Choosing artwork to adorn the walls is an essential finishing touch to creating a comfortable and tasteful space. Far too often, people neglect this important detail, resulting in a room that feels unpolished and discordant. This is true even for rooms that are otherwise well furnished. Avoid this home decoration faux pas with these tips on how to choose wall art.
Choose the Right Size
The size of your art should be selected based on the amount of empty space on the wall, rather than the size of the room or wall alone. Certainly, bigger pieces will usually be better suited to bigger rooms, but a large piece in a room that already contains multiple large pieces of furniture or bookshelves may make the space seem crowded.
Conversely, smaller rooms that are sparsely decorated can accommodate a larger piece of wall art. One large piece can replace multiple smaller ones for a sense of cohesion, or additional smaller pieces can be added to fill in large gaps. The convention here is that your art should fill 50-75% of the empty space on your wall.
Go With a Theme
If you were to describe your home’s décor using only one word, what would it be? Rustic, modern, yellow, seaside, industrial, cozy? A good rule of thumb in how to choose wall art is to hang pieces that bring that same word to mind.
The art you select will have a direct effect on the mood of the room as well. Do you want people to feel, for example, warm, comfortable, nostalgic, solemn, lively? The feelings that are evoked by the paintings on your walls will go a long way toward how they perceive the space, and the expectations they have of how to behave in it.
Be True to Your Taste
Don’t forget one of the weightiest considerations of all: whatever art you choose, you’ll be looking at it every day. Make sure you like it! Although it seems this should go without saying, it is not uncommon for people to choose art that matches their home’s color scheme or theme perfectly, only to find that they are indifferent to or even annoyed by the art itself.
A timeless work that you feel personally drawn to is always a better choice than a trendy contemporary piece that may lose its appeal with the ever-shifting sands of fashion. The art on your walls should reflect elements of your personality. What do you want people to think about you when they visit your home?
The Frame is Part of the Artwork
Putting a poorly-matched frame onto a work of art is a mistake that can cheapen and undermine the perception of even the most masterful pieces. If you choose to frame your art, take pictures of the space in which you intend to hang it to show the framer. This will help them guide your choice to select a frame that complements both the art and the room it decorates.
The Power of Lighting
The type of lighting you choose to illuminate your art will determine how much attention people pay to it, or whether or not they notice it at all. For rooms with only one central light fixture, art can seem to blend into the walls and escape the eye. If this is not the desired effect, you’ll want to consider upgrading your lighting fixtures to better showcase your pieces.
Options to that effect include free-standing floor lamps, studio lights with movable cans, LED track lighting, sconces, or anything else you might imagine. Dimmer switches on lights for your art can help you determine whether you want your art to take center stage or play a supporting role at any particular time. The color of the bulbs will have an effect on how the art is perceived as well. Galleries usually choose soft white light to showcase art. If you prefer a more yellow light in your space, just be sure to view the art you intend to purchase under the same color of light.
For professional and personalized guidance in selecting art and other home furnishings, contact us at Albarado’s Fine Furnishings for a complimentary design consultation. We are happy to assist you with the top-quality service and individual attention that has placed us among the top interior design services in Lafayette, LA.
Only at Albarado’s.