5:37 p.m. Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Zap! Pow! Home decor gets a Pop Art punch

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By KIM COOK

For The Associated Press

Texan collector and decorator Andrea Reed grew up in a home filled with Pop Art, but it was the film "Tommy" that really made a lasting impression.

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AP Photo, Surface View Here is a reproduction of classic panel art from Marvel Comics titled "It's All Over".

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AP Photo, Design Toscano Pictured here is a flirtatious Lips Pop Art Chair by Design Toscano.

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AP Photo, French Bull A Mosaic canister is set in a kicky, colorful Pop Art pattern.

Photos: Pop Art makes a comeback

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In particular, a scene where Tommy's mother (played by Ann-Margret) sings "in an all-white room with a white ball chair. I was forever hooked," says Reed.

She and her husband have painted their own living room six times, plucking from the Pantone candy box of orange, blue and pinky-purple. Other parts of the house also have received the Pop Art treatment, including the kitchen, which has a rainbow on the pantry. With a white Fiberglass sofa, ball chair a la "Men in Black," and zingy graphics throughout the house, Reed's on top of a trend that swings in and out like a "Solid Gold" dancer.

With our continued interest in mid-century decor, it's no surprise to see Pop Art back for a visit.

Pop Art was a major mover in late '60s and '70s decor. The space race inspired futuristic furnishings, and designers were influenced by a generation experimenting with free-spirited ideas. Think of Roy Lichtenstein's blown-up comic book art; "2001: A Space Odyssey"; Andy Warhol's Campbell's soup can. The style is characterized by emphatic colors, strong graphics and bold furniture.

There are many ways to add a bit of "pop" to your rooms with furniture, accent pieces and color. Don't worry about kitsch; this is all about being fun and fresh.

CB2 has the Sol pendant lamp, a sleek white globe with a sunny yellow interior. Add Inmod's curvy Aarnio-style ball chair, Sputnik light fixture and a bigger-than-life wall graphic and you're well on your way to putting the word "mod" back in your vocabulary.

Design Toscano has a flirty, lip-shaped chair in red, and Innermost's Kapow pendant light is a groovy tangle of white spirals.

Dezignwithaz.com has wall decals in squares or circles that evoke '70s style.

Or consider comic book art: It complements this decor well with intense hues and lively imagery. British decoupage artist Amelia Coward covers home accessories and chairs in comic book pages, and will do custom projects through her Bombus studio. Surfaceview, also in the United Kingdom, will ship a ready-to-frame or ready-framed repro art panel from a vintage comic; Silver Surfer, The Hulk and romance comics are striking. Add a playful element to adult spaces with Roommates' giant Iron Man decal, or a mural composed of dozens of Marvel comic book covers.

Two's Company launched a fun collection of Pop Art accessories this summer. They include comic-book alliterative words like "Pow!" and "Wham!" printed on trinket boxes and frames.

Design studio French Bull, known for melamine dishware and coordinating linens in contemporary patterns, has several with a touch of Pop, including Ring, Mosaic and Pink Paisley. They've also got a new line of porcelain mugs printed with kicky Pop-Arty astrological motifs.

With shag rugs, hip modern furniture, shots of black and white to punch up the bright hues, and an array of audacious graphics, the groove is right on. So let your inner Austin Powers loose in a room or two this fall. Bam! Zoom!, baby.

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Sourcebook:

www.frenchbull.com - Ring Platter, $18; Tumbler, $9; Mosaic Plate, $11; Canister Set, $36; Mosaic Runner, $70

www.twoscompany.com - 3x3 photo frame, $22.50, trinket box, $12.50

http://www.roommatespeelandstick.com/ - Marvel Comic Book covers mural, $255

www.bombus.co.uk - bespoke decoupage by Amelia Coward

www.designtoscano.com - Flirtatious Lips chair, $149

www.dezignwithaz.com - Grafi circles wall decals, $28; Square Pop decals, $18; Grrh graphic, $18

www.innermost.com - Kapow shade, price on inquiry

www.cb2.com - Sol pendant lamp, $99.95

www.inmod.com - Sputnik lamp, $329; Op Art Sculpture, $125; Aarnio style Ball Chair, custom frame and upholstery available, $899; Mist Area Rug, $398; Reflection Lounge Rug, $2,050

www.surfaceview.com - Silver Surfer Repro Panel Art, about $90-$320; It's All Over romance panel, about $122-$325

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