6 Ways to Bring Art Into Your Home

Art is not the first thing most homeowners think first about. And that's okay, getting the essentials like furniture, fixtures, and sprucing it up with just the right paint color is a good start to personalizing any home. Art is like the cherry on top. The finishing touch. So here's some ways to finesse your home with art:

PAINTING AND PRINTS. If you’re going to get wall art, I’m sure you’re going to pick something that is unique and strongly inspires you, no matter the price, right? Mmmmmm, not really. A lot of homeowners purchase wall art that’s cheap and just matches the couch. That’s like a punch in the gut to artists trying to make a living from creating art that takes hundreds of hours, careful color considerations, composition, schooled techniques, research, expensive materials and VOICE. But don’t feel too bad, it’s not like the average artist decorates their whole home with priceless art either.

So yes, you can get original priceless art- AND you can also get prints of that original priceless art too! Most prints won’t come the same size as the original and that's okay. Maybe you can only afford an 8x10 print. Save up for a frame that makes that print look important! Oversize the matboard around it and get an appropriate style to match your room theme and viola. It’s just became the focal point of the room.

Whether original or print...make it personal. Enjoy what you see everyday and get something that inspires you or says something about your values. If you intend on switching out decor seasonally, try renting art. Yes, you can do that and it supports local artists too. You can read more about renting art here.

PHOTOGRAPHS.

You can certainly get that stunning shot from an artistic photographer from Italy because you might not ever get there. AND you can also get family portraits done or pet portraits, or house portraits, or special occasions etc. Please try not to get those multiple photos-in-one-frame sets from Walmart. Frame them each separately and hang them in a photo wall display in your living room, dining room, office, or hallway. They don’t even have to be the same frame….maybe you have an eclectic style going on. You could have a monochromatic color theme or maybe you want a black and white theme, or maybe a super modern theme. There’s so much you can do when you frame the photos separately. Whatever you choose make sure it matches your personality and what you’re doing with the rest of the house.

METAL AND WOOD.

Bring the outside, in. I’m talking about metal and wood art. There are some stunning beautiful creations out there for you to get creative with. Make sure you know which wall, niche, or floor space you want it on before you purchase so you don’t end up with oversized or undersized art.

Always remember to keep these peices in line with your theme, decor, and/or values. "Live, Love, Laugh' on a piece of driftwood might not be the best option in a modern minimalistic home that features brick walls and black metal railings.

SCULPTURE.

This leads me into sculpture. Most people imagine sculpture on a pedestal on the floor. But you can also put sculpture on your wall, and sometimes in frames. But as I mentioned above, you can set it in a niche, or a side table - or maybe it IS a table! I would consider functional pieces to be sculpture as well, such as vases.

KIDS ART.

There’s two ways you can use kids art for your home. You can buy art for your kids room AND you can use your own children’s art in any other room. If you’re going to use your children’s art as décor in your hallways, you can make it look like modern art by making the matboard surrounding it to be about 4 to 6 inches wide, and then frame it in a modern style. Hanging it in pairs, trios, or in any other group display will make anyone a proud parent (and kid!). I know for kids, hanging artwork in any frame and putting it on the wall is super exciting, but choosing to frame it in an adult way and putting it in an adult room or hallway entrance as a feature piece will nearly make your kids pee their pants.

MURALS.

Murals have this insane influence in making you feel like you’re somewhere else. In order to achieve what you want, it’s important to get a professional to do this for you. Yes, it is expensive and it’s not for everyone but if its what you really want, you may need to consider payment options with the artist or just saving up for it. You could also have a chalkboard wall that you can change up if you’re really creative (or have kids who are). My favorite interior mural artist right now is Flor Chedufau (in picture). She creates an oasis that takes you to tropical places!

And if you think a personalized mural isn't for you, Wallpaper is a great option.