spaces in situ to ensure a coherent flow between the works, and maintain the harmony of the collection as a whole.
As each work of art was specially commissioned for the project, we recommended specific dimensions for artworks for every location. We worked with the artists to tailor their composition to the specific requirements of the space, allowing it to be perfectly suited both in terms of size and colour palette.
We also look for opportunities where it is appropriate to do a striking art display, such as a triptych or diptych. Working closely with both designers and artist, we determine the optimal dimensions of the artwork as a whole, so that the commissioned artwork acts as a focal point.
A key consideration of this project was that the art collection for each penthouse apartment would be a sizeable personal collection, featuring 30-40 works of art. In order to create variety, we commissioned exciting contemporary artists working across a vast range of mediums, including works on paper, oil paintings, and collage and mixed media wall art.
To complement the mood of the contemporary interior design, we commissioned modernist inspired artwork, with a focus on bold geometric compositions. Each area of the properties had bespoke art, which was in line with the development's own focus on custom-made artisan details and craftsmanship, seeking to provide residents with a unique living environment.
As art consultants, we also oversaw the installation and presentation of the artworks in situ. An important aspect is advising on the framing of artworks, as part of our specialist art framing consultancy. We evaluate each artwork and recommend the best presentation method, including frame type and finishings.
Artelier has designed and developed an extensive range of artisan frames, many of which were used for the art for Chelsea Barracks. Each frame used for the project was custom created for the specific work of art, tailoring the frame both to the artwork and to its context in the room. This includes customised profiles, stains, and gold leaf details.
The variety of artworks required us to use a range of frames: the collection featured Artelier's signature design canvas floater frames, sustainable oak frames with natural stains, and gold leaf detail frames which matched interiors. Works on paper were protected using using conservation quality mounts and non-reflective museum grade glass, ensuring longevity for the artworks.
Chelsea Barracks' as a development had a high focus on craftsmanship and artisanal touches, which is a cornerstone of Artelier's own ethos. As each frame is crafted by hand by expert framers, the presentation of the artworks in the luxury apartments was another way to reinforce the philosophy of the development. This, of course, is also a fundamental aspect of the art itself, as the artworks were created specially for the space by contemporary masters. An emphasis on true craft was therefore not only important to us, but to the developer and the future owner of the apartment.
Chelsea Barracks is one of many developments Artelier has recently worked on, delivering art for luxury residences. Often working with developers directly, we provide a fully comprehensive list of services, from initial research to sign-off.
Discover more about Chelsea Barracks and all that the development offers on their website, including comprehensive details of its various luxury properties.
To learn more about our services and our process for commissioning bespoke artworks, visit our Art Consultancy homepage. Further examples of our residential projects can be found on this dedicated page.
All in situ images are credited to Chelsea Barracks.