Art has the power to create conversation, evoke emotion and bring energy to a space unlike any other home decor item. In our humble opinion, this is one area in the interior design sphere that you should aim to get right. Let’s dive into 5 helpful tips for choosing art for your home.

1. BUY WHAT YOU LOVE

You will be walking by the art every…single….day, so please, don’t worry about what other people think! Pick out what you love and go for it. Are you a traditional landscape person? Perfect. Dive into some classic landscapes by artists such as George Inness, Albert Bierstadt or explore the American Southwest art prints by Maynard Dixon. Prefer abstract shapes and marks that make you say, hmmm? Super. Check out Juan Gris, Alexej Von Jawlensky or maybe art by Franz Marc. Or are you passionate about something specific, such as a particular dog breed? That’s awesome too. Add a touch of dog art to your space. Your home should be an expression of who you are, and what better way to demonstrate that than with personally curated art?

2. CONSIDER THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE ROOM

Not that we’re saying you can’t hang a print of a Civil War battle in your bedroom, but you may want to consider the type of feel you’d like to contribute to the space. Is your bedroom a relaxing sanctuary? Then you may want to try something a bit more soothing, such as a print of a bouquet of flowers or even an impressionist landscape painting. Want to add art to your bathroom? Perhaps it’s a good idea to skip the paintings of food and move towards subjects such as Degas’ ladies bathing, or even prints of classic seashore paintings. Whatever your decision, just keep in mind that art has a presence of it’s own and will sway your room’s feel one way or another.

3. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ARTIST

When you take the time to find out more about the history of an artist the knowledge can provide you with a deeper perspective into the methodology of how the artist created the art, or shed light on the reasons why an artist chose a particular subject matter. Furthermore, researching the history behind a particular work of art will not only give you the opportunity to share the newly found knowledge at your next dinner party, inevitably impressing all of your guests, but it will likely make you fall in love with the work even more. (*Visit our art stories blog section to learn more about some of your favorite artists!)

4. MIX IT UP

Have contemporary furniture but your heart draws you to colonial portraiture art? No problem. Feel free to combine the old with the new. It often creates more interest in a space if the periods of your decor are mixed rather than just matched and it also prevents your art from getting lost in the overall interior design of the room. And, as you collect your mixed art over time from travels, antique shops, online art sources, etc, the genuine artistic choices you make will tell your story. We think that’s always a good idea.

5. KEEP THE PHYSICAL DETAILS OF THE ART IN MIND

Just buying art because you love it is a great way to know what you should be hanging in your home, but if it turns out to be too small for the intended space, or too big, then it won’t fit no matter how much you love it. Pay attention to the overall size of the art (*remember that listed sizes of frames are the interior dimensions) as well as the orientation of the work, vertical vs. horizontal (or portrait vs. landscape). One more thing to keep in mind is how the art is assembled. Is it stretched canvas? A fine art paper print framed behind glass? Which do you prefer? Here’s a great resource about the differences between canvas and paper prints.

As always, if you need help with choosing the best art for your space, let us know! We’re happy to help.