The power of art can have a truly transformative effect on your home, and yet many of us feel like we don’t really understand it or know how to use it for maximum impact. Choosing great pieces for your home and displaying them properly does more than merely introduce a splash of colour to a neutral scheme - it can set the tone and personality for your space, define the mood of a room and make you really love your home. Art in the home is there to be loved and to make a statement, but if you’ve never gotten further than the posters you bought in university, where do you begin? Can you find original art at affordable prices? And how do you choose a piece that complements the room?
Match The Space
As art is such a statement, it can feel daunting to get it right. Think about the space you are selecting a piece for, and what feeling you want to achieve. Is it an airy, bright space? Something minimal which needs some energy introducing? A restful space? Also think about how you use the space - what are you likely to be doing in there? Complementing the space that you have with the art that you choose creates a good balance. Be conscious of the situation that you’re hanging your art in - you don’t want too large a print that will overwhelm a smaller space, or conversely, a small print that gets lost on a huge expanse of wall. It's all about balance when it comes to selecting the size and shape of the canvas you choose.
Consider The Framing
Don’t forget to factor in the frame as well as the picture itself - this can also have an impact. You can find a huge selection online these days, particularly with a specialist supplier such as Best4Frames. Whether it's a sleek black shadow frame or something a little more ornate, it's another way to add interest and complement the art piece.
Keep It Limited
Many automatically think that original art is going to be out of their price range, but there are now lots of websites and events dedicated to sourcing affordable original art. Limited edition prints can be an accessible way to find something a cut above the prints on offer at Dunelm, and if you find an artist whose work you like you can begin to build a collection of their work. Look for low edition sizes and you may be able to purchase something that grows in value over time.
Create a Gallery Wall
A really easy, impactful way to define a space is to create a gallery wall, where you group pictures together by theme or by colour and hang them in an arrangement altogether. There are even premade gallery wall templates that you can buy and download to give a cohesive, well-designed look. Keep the spacing between your pictures consistent but don’t be afraid to mix portrait and landscape and hang them at different heights. It’s often nice to introduce some contrasts as well, but make sure there is one element which ties everything together.
