How to display art in a cool way

Chloe Hines Chloe Hines
Casa di Juhana, Maurizio Giovannoni Studio Maurizio Giovannoni Studio Salones escandinavos
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Finding the perfect works of art for your home can be difficult enough. One easy way to fix this problem is to choose art that you have had the pleasure of creating, or photographs you've taken over the years.  However, if you've found the perfect piece of work, or attached yourself to one particular artist – then buy it! 

What we will discuss here is what to do once it's bought!  Deciding on how to properly display your art might be one of the hardest decisions you have, interior design-speaking. Choosing the right frame, the right wall, the right angle and the right light is a skill learned through time and what speaks to you aesthetically.  Also, the care of your art will need to be considered as well – think about sun exposure and how accessible it is to the younger ones in you home.

In this ideabook, we have several suggestions on how to make the art work in your home beautiful, successful and truly standout pieces – from large format, to replacing windows – art is a must-have in your wonderful abode.

For more inspiration, check out Mexican designers, Clorofilia to see ways in which artwork can change your home.

Filling Out the Space

If you've ever had a wall, or several walls, that just seemed so large and stark that you were left wondering what to do with them – use art! Sometimes homeowners assume that with larger walls that you should use larger art – however, that is not always the case.  Think more about several medium-sized prints or a lot of smaller-sized prints. The easiest part about this is that the more different styles and sizes you use , the better the design!

As seen in this room – none of the prints are of the same subject matter, or even in the same colour-scheme, yet the eclecticism of it all totally makes it work! Grab all of those random prints you have rolled up – put them on the ground (either framed, or not) and decide on the layout before you start hanging!

For another great example of using even smaller prints to cover more space, check out this example!

Big Format

Larger prints in big format will work with larger, bright spaces, like seen here. Without this large canvas, this room would look rather stark and bland.  Make sure when choosing larger pieces that they are, in fact, statement pieces. This doesn't necessarily mean that it has to match every detail of the room – but at least make sure that one colour in the large print works with the smaller details in the room to make everything pop.  

In this example, the yellow colour in the canvas plays with the other shades of yellow in the living and dining quarters quite nicely.

Art Instead of Windows

If your home or apartment lacks windows in an area – then turn to art! When chosen correctly, the right type of art work can add enough brightness and artificial light to your space that it can create the illusion of window space.

This homeowner decided on a full-wall contact paper arrangement that doubles as artwork and wall paper to a certain degree. Larger items like this are great in that most companies will offer a plethora of design options and they can be changed and removed without any permanent damage to your home!

Not So Formal Display

At this day in age, it's completely acceptable to forget the formalities – and this applies to the display of artworks as well. Sometimes over-planning and constructing can take the joy out of interior design, and as art should be a fun, lively aspect of your home, you should treat it as such.

Sometimes it's just easier to build or buy a long shelf and place all of your random pieces of art on it in a not-so-strategic way.  This homeowner had the right idea in placing lots of pieces together – sometimes overlapping them, sometimes placing them further apart.  The finished look is fabulous!

Show Unexpected Pieces

homify Salones eclécticos

With artwork in your home, go with the unexpected to a certain degree. The usual suspects in art and interior design are family portraits, canvas prints and mirrors.  We suggest you consider pieces that are bit more unusual in your living quarters! Think about an eclectic mix of black-and-white photography, cartographic prints (either antique or brand new) and random oddities like quirky-shaped mirrors and postcards.

This homeowner mixed just about everything together that you possibly can, from deer antlers to old maps and small family portraits – and the cosiness it creates with the mix of pillows and the comfy leather couch is unbeatable!

Vertically Exposed

If you have rooms with incredibly high ceilings or some that are extremely wide, one solution to break-up the space is to create a vertical design element in the room. With how low this sofa is to the ground, it makes the the white walls in the background look abnormally large.  To break up the space, think about either a single shelf, or stacking shelves (like seen here) with multiple-sized prints and photographs.

If you try to imagine this example without these shelves, it would definitely be a space that exuded absence and starkness. As we've mentioned both here several times before, shelves are a great way to display several works of art, while being easy to construct and still looking like a million-dollar design!

No Frames

Last but not least – make everything easier and cost-effective on yourself and forego frames all together.  If you've ever tried to find the perfect frame for any type of artwork, then you surely know that often times frames can be an investment in themselves. Sometimes even more expensive than what you paid for the print – and that is absurd!  In either your living quarters, sleeping quarters – and especially your children's room or nursery, grab typical brown tape and hang your images with it for a minimal, sleek look.

This super-cute graphic print hung by tape in this child's room fits in perfectly with the space.  For a more adult-atmosphere, consider hanging black and white prints on a stark white wall with either brown, clear, or black tape.  For most people, this will be something to get used to – however, with the amount of compliments you will receive and as you get used to the look over time – you will realize that it was absolutely worth it!

For the opposite effect, where just frames become the art themselves, check out this project!

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