“What’s a World Without Art — or Wine?”

At VPI Design, we’re constantly inspired by the layered beauty of fine art. But too often, we flip through published design spreads and find homes with stunning finishes, luxe materials… and not a single piece of art. Especially not fine art.

To us, that’s a miss. A room without art feels unfinished — like a sentence without punctuation.

It’s something we talk about often as a team. But one perspective we keep coming back to comes from an unexpected voice in the studio: our in-house sommelier.

He once said, “Fine art is like fine wine. You can live without it… but why would you want to?”

The analogy stuck. He went on to explain that mass-produced art — like regional table wine — has its place. It works in certain contexts. It’s approachable, reliable, and sometimes just right.But fine art, he said, is like a special vintage — rare, layered, and unforgettable. It tells a story, holds structure, and lingers with you long after it’s been experienced.

And that’s the difference. Art isn’t just decoration. Like a great wine, it deepens the room. Adds character. Texture. Emotion. It becomes a conversation, not just a color on the wall.

We can’t imagine a world — or a home — without either.

So at VPI Design, we make room for both.