I grew up surrounded by art, old and new, as both my parents collected pieces they loved and wanted to place in our home. As ai grew I developed my own passion for creating art, first as a shoe designer (a very sculptural subject matter!) and now as an artist in my own right. I can’t imagine how dull it would be to live in a world where creative expression, whether through making art or bringing art into your home, didn’t bring colour and vibrancy to our lives. Art not only adds interest to a blank space of wall but adds a note of your unique spirit and style, so be bold and seek out something special to fill the gap.
Here’s how to start the process of finding your way:
Colour brings joy
Don’t allow yourself to be frightened of colour or ruled by your current colour scheme. A strong injection of colour is a simple and easy way to bring immense joy and character to a room and often adds that final touch that completes a scheme. Colour clashes can work too, it’s sometimes the artwork you expect to work least that actually fits perfectly.
Fall in love with it
There is no wrong or right when it comes to choosing art for your home, it’s down to your personal taste. Buy art that you connect with, whether you simply love it and it brings you joy, or it has a special connection to your life.
Always buy what excites you, not what you think you should buy because it’s trendy or ‘collectible’. It’s not beneficial to be sensible when buying art. If it doesn’t light a little spark inside you then don’t buy it. If a fire rages in your chest then don’t hesitate - buy it there and then!
Be bold
As much as I love a gallery wall, filled with interesting small works, I believe nothing finishes a space better than a large-scale picture. A bold piece will bring colour, atmosphere and character to a room.
Ignore trends
The last thing you want is your house ending up like a clone of your Instagram feed. Most likely it will look outdated within a year. Whilst Instagram and Pinterest are helpful for generating ideas, their algorithms also churn out a lot of the same old thing. Research art online and shop for it in person.
Follow art advisors, charity collectives and online art curations. There are art experts out there who constantly share the work of up-and-coming artists. Follow them for fresh ideas. Here are three of my favourites: @artforcharitycollective, @theauctioncollective, and @partnershipeditions.
Also check out The Other Art Fair, Manchester Art Fair (November) and Fresh Art Fair. Really importantly, visit local art galleries. Every art gallery is owned by someone who loves, lives and breathes art and can’t wait to talk about how to introduce art to your home with you. They are kind and welcoming and absolutely ready to help you find your way in discovering what you love and what you want in your home.
Think outside the frame
Art is represented in a huge array of genres, styles and mediums and there are endless ways to display it. Decide if you’d like to collect art that is in keeping with the period style of your home or whether you’d like to juxtapose with contemporary pieces. Sculpture is a wonderful way of adding a new dimension to a room as it can provide a centrepiece or fill an awkward space. Textile art and ceramics are enjoying a real resurgence at the moment. A wall hanging adds texture and softness to a room, whilst ceramics provide immense character and a nod to natural tones and hand-crafted finishes. Rather than sticking to the same type of art in one room, collecting different styles and mediums adds unique character, warmth and enhances the mood of a room. Lighting is also key, try to make sure you have planned suitable illumination for the artworks, it’s so worth consulting a professional to help with this.
Think outside the paintbox
Wall art extends far beyond paint on paper – as my own approach demonstrates, which is a blend of digitally created images then embellished with hand-stitching or other media.
However you choose to bring art to your home, make sure it’s chosen with love and it will continue to provide pleasure for years to come.
