A home is not just a floor and four walls; it is your sanctuary, where you spend a lot of time, and it should feel comfortable and inspiring. Art can transform your living space, elevating it to a new level of sophistication, detail, and refinement. Whether a classical portrait or a stunning abstract artwork, the right art piece can add character to your home, no matter its style and décor. Throughout the existence of humanity, art has been used to express emotions and explore concepts, and research has shown a connection between creativity and happiness.
So, if art promotes wellbeing, that’s a good enough reason to incorporate it into your home and let it enrich the quality of your life. However, homeowners often struggle to choose the right piece of art for their home. But fret not – we’ve got you covered. Below, we provide 6 tips on what to consider before buying art for your living space. Read on!
Consider the feel of the room
The best part about art is that there aren’t any rules to what you should and shouldn’t buy. It is all subjective because everyone appreciates different kinds of art pieces. Hence, you should always select art by considering your personal preferences and what a particular piece makes you feel when you look at it. For instance, if you’re drawn to art created solely for its artistic expression, you can start looking for fine art for sale online and buy a piece that evokes certain emotions.
That said, if you don’t know where to start when buying art, consider the tone you’d like to set in a specific room, whether cozy, dramatic, sophisticated, soothing, and so on. If you want to create a sense of calm in a bedroom for guests, choosing an abstract print in soothing tones makes sense. On the other hand, an interesting landscape would be the perfect addition to the living room, as this is the place where conversation and connections happen. A bright piece of art would be perfect in a busy kitchen, making the space much livelier and inviting. You get the idea – the key is to find art that complements the rooms in your home.
Pay attention to the color palette
The room’s color palette will determine what artwork would fit in the design. To achieve a seamless look, consider artwork that includes one or two of the room’s accent colors. Don’t be afraid to play with tone and shades, as this will add depth to the room’s decorative scheme.
Or maybe you want to use artwork to make a statement in the home, and in this case, you should go bold but make sure to keep it within reason. Opt for a piece (or two or three pieces) with different yet complementary shades to the other colors of the room. For instance, if there are many soothing greens in the room, opting for artwork featuring accents of black and rich terracotta makes sense.
Decide how many artwork pieces you will buy
Do you want one piece of artwork? Or maybe two or three? Whatever the case, you should know the right number of prints you desire before actually shopping for art. This can be a confusing business, but it largely depends on the size of the wall in your home as well as what other elements are there.
For instance, a large artwork would be the ideal choice for a room with a sparse wall and a few furnishings. Suppose you want to hang art above the bedhead or a sofa; in this case, you can buy two or three smaller art pieces or a larger one – it’s all up to you as long as the arrangement doesn’t run beyond the furniture’s width. Just remember that if you decide to hang multiple pieces together, leaving a few centimeters between each of them is essential to ensure they look good.
Be mindful of the size and shape
Many people struggle when choosing artwork for their homes because they don’t know what size and shape the artwork should be to fit the space properly. Luckily, there are some tips that can help. If you plan to incorporate the art piece into a room with a plain wall with no furniture, the artwork should take up about 50 to 70 % of the wall space.
Suppose you’re planning to place the framed art above a piece of furniture, like a console table or a sofa. It should be about 60% to 75% of the furniture’s length (never wider than the furniture piece below it). The piece of art should be placed so that the center is at your eye height, and if you hang art pieces in the same room, they should be hung at the same height.
Think about your budget
Artwork prices vary greatly, and oftentimes, more costly pieces involve hidden costs as well. When buying artwork, it’s essential to consider account sales tax, auction house fees, or shipping(in case you purchase out of state). Furthermore, keep in mind that many pieces will require custom framing, and you need to give a call to a frame shop and provide them with the correct size to ensure you will get a rough estimate.
The best way to approach this process is to collect your favorite artists’ small studies, as they can start at $30, allowing you to collect an original piece at a reasonable price. Alternatively, consider buying posters and prints, which tend to be less costly. When it comes to prints and editions, the best approach is to either get a lower-value print and a high edition number by famous artists or an affordable print and a low edition number by new artists.
Trust your instincts
While factors such as budget, space, and the home’s design color palette are essential, ultimately, buying artwork is a personal decision, so you should trust your instincts and go with the piece that speaks to you. At the core, art is about feeling—it represents a private conversation between you and the artwork.
When art speaks to you, it can influence your mood, shift the home’s energy, and add joy to your home and your life. Art isn’t only a décor item – it’s a breathing part of your living space, so you can’t go wrong if you choose the piece that makes your heart sing.
The bottom line
Art can transform your home into a soothing environment and positively influences your mood. With the tips above, you will choose art that speaks to you and makes your living space feel refined and unique.