Art can change the entire look and feel of a room.  

But you don’t have to be an art expert or collector to have beautiful pieces in your home. Art shouldn’t be intimidating, it should be exciting. 

Have you ever gone to a museum or gallery with a friend? When you come up to a particular painting, one of you may sigh in admiration, and the other might shrug with disinterest. Art is highly personal, and the same should be true of the art in your home. 

Where should you put art?

Walk into the room in question with your eyes closed, then open your eyes – where do they land first? That is likely where you will want to put a statement piece. Art can become a focal point of a room, so it makes sense to put it where your eye is naturally drawn.

Hanging art at eye or sitting level creates intimacy. Hanging “low” also helps to create a sense of space and height, even in smaller rooms. Another rule of thumb is to hang art about 4-6” above the top of furniture – for example, above a couch in the living room. 

And don’t forget about the bathroom! Bathrooms are a great place to hang smaller, quirker pieces. 

Choose your art first.

If you can, select at least one piece of art before you begin painting and decorating. It can be something you already have, or a piece you purchase specifically for the room. 

The art will influence the entire mood and colour palette. 

Wall colours should be chosen to compliment the piece. Consider how the piece is matted and framed, so the wall and the art are not competing against each other. For example, these two pieces are both unmatted, so a more neutral wall colour allows them to shine. 

This piece has a white frame, so putting it against a smooth accent wall in a complimentary colour makes the jagged texture stand out. 

Furniture and accent decor can bring elements of the piece throughout the rest of the room to pull everything together – both through texture, and colour. Contrasting accents can make the piece pop even more. 

For example, this client selected a gorgeous natural scene, with the bright blues and rich greens of a forested lake. The natural brown leather compliments this woodsy piece perfectly, and the yellow accent pillow draws the unexpected yellow hues from the painting to bring a cohesive yet contrasting pop of colour. 

What kind of art should you choose? 

The most important thing to consider when selecting pieces is: do you love it?

Ultimately, you will be the one looking at these pieces for years to come – not an art expert, or a gallery owner, or the editor of a home design magazine. If you love a piece, then it belongs in your home! 

There are lots of options to choose from when you are purchasing art. Original works are fantastic investments for an area of your home you spend a lot of time in. Enhanced prints on canvas, and framed prints are great ways to purchase art you love without the high price tag that originals rightfully command. Photography prints can be beautiful in a gallery wall, mixed with textures and other framed and unframed art pieces to create interest. 

Consider the other pieces that will adorn your room. For example, the abstract piece over this client’s couch matches the frame on the oversized, enhanced print, effortlessly bringing that metallic interest from one side of the room to the other.

No matter what type of art you choose, it should reflect your unique personality and tastes. 

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