5 Questions with Founder of Art Room London, Vanita Barany

Jun 9, 2026

For many collectors, the art world can seem intimidating. A maze of galleries, auction houses, market trends and unwritten rules. Few people have done more to demystify that landscape than Vanita Barany. Founder of Art Room London, Vanita has spent more than a decade advising private collectors and leading interior designers on acquiring artworks that are both personally meaningful and aesthetically transformative. She has built a reputation for combining market knowledge with an approachable, highly personalised style of guidance.

In this conversation, we explore what she feels traditional advisory models are missing, and how her own practice has sought to bridge the gap between expertise and personal connection. We also discuss the role of intuition in collecting: how much of building a collection is really about developing taste, learning to look carefully, and trusting one's own response to a work of art.

Drawing on years of experience working with collectors at every stage of their journey, Vanita offers thoughtful insights into the pleasures, challenges and enduring rewards of living with art.

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1AN: You founded Artroom London to make collecting feel more accessible and personal. What did you feel traditional advisory models were missing?

Vanita Barany: When I was first approached by a client to help him build an art collection, I didn’t know any other art advisers. I was learning the market from the outside, and what struck me very quickly was how intimidating it could feel.

There was often a dismissiveness in galleries and auction spaces, a sense of superiority that made the art world feel closed off. Even to people who were highly successful and confident in every other part of their lives. I realised that many new collectors were not lacking interest or instinct; they were lacking reassurance, context and someone they trusted to guide them through the process.

That experience shaped the way I work. I wanted Artroom London to offer a complete service for people who may be completely new to collecting: from seeing a work in a catalogue or gallery, to understanding how it might sit within their home, visualising it to scale, considering framing, managing installation and dealing with the practicalities such as AML paperwork.

Vanita Barany Art Advisor at Somerset House. Photo by Neil Mackenzie Matthews. — Vanita at Somerset House. Photo by Neil Mackenzie Matthews.

For me, the role of an adviser is not to make collecting feel more complicated. It is to make the process feel considered, enjoyable and personal.

1AN: I love that, although surely many new collectors assume confidence comes from market knowledge. In your experience, how much of collecting is really about developing taste and learning to trust your own response to a work?

Vanita Barany: Market knowledge is important, but it is not where confidence begins.

Confidence comes from looking, seeing as much art as possible, and from being open to works that may challenge your first idea of what you do or don’t like. Over time, a collector starts to understand their own response more clearly. That is the point at which taste starts to develop. It is not about being told what is “good art”; it is about learning to trust your own eye. Once a collector has a clearer sense of the kind of work they are drawn to, market knowledge becomes very useful. That is where I come in, to help them understand value, context and pricing, and to make sure they are buying well rather than overpaying.

1AN: And I’m sure that’s greatly appreciated! Your work spans both historical and contemporary art. When building a collection, what creates a sense of coherence beyond period, style, or market category?

Vanita Barany: What I have found from the clients I have had over the years is that they approach collecting in a very eclectic way. Things which have a familiarity from a childhood memory, sculptures which sit better in a country garden than a town house garden. Mixing the old with the new. Having a collection which looks as if it has evolved over many decades when we have curated the works over a few years. For me, the joy is in showing clients the skill, beauty and wonder across different genres of art, from ancient to contemporary, and helping them bring those worlds together in a way that feels natural.

1AN: Speaking of feeling natural, at what point does collecting move beyond acquiring individual works and begin to reflect a collector’s own perspective?

Vanita Barany: I think this happens slowly as the clients gain confidence in their art decision making: What they do and don’t like, which sounds obvious but it is a big step for an art collecting novice .

1AN: It does seem like a big step… and a personal one. When you encounter collections that remain memorable long after seeing them, what distinguishes them beyond the quality or value of the works?

Vanita Barany: The collections that stay with me are the ones that feel deeply personal.

Of course, quality matters. But what makes a collection memorable is the sense that it could only belong to that particular person. It gives you an insight into their character, their memories, their curiosities and the way they see the world.

A great collection brings individuality into a home. It gives the space atmosphere and soul. It is not about creating something that looks impressive to other people; it is about creating something that feels completely and unmistakably their own.

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Connect with Vanita here.

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Vanita Barany

Vanita founded Artroom London Limited in 2009, acquiring artworks for private clients. She also works with global interior designers and architects, finding artworks for their clients and projects. Artroom finds all genres of art, from old master paintings and sculpture, to contemporary works and emerging artists, sourcing from auction houses, galleries, private collections and direct from...

5 Questions with Founder of Art Room London, Vanita Barany

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