Art has been carved into the very fabric of human history. Whatever form it takes, art is used to add colour, drama and even a sense of calm to interior spaces. The great thing about art is that you can include art in your space at a wide range of budgets.
Your choice of art tells a story – your story, is a great conversation starter and adds amazing ambience to your space. Read on to find out how you can harness the power of art in your interior spaces.
It Doesn't Have To Be A Wall Hanging
A while back - many moons ago - the first thing that came to mind when I thought about art was 'paintings' – wall hangings. Thankfully, being a trained interior designer has helped to broaden my designer's eye. Phew! There are many expressions of art that transcend paint media on canvas. Sculptures, carvings, the ubiquitous but always intriguing paintings and even furniture pieces like this gorgeous, limited edition sideboard can all function as works of art that elevate your interior space.
Now that we know that art comes in many ways, shapes and forms, let's dive into the good stuff – how to play up art.
Light It Up
We have seen it many times where we hang a gorgeous painting on the wall and it just seems to 'disappear' into the space or not have the same impact we were expecting. This happens because there is either not enough natural lighting, there is improper or no lighting fixture, or you are using a lighting type with the wrong colour rendering index. Archdaily notes that "natural lighting is very important for displaying or producing art. Sunlight has the highest CRI (Color Rendering Index)". How your painting is lit makes a world of difference. Depending on the size, scale and type of art you're looking to illuminate, there is a wide range of lighting fixtures, and a few of them can be found here.
Location Is Irrelevant...almost
That's right. You can hang or place your art anywhere in your space that looks good and feels right. It is, after all, your signature style you are trying to communicate.
Conventionally, wall paintings naturally translate to 'something to hang on the wall'. But here's the thing – you don't have to hang your paintings on the wall. Art can sit anywhere that looks good in your interior space – be it on the floor leaning against the wall, on a shelf, on your desk or console. There is a short little blog on the technical bits here
Make A Theme
Create an intriguing space by selecting your theme based on your art as a focal point. From there, you can begin to create your entire interior scheme around that focal point. The image above succinctly describes visually what I mean. Be careful to keep the rest of the scheme subtle in order not to overwhelm your space with too many heavy textures. What this does is that it helps to connect all of the elements in your space and creates a unified and, if done right, an elegant and artsy space.
Go For Contrast
I love a good contrast in my design schemes. A great way to add contrast while keeping your space adaptable to changing styles is to keep your palette neutral, and play with contrasting colours and textures that are easy to change over time. But if you are bold and game for something exciting, colour block the wall and add interesting texture and contrast with your painting or other art forms.
Add Mystery By Going Dark
One important element that is perhaps not generally seen as art, but is such a key element in interior spaces, is lighting. In this scenario, layering dark walls with dark paintings and dark furniture benefits a great deal from sculptural lighting that accentuates textures and form, thus creating a form of art made with light.
Use A Mural
This is where creatives will go completely bonkers. Taking to the walls and creating a unique piece of art is a very effective way to add a personal touch to your space. If you are not the artsy creative type, you can always hire an artist to create patterns on your walls. Alternatively, there are many options out there for installing wall murals like this one from monkey puzzle tree. I absolutely love it, and can't get enough of just looking at it and touching it. If you are interested in exploring painting your walls, there is useful resource here.
Super Size It
...if you have the wall space for it. Large pieces of art make a very powerful statement, and can very easily overwhelm a small space if done incorrectly. Done right, it is a beautiful, impactful and super elegant way to adorn your interior space.
Collage It
Collaging is an absolutely fabulous idea. However, from a personal point of view, it is not my favourite thing only because I am minimalist and like to have my walls free of multiple, small objects. However, if you are a fan of collecting, creating a wall collage is a great idea to use as an art form in your space. Remember to keep it simple like in this image - the unified theme of mirrors. Others might choose black and white photography and so on and so forth. Create visual interest by varying textures and sizes.
Voila! As the French would say. Here are a few ways you can use art to amp up the aesthetic value of your interior space.
Did you find any of these ideas novel or useful? Any styling or design ideas involving art? Let me know in the comments below.
Stay curious. Stay awesome.
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