Atlanta homeowners Lyn and Bob McDonough didn't just make room for art, they made rooms for it. Working with local residential designer Eric Rothman of HammerSmith and interior designer Kathy Guyton of Guyton Design Group, they successfully planned their new home around a considerable collection of art--not the other way around.

"We worked with the McDonoughs to create rooms where you could experience their art," says Eric. Kathy kept the decor clean and simple. She even had the walls painted a neutral color so that the art pieces would be the focus. "Architecturally, the house was wonderful, and the art was so fabulous that there was just no reason for anything to compete," she says. Here, Eric, Kathy, and the McDonoughs share lessons on how to successfully create artful displays in your own home.

First Impressions
Make an impact in a front room or foyer with a favorite furniture item or painting. Personal pieces in the McDonoughs' foyer (above) set the stage for the rest of the decor. "Start with works that really speak to you," recommends Kathy. "Don't buy a painting just because it matches."

In the foyer, an iron table, fitted with a marble top, is bathed in light. Black-and-white prints are suspended above, and a rustic wooden piece completes the vignette. "Any architectural clutter would have detracted from the art," says Eric.

Bigger Is Better
The large painting above the cased opening (left) transforms a long hallway. A rainbow-colored rug ushers you into the living room. Natural light floods the two-story hall, which functions as a gallery, and illuminates the painting. "Within reason, buy what you like, and don't worry about the size," says Kathy. "But keep in mind that some things, such as this piece, need to be seen from a great distance."