How to choose artwork for your home
Although it may seem like a simple process, there are quite a few things to consider when choosing artwork for your home. Size and colour of the work, which wall you want the work to hang on, and how much you want to spend, are all factors to consider when looking to purchase an art piece for your space. In today’s blog post, I am going to share my top tips for choosing artwork and bringing your home to life! Remember there are no set rules when it comes to art but here are a few tips to select the perfect piece.
1. Feeling
The most important thing to consider when buying art is the feeling you get when you look at a piece. This is going to hang in your home forever and therefore should bring you a sense of joy every time you look at it. Choose artwork that speaks to you, whether that be through colours you like, the memories the piece evokes, or even just how the piece makes you feel.
2. Mock-ups
One thing I do when creating a piece for my clients is showing them the painting in various mock-ups to give them an idea of how the artwork can look in different spaces. You could also do this yourself by taking a picture of the room you have in mind and then using software such as Photoshop or Canva to place the artwork in the desired space. This can really help you to imagine what the painting would look like and whether it works in that space or not.
3. Size
Size is always the most difficult part when choosing artwork for a space. Always start by measuring the wall you would like to place the art on to determine if it can accommodate larger pieces of artwork or whether smaller pieces would be better.
If you have a big wall, I would suggest starting with one large piece to make a statement. I always go as big as I can when getting a print for my home. A statement piece can really set a room off in a good way. This larger piece can also help you determine how you decorate the rest of the room.
Secondly, you could opt for a gallery wall by choosing one feature wall and filling it with smaller works. You can use lots of different frames or keep them all similar depending on how adventurous you are feeling. You can use a mix of different artists with different styles or use work by the same artist. The great thing about making a gallery wall is that you can swap things around until you are happy. You can use different sizes too and place them randomly or with equal spacing. Have fun with it!
It is wise to think of the entire room size when choosing art. A large piece of art probably won’t work in your bathroom and a tiny painting may not have the same effect in your living room.
4. Positioning
Like I said above there are no set rules when it comes to art, but there are some general rules when it comes to the positioning of artwork in a room. You always want your art pieces to work with your space, not against it and therefore it is advised to follow these basic tips:
People tend to focus on the width of a painting but forget about the height. You want to fill your wall in width and height but you don’t want your art piece coming too close to your ceiling. Ensure you measure the height of your ceilings as well as the width of your walls.
Similar to the first tip, I would suggest measuring your furniture too, to ensure there is a nice flow in the room and no one piece is overpowering.
It is important that we allow each element in a room to have its own space. Therefore I would suggest placing your artwork at least 20cm above furniture to allow each piece to have its own “moment”.
Like we discussed above, small art pieces will get lost on large walls. Group smaller works together or choose a statement piece.
5. Style & Colour
So you know the size of the piece you want and the wall you want it to hang on but you’re still struggling to choose a piece that truly speaks to you. I would suggest selecting a piece based on your style and the style of your home. Think about the overall feeling or vibe you want to create in a room, and consider the style of the furniture and other pieces within the room. Think about places or things that truly make you happy and start searching for artwork with this subject matter, in your style. In my case, you may feel most at peace by the sea and therefore my artwork would speak to you.
When choosing art based on colour, I would suggest selecting a piece that incorporates colours that are already present in the room. This will create a sense of cohesiveness and add to the overall flow of the room. You could use the same colour palette as your room but in different shades, or you could use complimentary shades by referencing the colour wheel. Remember your artwork should not overpower a space, it should make a statement but not take away from all of the other elements of the room.
Selecting art for your home should be fun and once you get a feel for the things you can do with art in a room, the possibilities are endless. Remember to choose pieces that evoke a positive feeling within you. Choose pieces that make your home feel warm, inviting and that makes a statement without overpowering the space.
If you are interested in purchasing one of my paintings, don’t hesitate to get in contact. I would be happy to help you choose the best piece for your home!