How to Choose Art for Your Home 

The art you display in your home plays a significant role in the interior design and overall atmosphere of a space. Curating a selection of artworks for your home looks great and allows you to appreciate your favorite pieces every day.

The art you choose to display in your home can influence a room’s entire look and feel. But knowing how to select and curate art to display in your house takes some consideration. 
 

The biggest and most common mistake you could make when choosing artwork is leaving it as an afterthought. When chosen carefully, and considering other interiors, art can completely transform a space and put your personal stamp on a room.

While there are some best practices you can follow, there is no “right” or “wrong” art for your home. Art is highly subjective, so above all, you should choose art that you love.

How to Pick Out Art for Your Home

Finding artwork that you like is the first step to curating a collection. If you’re unsure what type of art you want or what your art “style” is, you’ll need to start by doing some exploration and research.

To start learning about different types of art, you should visit exhibits and local galleries. Viewing different kinds of artwork will help you decide what styles you like and don’t like. 

Exploring different art styles is the first step to understanding what type of art you are drawn to and might want to display in your home. 

But remember, while you may admire certain pieces in galleries, they may not always work well in your space. A bright bustling painting may look fantastic on a white gallery wall but will clash if you have a busy floral wallpaper.

Consider how artwork blends with your interior style. If you have Victorian-inspired interiors, you may want to match them with artwork from the same era. 

With antique interiors, contemporary art may look out of place. But if your style is more modern and eclectic, you may want to mix and match artwork from entirely different styles and periods. 

Ideally, the artwork is planned simultaneously when you decide on the other decor in a room. However, it’s often the case that you will add to your art collection over time and have already designed your other interiors.

In a situation where you’ve already completely decorated your space, your artwork will need to work with the rest of the decor. 

For mostly neutral interiors, colorful art can be a great way to infuse vibrancy into your space. But if you already have plenty of colors or patterns in a room, you may want to look at more subdued art pieces.

The amount of space you have will also dictate the type of art you choose and how many pieces you may want. Many homeowners will stick with wall art such as paintings or photography for their houses, but it’s possible to decorate with smaller sculptures as well. 
 

How to Choose Wall Art

When choosing your wall art, you should look for pieces that speak to you. The average person won’t be choosing art for their home as an investment. 

Without expert knowledge, most people won’t predict which artworks will go up in value. Instead, it would be best to choose art for your home based on what you will enjoy. 

Choosing Art for Different Spaces

It’s crucial to consider the relationship between a piece of artwork and its surroundings. Art should “work” in the space, but it does not have to match a space. 

For example, if your area is muted and minimal, you may want your artwork to be a striking contrast of vibrant color, making it the focal part of a room. 

Different spaces around your home will serve different purposes and have different ambiances. If you’re curating a relaxing mediation space, you may prefer artwork with a soothing or serene scene.

But if you’re in a room where you entertain, you might gravitate towards artwork that is bold, dramatic, and uplifting. An interesting or even confronting piece of art can be an excellent conversation starter in entertaining spaces.

How to Choose Wall Decor for Living Room

The living room or dining room is usually the focal point of the house and the place where you will usually host guests. It is, therefore, quite common to put the largest and most striking pieces of art on display in this room.

Art shown in entertaining areas speaks not just to you but to your guests. It makes a statement about your interior style, and by extension, alludes to your personality. 

Art displayed in living areas could make a political or social statement or allude to your interests or hobbies. For example, if you love to travel, you may choose art that depicts different cities or destinations, such as Calman Shemi’s “Roma” Or, you may select a piece of pop art or an original mixed media artwork that features your favorite celebrity, such as “Mike Tyson Swinging Punch” by Alec Monopoly.

Living rooms are often one of the largest spaces in a home and can accommodate several pieces of art. People who favor minimal interiors often gravitate towards a single large piece of artwork. Maximalists may prefer several smaller pieces, triptychs, or a gallery wall.

If you’re choosing a single piece of artwork for your living room, it’s advisable to select a bigger piece. A larger size prevents the artwork from becoming lost on a large wall in a big room. A large, striking painting like Calman Shemi’s “Silver Notes – Nashville Country” can be the centerpiece in a modern living room aesthetic.
 

If you decide to go with a gallery wall, photography makes a popular choice. Black and white photographs work well with a modern minimalist aesthetic or in apartments. Photographs like Herve Lewis’s Beauty and the Elephant work well in both houses and apartments and can be displayed alone or on a gallery wall.

The pressure to choose the “right” piece for a living room can make the process overwhelming. Remember that although you will entertain in this space, you are still the person who will see the art every day, so choose something you love first and foremost. 

How to Choose Wall Art for a Bedroom

The bedroom is a haven that’s more private. Therefore, art in the bedroom is often more personal or symbolic. A bedroom is also a place of relaxation, so pieces in these rooms are often more muted or use soothing tones. 
 

A large landscape piece of art makes a great alternative to a headboard when placed centered behind the bed. Alternatively, placing a beautiful piece of art opposite the bed allows you to admire it when you begin and end your day.

How to Choose Art for a Hallway or Entranceway

Hallways and entranceways are suitable spaces for smaller pieces of art. If you like to collect lots of small paintings or photographs, then a gallery wall in the hallway is a perfect place to display them. 
 

An entranceway is usually a small space, but one you shouldn’t forget when displaying art. It’s lovely to be greeted with beautiful artwork when you first enter a home, and entranceways often make good spaces for portrait or vertical paintings. 

How to Choose Art for a Kitchen or Bathroom

When it comes to displaying art, kitchens and bathrooms often get forgotten. Displaying art in these smaller spaces can certainly be tricky, as these rooms are prone to humidity, grease, and splashes. Placement is critical in these rooms, don’t hang art in areas where it may get damaged.

Art in metal frames is often better suited to humidity than wood. You should also avoid art that is framed under glass as this may get damaged by condensation.

Ceramic artwork, decorative arts, vinyl artwork, and smaller sculptures can work well in bathrooms or kitchens. It’s also a popular choice to display art that ties to the purpose of these rooms. For example, choosing an artwork that features food for the kitchen or a perfume bottle like “Red Coco” by Plum in the powder room. 
 

Consider the Lighting

Consider the lighting of a room and how your artwork will be affected by it. A bright piece will want good light, so the colors are seen to their best ability, but you’ll need to ensure art is appropriately framed and protected before putting it in direct sunlight. Sculptures also benefit from some surrounding lighting so they can show off to their full potential.

Express Yourself 

Displaying art at home gives your space character and helps you express your taste and style. 

There are no set rules for decorating a home, but following these basic instructions will help you choose the perfect art for your personality and your space. 

Remember to consider the artwork’s size, style, colors, theme, inspiration, and the space of the room you are decorating. But don’t get too caught up in interior rules; try to enjoy the process of finding something new and exciting for your space! The options are limitless.  

For more inspiration, see how some of our collectors have placed artwork from Eden Gallery in their homes.