Hannah Nowlan | Sheet Society

Blog|Hannah Nowlan on how to style your sheets to your art

Hannah Nowlan on how to style your sheets to your art

To celebrate our winter bedroom makeover comp we caught up with the Australian artist to learn more about her practice, how she styles her space and the sheets she’s sleeping in.

As a child and teen, Hannah Nowlan knew she was a special kind of creative. Using her work as a means of understanding her emotions and the world around her, she spent her formative years as an artist at the Victorian College of Arts before travelling overseas to complete an International Artist Residency in Portugal. It was here she fell in love with mythology, a theme that’s ever-present in her work today.

Based in Red Hill, Victoria, Hannah’s love of mythology and spirit is interlaced with abstract landscapes - an approach that’s creating a visual lore of dream-like compositions that reflect selfhood, connection to place and the afterlife. “Each body of work I create often revolves around a single theme or individual notion of exploration” she tells Sheet Society, “I usually begin with raw materials, building a colour palette and exploring mark-making that induces the ideas I wish to portray. My spiritual connections to place are revealed through a series of abstract symbols and figures, which I often draw and manipulate before I commence each painting.”

Hannah’s series 'Undulations & Apparitions' is inspired by dream states. Fluid with a soft sense of movement, each painting investigates the essence of drifting to sleep, daydreaming and imagining. It’s in this spirit that we asked Hannah to show us how she styles her bedroom - walls and all.

Start with pieces that speak to you.

When selecting art for your space, Hannah suggests introducing works that resonate with you personally. “It’s important to introduce works that ignite feelings or memories that are special to you and your loved ones,” she says. “For bedroom spaces where you may wish to bring about gentle states of relaxation and imagining, I recommend selecting works that make you feel calm or remind you of a joyful time or place.”

Let those pieces guide the palette.

When it comes to creating a complimentary bedding scene, Hannah’s top tip is to first draw upon the colours found within your artworks. Then to layer those colours back with how you want to feel within the space. “You may wish to design a bold, colourful and cheerful palette. Alternatively, you may prefer a neutral, soft and calming disposition. The beauty of these intimate spaces is that you can be playful with your bedding selections and build or change the palette to suit the seasons or your mood.”

As for the minimalist and maximalists in the room, she has some advice there too: “A simple way to create a minimalist look is with a monochromatic palette, meaning pairing layers of similar tones together, i.e. an all-blue look or an all-light combination such as whites and creams. For a maximalist look, it can be fun to layer complimentary colours together to build easily interchangeable options. You can even introduce textures, checks or stripes to introduce patterns that bring a space to life.”

So, what does Hannah dream in?

Currently, Hannah’s dreaming in Darcy Corduroy Midnight. Much like her work, she effortlessly pairs colour and texture when it comes to her bed, drawing on Leo Washed Cotton Mocha Stripe, Eve Linen Midnight and Eden Cotton Beige. Equal parts dreamy and grounded, it’s accents like these that make you feel as though you’ve slipped into her ‘Oil on Paper’ series.

And what’s on her winter bedding wishlist?

“I love the latest Winter tones from Sheet Society and am envisaging a beautiful monochromatic dream blue scene. Blending blue hues can brighten a bedroom space while remaining calm and soothing. My dream combination would be to pair the new Eucalypt tone with shades of Powder Blue and Dove Grey.”