A home without art can be bland and depressing. Art brings character into a room and makes that room more inviting. Whether you’re purchasing a piece of art for the living room or hallway, there are some things you need to consider. The following are just a few tips on how to choose pieces for your home art collection.
Buy Because You Like the Piece
Never, ever buy art because you think it will go up in price. Instead, buy a piece because you love it. The piece should be something you know right away will work in the room you’re buying for. Also, just because a piece will work in the room still doesn’t mean it’s the right piece for you. There’s more to buying a piece of art than finding the right colors. If you have any doubts, it’s not the piece for you.
Consider the Colors in the Room You’re Decorating
Colors are an important factor to consider when buying for your home art collection. You want pieces that either work with the colors of the room or that you can design a room around. For example, if you’re decorating an entire room, starting with a beautiful piece of art can be a great inspiration for the whole room. You might draw oranges and reds from a painting of a setting sun or different hues of blue and purple from the sky. On the other hand, if you’re buying a piece to go with items you already have, you want to make sure that colors work in the room. Don’t buy a painting that consists of neon green and pink if the room is filled with colonial furnishings.
Shop for Pieces That Aren’t Necessarily “Art”
Art doesn’t have to be a painting. There are a number of things you can hang on the wall to add an artistic touch to a room. You might decorate a shelf in the room with designer plates or even frame a silk shawl to serve as artwork.
Be Careful of Cost If You Love to Redecorate Often
If you’re the type that loves to redecorate with the change of the seasons, you should consider more affordable pieces of art. For example, you might do groups of smaller pieces to achieve the look you want at a lower price. This will allow you to redecorate often. Another tip is to look for pieces that are fairly neutral, such as black and white photography. This allows you to change other elements in the room, but keep the art.
Purchase Pieces That Speak to You
Last, but not least, when you look at a piece of art it should evoke emotion or make you think. If an art piece is just a painting, it’s not the right piece for you. These are pieces you will see each and every day. Having a piece that draws you in and lets your imagination take you to a different place is wonderful.
Shopping for a home art collection doesn’t have to be difficult. It doesn’t matter what others might think of your art because it’s your home. Purchase the pieces that speak to you, but also work in your home.
About the Author: Bulah Unsell and her husband love to collect different pieces of artwork. Her latest is a piece by Zaria Forman and she’s considering creating a separate photography collection.
