Artists have been creating artwork for thousands of years. These paintings, tapestries, and sculptures have been made for one purpose: for people to see them. Decorating your home or office using fine artwork is a fabulous way to set the tone of the place.
The Basics
There are some general guidelines a person should always follow when decorating with art. First of all, some continuance between the color scheme of the room and the hues in the painting should exist. The only exception of this would be for a large painting in a central location where the idea is to draw your guest’s attention to the artwork. Also, the artwork should set the appropriate mood for that particular room. A child’s room could have a light-hearted or cute feel. Paintings of animals or children can create this type of feeling. For a master bedroom, a romantic mood may be appropriate and can be created though the use of warm colours (red, burgundy). An office should have a tranquil atmosphere, produced by the use of blue or green. For the bathroom, paintings of nature and scenery are almost always ideal.
Smaller pieces of artwork should be placed in smaller areas. Small paintings, drawings, or photographs should be hung, at eye level, in a hallway or stairwell. These may be grouped together to highlight a particular part of the area or spaced out evenly along the area. It is often most effective to use an odd number of paintings/sketches/photos.
Medium-sized art pieces should be placed, individually, in medium-sized rooms such as the bedroom or a large bathroom. Paintings, hung most often at eye-level, should center over a main piece of furniture in the room.
Larger works of art should be reserved for larger rooms such as living room or dining room. Again, hang these pictures above a main piece of furniture such as the couch. A painting should be hung six to nine inches above a sofa.
There are two ways of going about decorating with art. You can either start by buying the art and choosing an ideal location for it, or you can select a piece of artwork with a particular room in mind.
Decorating with Art for the Art Collector
For the true art lovers and collectors, it is the work of art that is important. In this case, choose the art piece first. Then, depending on size and mood of the work, decide where to put your masterpiece and decorate that room around it. Choose colors from the painting. Then paint the room and buy the furniture to complement your prized piece of art.
Inserting Art into a Room
Many people would like to add art to existing decor. First, consider the size, atmosphere, and color scheme of a room. Then purchase artwork that would complement that area of your home.
Abstract modern art can be obtained in a variety of color schemes and sizes. Abstract art is very versitile because it can work with almost any room in the house. For instance, Esther Ritz of Texas creates Dallas contemporary oil paintings. These abstract works of art can beautifully enhance the home or office. Esther Ritz offers her Dallas contemporary oil paintings for viewing and purchase from her studio in the Bishop Arts District in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.