How to choose art you’ll love to live with
Four tips to help you choose just the right piece of art for your home.
Art is an important part of making a house feel like a home and as interior designer David Hicks said “The best rooms have something to say about the people who live in them.” So it makes sense you should choose a painting not because it’s on trend, but because you love it.
Art can have an incredibly transformative effect on a space and the people in it. A painting can enhance the feeling of the room and your enjoyment of home. I believe you should live with art that resonates with you.
But if you’re new to buying art, chances are you may be wondering how to choose just the right painting. Whether you have a vague idea of what you like, or none at all, there are a few basic guidelines to help you choose a painting you’ll love to live with.
Here are my top four tips to help you choose just the right painting for you:
Interest - Does the painting stay in your thoughts and do you want to see it again? Can you remember it when you haven’t seen it for some time? We’re more likely to forget things that don’t truly interest us so if you can remember a painting clearly it’s a sign it’s gotten into your psyche.
Distance and Detail - Do you enjoy the artwork when viewed at a distance and does it draw you closer to explore more? A painting with that quality will likely provide enjoyment for longer than one that is pleasing only from one perspective.
Emotion - Does it strongly evoke a particular emotion in you? Do you want to experience that emotion on a daily basis in your home?
Instinct - What does your intuition tell you? What is your first reaction when you see a painting for the first time? There have been some interesting things written recently about our ability to make spot-on snap decisions and to paraphrase from Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink, “the best decisions are often those that are impossible to explain.” So trust yourself!
Selecting a painting for your home is a personal process. Fashions come and go but if you thoughtfully choose a painting you love it will bring you enjoyment and enhance your home for years to come.