Displaying art is one of the most important items in finalizing your home decor, it can be a very personal expression of who you are and where you’ve been. It’s typically the last thing that goes up after you move in, unless you have a special piece you are designing around. Searching artwork for your home can be a bit overwhelming, it takes time because it has to feel right.

Visiting local galleries and going to open studios is a great way to support local art and a fun way to spend the day. Some people buy art during their travels, it’s about the experience and the memory of a place you can take with you and keep forever. These are great ways to buy art, but with our super busy lives these days not everyone has the option to do so. Luckily there are some great online art galleries with a wide variety of options to help you determine your favorite style and perfect fit.

My clients often ask for help selecting artwork for their homes, how to display art in the home and where to find it. To me, art is such a personal thing, a piece of art can be incredibly moving, but what might speak to me can be uninspiring to another. We all come from different places, backgrounds, opinions, interests, the list goes on. It’s one of the more challenging items to source for clients, but it’s also super interesting and really fun because art is awesome.

I start by asking the obvious questions like preferred style, medium, colors, size and budget, but even after that it’s still completely open for so many options. Sometimes re-framing pictures, mixing up a collection or just relocating an exiting piece can feel brand new. This post is about different ways to display art in your home and online resources to buy art.

Lean it like you mean it

Leaning artwork on a mantel or on the floor can provide an interesting layered look when mixed up with several pieces. Or if your more of a minimalist, just one large piece on the floor can be casual and sophisticated.

Make a Big Statement

One big painting or framed print mounted on the wall or several pieces put together to form a triptych is a great way to accent and take up real estate on a large wall.

Display Shelves

Art shelves are a fun way to stack up framed art without mounting on the wall, it’s not such a commitment, you can change them around. Think about doing this in your home office area or over your bed.

Eclectic/ Gallery Wall

Get creative with a gallery wall. You can be totally eclectic with different style frames, keep it more simple with a color theme, or incorporate different mediums. The possibilities are endless.

Symmetrical/Proportional

For those who like more order, try mounting your artwork in a more symmetrical way. Displaying the same artist in all your pictures and using the same size frame (like the inspiration images above), creates repetition and an obvious theme.

Going Solo

A picture says a thousand words. Sometimes that’s all you need to make a statement, especially if the painting or the frame is really unique. A single small picture on a dark accent wall can makes a pretty amazing statement.

Tappan is one of my favorite online resources for art, with a beautifully curated selection showcasing new and emerging artists and offer personal advisory. Minted is another good choice for carefully curated affordable art from a wide variety of artists and mediums. If you have a bigger budget and looking for a signature piece check out Saatchi Art. Saatchi has a wide range of prices (from $500- $10,000 and beyond) with a huge selection of original art from around the world and an art advisory service. If your looking for something less expensive go to Society6, they have a good selection of prints, you can select size and how you want it mounted (frame, canvas, mural, wood block. 1stdibs curates the world most beautiful things, art being one of them. You can spend a reasonable amount or you can spend a lot! They partner with Galleries so you can shop all over the world.
With artspace you can browse by price, which is pretty awesome. They have a big selection of contemporary art and art advisors standing by for free help. The website is super informative with helpful categories like rising stars, steals and editors pick.

Do you need help with your walls? or any other home decor struggle? Check out my services here.