Art in interior design plays a crucial role in transforming a room from ordinary to extraordinary. To select the right pieces for your style, consider the existing palette, colors, textures, and layouts in a room. When coordinating furniture, fabrics, and colors, designers should also consider work by a local artist.
When designing a space around a collection of art, it’s essential to start with a focal point. Art can play many roles in interior design, from adding color and texture to creating a focal point or setting the tone for a room. The art we choose to bring into our homes brings personality, happiness, and enjoyment to our spaces.
Art, design, and craft can be difficult to differentiate and are often in conflict with one another. To create a mood, consider the mood you want to evoke with art in interior design. Mix and match different types of paintings for home decoration.
Choosing the right artwork requires a deep understanding of your client’s style, a keen eye for design, and a bit of intuition. By considering the style of the space, the scale of the room, and the color scheme, you can choose pieces that not only complement the interior design but also elevate it. Remember, art is subjective.
When selecting art for your home, it’s vital to consider the space it will occupy. A piece of art should complement its surroundings, not overpower them. Many interior designers are perfectly competent and even talented at selecting art, but it just depends on their project, training, and personal preferences.
In conclusion, art in interior design can transform a room from ordinary to extraordinary. To select the right pieces, consider the existing palette, scale, proportion, and mood of the room. Shop around and consider the popularity of art in interior design based on personal preferences, current trends, and the overall style and theme of the space.
📹 INTERIOR DESIGN | HOW TO SELECT ART FOR YOUR HOME
Art plays a major role in the overall look and feel of your home and today I’m sharing my top tips for selecting the perfect artwork …
Does artwork in a room have to match?
Art can complement or contrast with colors, and can be black and white. It’s important to consider size, scale, and mixing old and new elements when incorporating art into a design scheme. If you have special art that brings back memories or want to start an art collection, it’s crucial to decide early on if art will drive the design process and be an integral part of the budget. It’s also important to decide if the art will be the focal point or blend in as part of the décor.
If your home is already furnished or you want to see how the room looks after all furnishings and draperies are installed, harmonizing the art to the room is a fine way to decorate. For example, in a deeply saturated blue room, a neutral hydrangea print on canvas was added to balance the color once everything else was installed.
How do I sell my art to interior designers?
Interior designers are crucial for completing projects and often require the perfect artwork. To reach out, send digital portfolio pages to potential designers, direct them to your website or Artwork Archive Public Profile Page, or call them to inquire about their needs. Show them your work and offer to visit their office.
These steps can increase exposure and supplement your income by selling art online and achieving gallery representation. Word of your art will spread when people see your work in their homes and when designers see their colleagues’ portfolios. However, remember that clients’ tastes and desires can be mercurial, so consider selling to interior designers as an additional way to increase income and grow your audience, rather than making it your sole business strategy.
Where do interior designers look for art?
Antique stores, galleries, and auctions specialize in curating collections of fine art and furnishings, offering a cohesive and high-quality experience. However, these venues often have high prices and may have restricted schedules, making it difficult for busy designers to access. Picky vendors may not have standard office hours, requiring customers to call ahead for showroom visits. This can present challenges for busy designers. For example, Max Foster’s limited edition photograph of a Moss Glen Falls in Vermont from his Waterfall gallery collection is an example.
Can I do interior design without art?
Interior designers require technical skills such as understanding building codes, space planning, materials, and finishes. They also need good communication skills to work effectively with clients, contractors, and other professionals. Design principles like balance, scale, proportion, and color theory are crucial for good design, which can be acquired through education and experience. These skills are essential for understanding clients’ needs, sharing design ideas, and collaborating effectively in the interior design industry.
Should an interior designer know how do you draw?
Students starting an Interior Design Diploma or short-course often ask if they need to be able to draw, but it is essential to have some level of ability and confidence in their sketches. Sketches are the first starting point for planning room layouts and finer details of the scheme. Learning perspective and scale is crucial for the success of a sketch, and computer software can help, but hand-sketching is the best way to grow confidence. Naqiyah, a hand-rendering pro, shares a guest blog to help grow confidence in sketching in interior design.
The process starts with a dot and then a line, often overlapped with multiple lines to create forms or spaces. Lines are honest and represent what the student imagines. Before sketching, it is crucial to be sure of the objective of the idea.
Do interior designers need to draw well?
Interior design is an interdisciplinary field that combines creativity, technical knowledge, and understanding of space and functionality. Successful interior designers often rely on tools and technologies that allow them to express their ideas effectively without traditional drawing skills. Advanced design software like Coohom allows designers to create stunning 3D renderings and layouts, making it more accessible for those who may not excel in drawing.
Interior design encompasses more than just aesthetics; it involves project management, client relations, and understanding building codes and safety regulations. Effective communication with clients and contractors is often more important than artistic skills.
Designers need to be well-versed in color theory, materials, and textures to create cohesive looks and create inviting and functional spaces. Understanding the psychology of space and how it affects mood and behavior is crucial for creating environments that resonate with users. While being good at drawing is beneficial, it is not a strict requirement. A combination of creativity, technical know-how, and excellent communication skills define a successful interior designer. As the industry evolves, tools like Coohom make interior design more accessible, allowing aspiring designers to focus on their strengths and bring their unique visions to life.
How to pick artwork for a room?
To create a unique living room decor, start by understanding your space and personal style. Consider your colors, medium, lighting, frames, and trust your instincts when choosing artwork. Having a clear vision helps you find the perfect piece for your living room. Mastering your measurements is crucial, as it’s essential to avoid a frame that doesn’t fit or looks the wrong size. If adding artwork to an already furnished living room, try to find opportunities to add a focal point.
When choosing wall art, focus on the details, such as choosing the right print, canvas, or poster. Trust your instincts and focus on the finishing touches, which are one of the most fun parts of decorating a living room. By focusing on the right piece, you can create a cohesive and visually appealing space.
How do interior designers choose artwork?
Selecting the right artwork for a client’s space is a complex task that requires a deep understanding of their style, keen design eye, and intuition. By considering the space’s style, scale, and color scheme, you can choose pieces that complement and elevate the interior design. Art is subjective, so it’s crucial to choose artwork that makes the space feel like home, as a well-designed home reflects the people who live in it.
What is the most profitable way to sell art?
To sell artwork online, create a personalized ecommerce website on platforms like Etsy or Shopify, which can be integrated with Gelato’s print on demand platform to create tangible items like t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases. Utilize social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to promote and sell your art. Selling art online can be challenging due to its subjective nature, but profits typically come from selling prints, which can generate a steady income from a single piece.
Affordable pricing can increase sales volume compared to original art. Curators should monitor art and design trends to understand buyer and collector preferences and collaborate with artists with high success potential. Creators can benefit from developing their best style and creating a dedicated follower base.
Galleries can help artists sell digital art and promote their original work in gallery exhibitions. Send an email with your portfolio link and learn about each gallery’s submission process to benefit from collaborations.
What art should I put on my wall?
For those who don’t have an interior style, consider the elements they enjoy and choose artwork that reminds them of their travels or nature. For example, botanical prints, floral wall art, or earthy abstract wall art can add a touch of nature. When choosing where to hang wall art in the living room, consider the space’s size, frame, and arrangement options. Some ideas include hanging it over the sofa, above the fireplace, on a wall opposite a window, on shelves, or on sideboards.
Keep the artwork to 2/3 of the sofa width, keeping it within view from all angles. Hanging artwork above a fireplace gives it a focal point, while hanging it on a wall opposite a window allows for both art and view. Shelves can be used to display smaller artwork, postcards, or photos of favorite holidays. Leaning art on the floor or sideboard is trendy, especially large abstract prints.
How does art relate to interior design?
Art is a crucial element in interior design, providing depth, richness, and a personal touch to a space. Art can be used alone or as part of a gallery wall, creating focal points and creating unique looks and feels. Each piece has a message and meaning, eliciting emotion from the viewer. Common types of art include paintings, sculptures, and photography. A key component of art is having a focal point with a sense of scale and weight in the room, drawing the eye from any part of the room and guiding the viewer through the layout. A successful art placement anchors a room and makes a statement without being too “matchy”. Interior designers should consider these tips for selecting the right art pieces.
📹 INTERIOR DESIGN | Tips for How to Pick Art for Your Home | House to Home Series
Guess which room we are going to show you first next week on our House to Home series? Don’t forget to comment below what …
Lisa, great info on WHERE to find art! Now, could you please do another article on how to CHOOSE art. For example, how to choose the type of art (painting, print, sculpture, etc) as well as the artistic style and subject matter for various styles of rooms to coordinate with or complement them. Also, how to choose the right sized art for a wall or room (scale), and maybe how to choose art pieces to group together for visual impact. Thanks, Lisa! You are awesome!
Years ago I worked in a frame shop and while there learned about how to safely prepare art for the damp & steamy environments of the kitchen or bathroom. Very important. Going to a local frame shop and asking an experienced framer to help is important for protecting your art from moisture damage. Thanks for all the great info, Lisa!
I’m a custom picture framer. This was a really good article. I’m constantly asked by clients where they should look for art and I can’t wait to suggest some of these sites to them. Also, thank you for suggesting people use their local framers. Especially for valued items and art. We specialize in this type of framing.
Love your articles, they are packed with great info. I would love to know more about how to choose the type and size of frame, what size should the matting be compared to the art? How to choose the color of the matting? I’m sorry if you’ve already covered this info in another article, I just recently discovered your website.
Oh Boy, have you opened a can! Now that we know where to go, can you tell us what to do when we get there? Most often I select art by color just to fill a void space on the wall; I’m lost on how to best choose between genre, thick or thin frame, etc. Would you consider teaching us how to select based on our room style?
I’m an Artist (a painter) and I also create my own limited edition giclée prints on canvas and paper prints from my art studio in Knoxville TN. As many people have mentioned previously, I encourage you all to support local / independent artists. Lisa, I really think it should be your #1 tip for where to buy art. Nearly every community has an Arts Alliance on some level or you can just do an internet search for “Knoxville Artists” (or whatever town you’re from) and Boom! You will find local art resources in your community. Nearly all independent artists will do custom artwork to fit your space and we rely on the support of our community to make a living. Thank you! ~ Heather Whiteside P.S. I’m a big fan of your YouTube articles – really fun to watch and learn. You’re a hoot!
Thanks for remembering us custom framers! Online shopping is great for a lot of things, but for those special pieces, nothing beats working with a dedicated professional – and accurate reference samples! A good framer can help you highlight AND preserve your art and heirlooms. Many people think custom framing is expensive, but when you consider how long something you love will be hanging in your home, it’s truly a small investment for treasured pieces and makes such an impact!
I am helping my friend design couple of rooms in her house and recently came across your YouTube website. Interior decorating has always been my passion. I am moving from my IT job towards this side of creative madness and I must say I am addicted to your articles and have been binge perusal them non stop. Thank you for sharing all your tips and tricks. 😍
I have a question, I’m a senior in high school and have no clue what I want to do after. I have been looking at interior design because it takes a lot of things in good at and smooshes them all together. If you have any tips or things I should think about I would love to know. Any and all feedback is welcome
Art is to some people as interior design is to you. One’s life blood. I’m one of them. I now have mostly true antique and/or genuine classic pieces. While I’m passionate about these artworks, there is an issue with them as well. It’s rather difficult to incorporate the various styles, colors, frames, sizes into a pleasing whole. Then there’s the topic of safety and security of important artworks. This is not like simply hanging a group of photos on a wall. Did I say the background wall color was a sticky issue when combining all these pieces? It can be. Lisa, some people have original museum quality picture frames that are as costly as some pictures! Changing out those frames? Oh no, I don’t think so! But I do know what you mean. Not all frames are created equally and some frames were never a good choice. And frames can be updated for intended effects. But what about jarring a designer into a moment of, OMG! LOL! Might be great for your blood pressure!
Hi Lisa, I’ve always wanted to ask… How can I get the eyeballs of hot interior designers to view my paintings and how would they preferred to be approached? (Sales-wise) My commission business is growing but do you prefer ordering off line compared to commissioning a piece? Your content really grabbed my attention. I also have a collection of vintage art that I’ve been selling via my Etsy shop. Love all your tips. So glad That I found you.
I collect art, and I realize everyone can’t afore Picasso, if you can that great but if you can’t I’d like to offer another suggestion to the one you mentioned as where to find original art. You my want to look at art school. Many of them have student art sales. You never know, you may find a budding Jackson Pollock.
You mention re purposing and reframing clients’ art. We have an antique embroidered picture on silk that my husband’s great grandmother made (before 1920) . When I asked the designer/artist that built our kitchen for help with fitting it in a shadow box (or similar), she only wanted to steer us toward “new” contemporary art from her gallery (I’d like to avoid more stuff that sticks out like a sore thumb next to vintage furnishings, thank you ) – I wanted to use it in a room w/ vintage furniture – – so is that something a local framer would do ? thank you……I’m thinking we should stop considering her for future cabinetry and decorating projects and find someone else
Like you were reading my mind/ wall mural completely done this weekend? half done already…. I love the look worth taking a window out for this stone wall effect in the big room/ Entrance looks 300 times better and it’s simple in the look/ finding an antique cabinet to hold all my hats & bags of Fluevog shoes was everything to complete the look fresh paint helped too/ thanks again I have had six months in which to transform my living space/ I have Aug & Sept left to complete tasks I’ve waited years to do. It’s like everyday I have decorating orgasms picking tile that’s porcelain but looks like marble/ or the new gas stove/ & gas fireplace/ new fridge too…. it’s all too much frickin fun for one girl to have 💃🏼 next week I’m covering the front of the house in hardyboard wish me luck
Lisa, this is great! I’ve purchased art from Artfinder, Saatchi, and Minted. I love Artfinder, because I love oil paintings. I have an art lamp over a couple, which makes them even more beautiful. I have a fantastic frame shop nearby. The owner is an artist with a great eye and reasonable. I’m so happy I found your website. Thank you!
I love the links to the various art resources – will check them out – and I Thank you for the advise to reframe present art. I have a pile of inherited oil paintings, most of which are perfectly suitable to my style, but they look dingy, old (19th century?!) and worn framed as they are. I guess reframing a few at a time would give them a new lease of life.
I’ve always loved my Graciela Rodo Boulanger print called Promenade de Trois. It hung in my daddy’s office and represented my two sisters and me. Now it’s in my powder room. Last week while browsing at the local human society thrift store, I found ANOTHER GRB print! I hung it above my granddaddy’s roll top desk, where I do most of my written work and planning!
I have some originals, some framed prints, and some color plates from old books that I framed. I also really like some of the original artists on Ballard Design who have fine art giclee reproductions on stretched canvas that are hand embellished with a knife gel finish to mimic the texture of the original.
Hi Lisa! You can imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon this article..had been searching for a article that would help me with tips for selecting Art for my home. Your article was extremely useful…thank you! One question though: My choice of art piece is a fun and colorful painting of zebras on canvas (5 pieces that make up 1 painting). Thanks to your article, i have decided that my hallway is the perfect spot for it. My question however is, Will this piece of art clash with my home design?
Hey Lisa! Loving your articles and I just subscribed to the Design Club yay! 2 questions until then: 1. Where would you display art in a tiny apartment? Every room? Just the living room? 2. Where would you display a portrait? Frame/no frame? I received one asa a gift (my portrait) by an artist in the family and although I love it I am a bit self conscious about displaying it 🙂 Thank you so much!
Hello Lisa, I’m one of your best followers and love the ideas you have! I could not fins on your articles or by the way anywhere on Youtube some advice for those people like me that love art, have many different styles and frames, without frames, differernt sizes. How do I put those on the wall to look cohesive? I’m buing a new house and my style is kind of japandi mixed with djungle details. I have moved a lot in my life and I buy new funiture every time, but the only thing I can not live without is my art pices. I would love to see a article aboute that! Thanks for a great chanel! Lots of hugs from Bulgaria!
Also check out art.com for the basics; store.artchive.com which has been on the net forever and is a resource on the history of art. Mark Harden began educating the public about artists early in the days of the internet and the store supports his labour of love. If you want cool magazine covers, photographs, or drawings from magazines like the New Yorker, try condenaststore.com.
Best budget-friendly art! Go to Society6, buy one of their tapestries (always on sale), then wait until Michael’s has a coupon for 60% off on canvases (I bought a huuuuuge canvas for like less than $20 on sale). Pull the tapestry over the canvas and staple on the back. Easy, gorgeous art. That’s how I got a huge statement piece of art for $60. I get compliments on it constantly!
Hey Lisa, I have a question about design. We have just bought a gorgeous 1935 brick home. It needs a lot of love, and we will be redoing the entire thing trying to preserve what we can, while making it suitable to our needs as a family of three, and of course beautiful as well. My question is in regards to my sons bedroom. He is six. I’m painting the walls, molding, and crown either booth bay gray, Santorini blue, or waters edge by Benjamin Moore. I would like to do a dark ceiling in the room. A rich deep teal/or navy and paint stars and constellations on it. (I’m a relatively decent artist and can do murals etc myself). My question is whether that would make the room feel smaller, or the ceilings shorter? It’s about a 9 or 10 ft ceiling, so not terribly high. There is a large picture window as well as an average 24″ window in the room. Lots of natural light. Thank you!!
Hi there. I am an art conservator. People need to be aware that an important piece above a functioning fireplace can be a recipe for disaster. The radiant heat laminate the paint off the canvas if they’re not careful. Never mind soot. When in doubt talk to an art dealer or framer and they can guide you on protective measures.
Thank you for the article, I’m enlarging my kitchen and have this large wall at the end that is the first thing you see when you walk in, a long that wall into the family room/great room I have two canvas paintings, that took me forever to find, MURALS, Minted have the most beautiful ones I’ve ever seen and will have a hard time choosing one. 😁
Hi Lisa, thank you for this Chanel. I’m renovating a 1000 ft condo and have had to take it down to the studs because of asbestos. I have learned lot from you over the past months and have rethought a lot of things already. I like your down to earth approach. This place isn’t big or fancy but it’s the first place I’ve owned and it means l lot to me. I want it looking nice and relaxing when I walk in everyday and comfortable for family and friends to want to come over. I’m coming across a couple issues that you haven’t covered ( I don’t think) and thought it would be great to get your take on them and might make interesting segments for other viewers? 1. Walls! every contractor I’ve interviewed wants to texture them but I’m noticing in pictures that most designers are doing smooth walls. I like that but my contractors have no idea what I’m talking about. Can you do a smooth wall effect on wall board? Are there options or products I can consider? What about crown molding? Is it in or out? My place was built in the 60’s it has 8 foot ceilings and it’s architecturally kind of minimal. And I like that style. What are my options can I go with out? Technically Junk: what do I do with the light switches? Is there anything I should know about type, placement. Given this is a small space I want to open it up more but I don’t want to see the door bell box, the smoke detectors, the carbon monoxide detector, the circuit breaker box. Any thoughts? 3. If I float the furniture in the living room off the walls how do I plug in the lamps with out people tripping on the cords?
Once you have an idea of the pictures you like, you can get them printed on the cheap at your local copy shop (a few bucks each, typically), at close to the target size, and hang them temporarily in place with a few pins. Even if they are not at full definition, that will give you a good idea. Then you can replace them by the nice print version if you still like them after a week or two 🙂
My Favourite art Piece is one that my husband made… (it was his first ever painting, we did a “paint night” together) the painting is beautiful, AND reminds me of back home, PLUS it is a good memory of a date night. =) I’m an artist myself… so I don’t tend to buy art… Anyway… I’ve enjoyed this article… great process, and tips. =) Thank you. =)
My favorite painting is of a young woman running away from several flying cupids who are poised with bows and arrows ready to strike her. One of the cupids is tripping her by holding onto her feet. In the painting she she is in mid fall and her blue dress is spiraling everywhere, she has a look of anguish as one of the cupids is about to strike her with an arrow to force her to fall in love with the next person she sees. The piece is centuries old and from an auction.
Great article about placement of pictures. But I can’t identify with your approach for art, there are too much small local artist so it just seems lazy to me to big website some art without hearth.My favorite art is one that my sister made and i dont care that it didnt match colour scheme in my room. Please dont @ me if i have there gramatical mystakes,english is not my language.
My favorite art piece is, well I have to but the first one is an old country road with trees that make a canopy. It was a $100 on sale for $40 but we got it for $20 because it had a mess up even though you can’t tell. It was the first then my husband and I finally agreed on. We thought we hit the jackpot because we were so broke to have such and “expensive ” photo without breaking the bank. My next favorite is our last name in landmarks or other things that look like a letter. The $20 picture from gordmans the name is from perfect gifts I believe.
Question: In general, how much should be budgeted by room? I appreciate this article; thank you! I realized I have not been thoughtful about how I look at the walls in our home. I have always looked at art as something I found sporadically (think discount department store chains) and it’s been hit or miss.
Nice article. The very first step is to decide which type of artwork did you like the most. Because, in designing, liking is the ideal thing and should be considered on a priority basis. Crazy for an art-friendly room? You can visit Stiely Design, a one-stop solution for all your interior needs. Thanks.
Favorite piece of art is from art.com, which is a big Van Gogh “Wheatfield with Cypresses” print with carved gold leaf frame (the way pieces are framed for Van Gogh Museum). It’s the only gold in that room. I have oil rubbed bronze for all the other metal accents. Since it was expensive, I now have to match my duvet covers to the Van Gogh! HAHAHA
Ugggg I did it backwards and well that’s me at times “backwards” but it works out so far as my personality. But I selected some art first, not only because it was $800 and I got it for $250 but because it was $800 and I got it for $250 and love the pieces. I’m going to work around my pieces and since my mind is flowing with ideas I think “backwards” will work for me at this moment. But your steps are from this point on point with my next pieces since by then I’ll actually be in the house.
Sometimes I want to leave a comment so YT knows I’m engaged with the content, but I’m working on losing the last 3 pounds of my 40 pound weight loss goal, so I’m being really strict with my eating, so the only thing I can think about is food!!! If you’re ever in the Phoenix area (Chandler, specifically), check out the Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. They have amazing burgers, duck-fat french fries, and great beer. Saturday is the cheat day (I can’t do less than 1000 calories all week and not have a reprieve on the weekend), so you know where I’ll be! Nom, nom, nom.
It seems a very long winded process, but how many times have I ended up taking down pictures I’ve bought on the spare of the moment. (Too bloody many) So your way may take a little time, but it makes sense and saves money. At the moment I do a few of your stages, checking it’s the right size, where to put the art, but not leaving it there for a few days. And yes I’ve been burned, not liking the print after a week or so, and end up putting it somewhere else where it’s hardly ever seen. So I need to follow all stages if I do want to change the art I currently have… great article xxxxx
LOL perusal this article because I could use tips on displaying the art that I already have. My mother was a professional artist. Her mother was a professional artist. Her father was an architect who also produced gorgeous pen and ink drawings. My father owned an art gallery and I inherited many of his favorite pieces. I inherited awesome antique tiles, china, mirrors, etc., from my father’s side of the family. Uhm…I will never need to buy wall art (unless I end up with an 18 bedroom castle, somewhere). I could really use some tips on lighting the art, coordinating beautiful but wildly different antique art frames, and restoring art (a lot of the pieces are beginning to look shabby). Help! I’m swamped with art that I love, but don’t know what to do with! Thanks.
I love the way you think. I love art work and all over my home is full art and books. In reality, the art I love is not the most expensive but they must be professionally framed. My favourite piece of art is three women dancing in a colorful outfits I got it through a friend . And it is one of three original pieces all the others are prints etc.
Great article. However I feel phase 3 (assessing the right size) by putting up masking tape, papers etc on the wall should happen right after you decide your walls. You don’t need to have the final artwork ready. Sticking papers on the wall gives you a sense of size and helps you in selecting right sizes at the beginning instead of having to be disappointed later. I needed 2 A0 sizes and just because I didn’t do this at the start, I had to go through prints twice as a lot of vendors did not have art work big enough to be able to scale to A0. Images were getting pixelated!
My favorite art piece is probably my latest purchase, which is a handcarved bear paw carved out of yellow oak by a native american artist named Chester Joseph. I bought it at an art gallery in Squamish, BC, Canada, and I adore it! You can find some of his pieces online too at seatoskyarthouse.ca/product-category/chester-joseph/
I feel like you should change the title to say “wall art”. And my favorite piece of art I own is a sculpture. It’s a paper maché monster (seriously) that I bought when I was 15 in a gallery in Australia and I still love it now in my 30s. I now have a weird creature sculpture collection because of it! 👹