How to decorate and style your home with art
A well-chosen and beautifully displayed artwork, can really bring a room together. Finding, displaying and styling original art in your home is easier than you might think. Here at Drawn Together Art Collective, we have put together a few useful tips on how to style your home with art, in a modern and contemporary way.
Find unique art to display in your home
First you’ll need to find some interesting artworks (or objects) to display in your home. Art is not just confined to paint on canvas. Just go with what you like! Art is very personal and there are no rules.
Buying art direct from artists have never been easier. It can also be more affordable than you might think. Open edition, or even limited edition art prints, are great value for money. Some artists even offer digital downloads for you to print at home, for an instant artwork collection. Online marketplaces, such as Etsy or Not on the High Street, are fantastic websites for supporting small independent designers and artists.
Get creative! Look through the local charity shops. Pages from vintage magazines or maps can look great framed. Repurposed objects can look great displayed on the wall as artworks. It is also worth checking out a local craft fair or independent gift shops. If your budget is slightly larger, visit a local Gallery or Picture Framers, as they will often sell artworks by artists from the local area.
Or for an even more personal touch, use your own photographs, or maybe even some of your own (or your children’s) original drawings or paintings. They will look great framed and mounted!
Get creative with Photos, Maps and Art Prints
How to style and display art in your home
When you have built up a nice collection of artworks, it is time to think about how you want to display them in your home. We have put together a few things worth considering when decorating and styling with art, to help you get started with your home gallery.
Gallery Wall Display
A gallery wall is a great way to display a collection of artworks in your home in a contemporary way. Start by arranging a few different pieces of art that works together. Again there are no rules, just choose whatever you prefer. Some things to consider: Do you want the display to follow a theme? Are you sticking to one, or a mix of colours? Are you going to use matching frames in the same colour, or will they all be different? You might also consider choosing a subject, such architecture, floral or landscapes as a theme for your gallery wall display.
Gallery Wall Display using different coloured frames
Gallery Wall Display with a black and white theme
Arrange art that work together
Gallery wall with a bird and floral theme
Colour
Colour can affect how people feel. It can rejuvenate or calm a space. Think about what colours, themes and textures you like in your home. Some artists sell personalised artworks where you can select the colour scheme. Do you want the artwork to match the main decoration in the room? Or do you want the artwork to create an interesting focal point with a splash of a different colour?
You could pick an accent colour to complement the general decoration in the room, and choose artworks that feature an element of that colour, even if it is subtle. This will give your room a coherent style, without feeling overly styled.
A splash of colour to brighten a white wall
Matching with accent colours in the room
Frames
Think about how you want to frame your artwork. A beautiful frame and mount, can really make an artwork stand out. For artwork in standard sizes (A4, A3 etc) it is easy to find affordable ready off the shelf frames, for more expensive artwork, a good framer is definitely recommended. Some artwork, such as painted wood panels, or repurposed objects, can look great hung without frame. Another interesting alternative to traditional framed picture is to use poster hangers.
Moon print displayed with poster hanger
White minimalist frame
Black and white print with black frame with mount
Scale
It is worth considering scale when it comes to displaying art in your home. Think about getting the balance right, with a mix of larger and smaller pieces. A small artwork on a very large wall might get a little lost. Similarly, a large painting in a small room can feel overpowering. Lots of small artworks can look great together, almost functioning as one object. Get someone to help you hold up different artworks in different areas to see how it looks and makes you feel. Is it right for the space?
Spaces
Consider hanging art in every room in the house. Don’t forget about displaying art in the more unusual spaces in your house. Remember bathrooms, office spaces or any utility rooms. Anywhere you want! Unusual spaces can really be brought to life with the right artwork.
Shelves, mantle pieces, bookcases, etc are also great spaces for creating an instant art display, without damaging the wall. They are also easy to change, if you decide to restyle the room.
Our Top Tips
Art is very personal. Go with what you like!
Buy directly form artists through their website or from local arts and craft fairs
Open edition, or limited edition, prints are great value for money
Use your own photographs
Use repurposed objects on the walls
Display kids’ artwork
If you’re feeling creative, make you own art specifically to suit your home
Display a collection of artworks together in a gallery wall display
Consider using art to complement, or contrast, the colour scheme in your room
Display art in all parts of your home and consider unusual spaces
Carefully choose the frame or hanging style to fit the artwork and space
Get creative and fill you home with art!
Maria and Rebecca