Art Series - Part ll
selecting art for your home
Don’t mind the cup and camo pj’s on the table, or the Lego instruction book on the chair and the dog kennel in the background -sometimes the light feels just perfect and I snap a pic without taking the time to stage anything.
The piece over the mantle is a favorite find of mine. It’s a vintage Van Gogh print, probably circa 1960ish. It’s not worth a whole lot monetarily, but I love how it looks and feels in the space.
I won’t rehash all that I said last week, if you want to read it, click here. The main point is art plays an important role in our homes, and it can come from lots of different places and be lots of different things.
Every room should typically have a combination of pieces - you might have a large scale piece, a grouping of smaller pieces, a mirror and maybe throw in a three dimensional object. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, it’s just usually the best way to bring scale and interest to a space.
So, let’s talk about large art pieces first. These are usually the most costly and important to get right. Remember that you want to try to make sure that what you choose plays the role you want it to in the room - not too loud or divergent from the overall color scheme.
Here are some budget friendly ideas for large art:
- Oversize mat and frame a smaller picture - the blank space creates interest.
- Blow up a large family picture
- Shop printable download websites like - juniper print shop, museum quality art, and society six. Michaels and Hobby Lobby are a great way to source large pre-made frames.
If you are looking to invest a little more, shop local art galleries or find local artists who you can commission to create something personal and custom for your space. I love doing custom pieces and botanicals are always a great neutral statement in a room. Also, Chairish is a place I like to browse for special, collectable art.
There are lots of ways to arrange a group of smaller pieces. Depending on your room configuration, you’ll likely need several smaller pieces for smaller walls, and maybe a large grouping of small pics on a more expansive wall.
Here are some ideas for smaller scale art and arrangements -
Antique or vintage lithograph pieces are widely available on Etsy. You could do birds, plants, pretty much anything you find yourself drawn to is available. I love to do a grid of similar pieces all framed the same.
A gallery wall of smaller pieces is not as easy as it looks to pull off. This is better left to a professional, but a well done gallery wall is always a favorite. A good idea is to start collecting similar pieces of art that you are drawn to in a somewhat similar color scheme. Ideally, you’ll want to mix and match different periods - abstracts, realism, etc.
Small family pictures and candid shots are a must in any home. A great way to bring a sense of cohesion to a group of pictures is to frame them all the same and use slightly oversized mats.
Lastly, let’s talk about mirrors and three dimensional objects. Usually the angles of a room and all the rectangular or square art call for an addition of something with softer edges. This could take the form of a round mirror, a special set of plates, or candle sconce…I recently saw this one and now I want to add it somewhere in my house.:) There are LOTS of options when it comes to adding in interesting objects. I love Lauren Leiss’ use of what looks like part of a tree root featured on the front of her new book. Basically, if you can figure out how to get it on the wall, it can be art.
There are so many places to source beautiful art. These ideas are really just scratching the surface, but I hope this offers some inspiration and gets you thinking about how you can make your home personal and unique.
- Amy
