Choosing Artwork for Your Home

Is it me or is everyone becoming more artistically talented? I’ve known people for decades and suddenly, they’re taking painting classes and I’m amazed at what I see. Such talent.

Original artwork is a huge treat when you can find paintings or art pieces that resonate with you and your aesthetic. 

Here are some helpful tips when choosing artwork for your home.

1. Use artwork as a beginning point for your interior decor 

If you’re uncertain about your aesthetic or style, artwork can help if you find a piece you simply adore. What piece of art do you connect with? Why? Colors? Style? Framing?  with you? If there’s a dominant color in your artwork, it may be helpful in creating an overall color palette for a room. 

2. Choose artwork that sets a mood of a room · 

I’m eclectic in my taste in artwork. Two decades ago, I commissioned portraits of my  three children from a man who lived about 20 miles from where we lived. I was convinced by a wiser, more mature woman that I should have each child painted separately. Why? So that they each could have the portrait of themselves later in life as opposed to fighting over one of the three of them. Was it more expensive? Yes. Was it worth it? YES!

To this day, if my place was on fire, they are the three things I would take from my home. Nothing matters more to me than these portraits. 

Obviously a professional portrait is more costly than finding less personal pieces from other sources, but to me it was worth the investment. Portraits are more traditional forms of artwork and I live in a very old building (1819) in Boston, so it fits the space perfectly. I also love sculpture and even furniture pieces that are works of art. They can co-exist together.  

3. Consider your budget

We all have to be careful when considering our budget for artwork. I recently worked with a client who literally had nothing on her walls. Nothing. I was under a very tight deadline and opted to go to retailers to attempt to find the right kind of artwork to fill her walls and evoke a mood she was seeking. Color was a big consideration and in the end (within five weeks) we had all artwork chosen and hung. 

Artwork needs to meet you where you are. Budget is a consideration for most of us. Invest in what you can and what you love and seek places to find art as well (see number 4).

4. Shop for art in . . .

Beyond the portraits I had commissioned when my children were two, four and five – I’ve not spent significant dollars on artwork. Instead, I’ve had great success at Homegoods, Minted, second hand and consignment or thrift stores. Flea markets and estate sales are also great places to negotiate for original and large-scale artwork (when you have a wall that needs a large piece of art to fill it). 

Attending student art shows or local craft shows are great opportunities to find unique artwork. Etsy and Facebook Marketplace are also excellent places to look for artwork. I purchased two Asian shutters on Facebook Marketplace for $25. You read that correctly. I recently went to a consignment store and found a similar pair for hundreds of dollars. Shop around and you could get a great bargain on something you love. 

5. Size matters

Consider your wall size and determine if one large piece of artwork might work better than several small pieces. Sometimes that’s the case, and sometimes it’s not. The teenage daughter of a client of mine recently turned photos of her travels into a gallery wall using black and white photos with white mats and gold frames. Her wall looks fabulous and the total cost of the project (not counting the travel expense of course) was $140. That’s a brilliant idea to fill a large space on a budget. 

Larger art pieces can be found at any of the above mentioned places (see 4) and don’t have to break the bank. Of course, if you love original artwork and don’t mind investing in a piece of art that will last a lifetime and then some, go for it! 

Final things to consider.

Hanging artwork is an art and the biggest mistake I see people make is to hang artwork too high. I realize I’m 5’ 2” and most adults are taller than I am, but eye level is an appropriate height to hang artwork. Also, if doing a gallery wall (of like sized artwork, or not) keep items tighter together. There’s often too much space between pieces and it can look “choppy” not fluid. 

Layer your artwork by thinking beyond paintings and photographs. A mantel could have multiple “layers” of small plants or flowers, candles, leather bound books, mirror and artwork. Sculptures, artifacts, plants, coffee table books, etc. add visual interest and offer an artistic quality to a room. I was so fortunate to have found four ornately carved trunks that someone purchased on a trip to China that he donated to a local thrift store.  I walked in on a Friday afternoon and saw them and immediately knew I had to have them all – for $210. I’m certain this man paid in the thousands of dollars for them when he purchased them and had them shipped here. They are in a corner of my living room and make a statement (as well as being useful to store out of season items). 

I’d love to see your artwork – please send it along and with your permission, and I’ll post it to my Instagram and Facebook pages @nancymichaelsinteriors.