How to Choose the Right Art for Your Home

Katelyn Aguilera / October 4, 2019

One of the best parts of having your own space is the freedom to decorate as you wish. Whether you want your home to have a sophisticated look or just want to add a little bit of flair, you can enhance your home with the right artwork.

You may have spent time and money buying the right furniture and decor, but the right wall art will tie your room together and give it a finished look.

The art you select is something you look at every day, so it must be pleasing to you and your family members. You may want to consider the emotion the art could invoke and any memories you or guests can relate to in the pieces you choose.

Room Design

Many homeowners choose their artwork based on the design of the room it will be in. However, you may find the perfect art piece and design a room around it. Either approach can work, but remember to consider the following factors:

Color is essential. If the room is already decorated, take a few well-lit pictures or color samples with you when looking for art. If you have chosen the artwork and want to change the color of the room, take a picture with you when choosing wall paint or wallpaper.
Size impacts the way the art is presented, as a small piece may feel lost on a large wall. Larger pieces are generally more effective in rooms such as a living room, entryways or bedroom. Small, hidden spaces can be made more interesting by adding small artworks.
The frame needs to fit into the overall style of the room. It can be helpful, when trying to tie an art piece into a room’s decor, to choose a frame matching some aspect of the room. This could mean color, style or material.

Your Artistic Taste

Above all, the pieces of art you choose must appeal to your taste. If you have not had much experience with art before, you could use this as an opportunity to learn about your preferences. Visit a few local art galleries, taking notes of which pieces you like and why. You can purchase items while you are at the gallery or you can find similar artwork for a lower price online or in a retail store.

It is important to remember your taste does not have to be limited to more traditional artwork. Landscape pictures and colorful abstracts might be common choices, but you may feel drawn to something unusual. You might enjoy artwork made of alternative materials, or maybe even three-dimensional pieces.

Your personal experiences could help you to make choices. While you might not want to put up vacation photograph prints, you might find an artwork reminding you of a vacation or another happy memory. You could look for art reflecting another of your interests in some way, even if it is a subtle influence.

Coordination or Contrast

Although color, period and style are important when buying artwork, you do not have to treat these as strict requirements. Your artwork can reflect the colors of the walls and furnishings around it, but choosing a piece in a contrasting color can make the art stand out as a focal point in the room.

If you have decorated your room with a period in mind, having a contrasting style of artwork can be effective. You might choose to mix the period of different art pieces within the same room, such as a modern abstract sculpture with a traditional painting.

You can even choose to contrast the artwork with your decorating style. Having an assortment of pieces in a minimalist room could be interesting. A dark and intense piece may stand out in a room decorated in a more gentle and comfortable style.

Different Rooms

The purpose of the room where you intend to hang the art can affect your choice. For example, some art can be energetic and vibrant, making you feel excited and awake. Art of this nature would be far more appropriate to an entryway or kitchen than a bedroom.

Sometimes, these choices may be obvious. Other times, you might need to take time to consider the piece before making a final determination. If you have a few different rooms where a piece might work, consider hanging it in each one for a few days and seeing how it makes you feel in different locations.

Other Art Pieces

Depending on the style you are aiming for, you may want to have several pieces of art in the same room. In this case, it is important to keep the pieces you have already decided on in mind when considering each new addition.

Alternatively, you could use the theme of the room to plan your purchases and have each piece of art reflect a different element of your design. Remember to consider how you plan on displaying the pieces in your home:

A gallery wall involves several pieces of different sizes grouped together on a single wall. Play around with additions, perhaps having a few focal pieces and some smaller or more simple pieces for balance.
A set or pair of artwork might be by the same artist, or simply complementary. These could be placed in matching frames and displayed alongside one another for a calming effect.
Contrasting pieces can create an interesting effect, such as a hanging fabric artwork on one wall and a shelf of three-dimensional artworks on another.