The Right Art For Your Home
When properly chosen, art can add a lot to your home. Two-dimensional art, including paintings, photographs and wall sculptural art (such as fabric art) create focal points and balance. It provides a room with something to quietly contemplate — an antidote to the media invasions in our lives. A work of art, can be a conversation piece or bring in a home’s theme. Here are some tips to guide you.
Find something you love. Peruse galleries and art shows to find your preferred style. If you do not love it, it does not belong in your home.
Get help. A designer can aid you with scale, size and color themes that work best with the furnishings in a room. Designers have a quick eye for what works and can introduce a new idea that you may love even more. Gallerists also have a keen eye for what can best accentuate your home. They want you to be happy with your choice and will work hard to accommodate you. Oftentimes, artists will do commissioned work if what you love is not the right size or color.
Choose bedroom art with calmer palettes. Skin tones are soothing. Opt for themes that are restful and rejuvenating. Horizontal orientations are more serene than vertical ones.
Don’t fear color. If you love the water, then explore shades of blue. If you love the beach, then explore juxtaposing hues such as blues and golds. If you are highly energetic, you may prefer oranges and reds. In Southern California, we tend to go beige-neutral-beige in our homes, but it is color that enhances mood and breaks the monotony.
Hang it correctly. The standard height is about 5 feet above the floor for proper viewing, depending on the situation. Chimneys, staircases and tall walls require other considerations.
Go big. If you have a spacious blank wall that can be used to make a statement, a large artwork can be exciting and bold. Smaller works can get lost on large walls and lose importance.
Buy original art, at best from an artist with gallery pedigree, so that your pieces also are an investment. Posters and prints, unless vintage, are perfect for hotel rooms, but can deflate interest in your home.
Give the existing art in your home a rotation and switch it out now and then. This creates fresh energy and more fun possibilities.
Anita Lewis, Owner/Designer
Art for Modern Life Studio Gallery
206A N. Coast Highway
Oceanside, CA 92054
858-361-9640
anitalewis.com
