When you start out with an empty room and blank walls, it can be daunting. Most people will probably focus on the largest items first (bed, sofa, table, storage units, etc.) and then move towards the smaller items and finishing touches. That way, you can map out the space you have left pretty quickly and get a feel for the room based on the type/colour/style of furniture already there. Not only that, but it’s much more of a hassle if you make a bunch of holes in the walls to hang your art only to then discover you have to move it again, or you simply change your mind once everything is in the room.

It therefore tends to be the case that deciding on what goes on the walls is one of the last decisions.  But there are still so many considerations left, such as how big should the piece be? Portrait or Landscape? Pair it with another? What about the colour scheme? Bold or subdued? Do you want it to stand out or tie everything together? What about one of those gallery walls you’ve seen on Pinterest?

And don’t even get us started on framing (that could be a future blog post!)

Well fear not, we have listed some pointers to help you narrow down at least some of these questions swirling around your head. Just remember that art is subjective and each room has its own unique character so there can’t be any ‘one size fits all’. Now consider each of these points and see where it leads you.

1. Set the mood

Each room has its place, so how do you want each one to make you, or others, feel? You might want something bold and impactful in the living room to stimulate the brain, or spark a conversation with guests. Perhaps you associate your living room with somewhere cozy to relax in the evenings. You might want something inspirational in a home office, or something calm and mellow for the bedroom. It is completely up to you! But this will help steer you towards a certain colour palette and style.

2. Look at your base

Take a good look at your surroundings and identify the basic features you are working with - from the ceilings to the flooring and all the quirky or minimal aspects in the middle. Are you styling a country farmhouse with stone flooring and high ceilings or a modern duplex apartment with a neutral base and lots of glass? You might want to decide whether you want your wall art to be sympathetic to the existing features of the space, or if you would rather play around with textures and themes.

3. Size matters

Look at the amount of wall space you have available. If you have already gone through the exercise described at the start, then you would have already established exactly what space you are working with. The larger the space the more freedom you have to be creative. You can start weighing up whether you want to introduce more than one artwork into the same area. This could be a complimentary pairing, a trio, an irregular grouping or a bespoke gallery wall.  If you already have a busy space, then you might consider focussing on just one key piece for the wall.  It therefore follows if you want to make the wall a feature of a room, then adding prints of different sizes, photographs, and mirrors would make a real impact.

4. Visually appealing

Start browsing online for some prints or photographs, or even scroll through your photos on your phone. What images appeal to you? Do you prefer large blocks of colour and minimal design? Or lots of detail to get lost in? Perhaps you like the rigid shapes of architectural buildings, or the smooth organic lines found in nature?  Make a list of words that describes those images, or better yet save those images on a board somewhere so you can refer back to them when searching for artwork. It can be easy to get lost scrolling through print after print and not realise you are getting further away from your starting point, so a collection of reference photos or words can help keep you on track.

5. Longevity

It may be helpful to establish whether you are looking for a ‘forever’ piece, or something that is just right for now. You might like to decorate on a seasonal basis, or mix up your surroundings regularly to keep things fresh. This will help dictate your budget and narrow down the places you are more likely to find the types of artwork that tick all the boxes.

We hope this helps give you a head start in discovering the perfect piece or pieces that you have been searching for. 

Why don’t you take a look at the prints available in our shop and go through the exercise suggested at point 4 to find out what appeals to you.