The selection of perfect paint colours and furnishings are fundamental to creating a beautiful interior, but these are essentially the backdrop to the all important layer of personality that will bring life to your home. Art is the perfect way to add your unique statement and without it no interior is truly complete. However selecting art can be challenging and people often find the whole thing quite intimidating, but it needn’t be, you don’t need to be an expert or spend thousands, here are a few of my tips to help demystify the task.
Choose with your heart
What you surround yourself with is an expression of your personality, it should not be over considered. There is no right or wrong choice, if you love something go with it, in this way it will be authentically you and stand the test of time. I always advise, if you see something you love, buy it, don’t let where you might place it be your decider, you will find the perfect place for it for sure.
Bling by Fanny Nushka Moreaux
Mix it up
Be bold, shake it up, don’t be afraid to select different types of art, you have a multi faceted personality and the art you choose should reflect this. A collision of styles will be far more interesting than a one dimensional selection. For example mix high and low price, traditional and contemporary, serious and humorous, different mediums, oils, water colours, sketches, fabric, recycled materials etc and don’t forget that photography is also art.
Nicola Broughton, Interior Influencer & Blogger, The Girl With The Green Sofa
Avoid trying to match art to your room
There is nothing really wrong with choosing art by colour and the chances are if you love the colours of your room you will probably be attracted to art which will compliment it anyway. Avoid getting ‘bogged down’ with trying to match it to your room though, as this will probably result in you choosing something that you don’t truly love and you will likely tire of it, plus if your choice is over considered it will lack impact.
Image source Pinterest
Scale matters
Scale is a major component in creating impact in an interior and is therefore very important when choosing and displaying art, as a rule the bigger the better. A common mistake is to hang a single piece of art that is too small, it will lack impact and get lost on the wall. You can sometimes scale up a smaller piece by adding a larger border and frame. Generally if the piece is not large enough to create a statement on a wall, it is better to group smaller pieces together in a gallery to achieve the necessary impact.
image source Pinterest
Consider your framing
Framing can often make or break a piece of artwork. It maybe that your art comes unframed or you may have bought secondhand and wish to reframe. It’s important that the frame doesn’t detract from the piece but enhances it. Framing contemporary art in traditional frames and vice versa for example, can add an unexpected twist that adds an interesting dimension. If creating a gallery wall, linking the artwork together via frames in different shapes and styles but in the same colour can really add character as well as cohesion.
Plus don’t underestimate the importance of good framing, especially if you have invested in the piece itself. If your art is less expensive and hasn’t come framed and you don’t want to spend a fortune ensure that the mounts are acid-free, most cheaper ones aren’t, or the artwork will discolour very quickly and the whole thing will be an expensive waste of time.
image source Pinterest
Most importantly just make a start and simply go with what inspires and delights you, you don’t need to be an expert you just need to enjoy it, so have fun…
here are some of my go to resources to get you started
Artfinder.com – huge online database for all tastes and budgets
Riseart.com – helping people to get great art into their lives
Artsy.net – largest online database of contemporary art
Artfullywalls.com – affordable quality art
newbloodart.com – Specialises in emerging artists
Paddle8.com – on line art auction
Let the night carry us by Lisa Madigan
Best wishes,
