Thought how you will arrange it? If you’re one of those who think it only takes a minute to put up artworks on the wall, think again! After all, you don’t want your carefully chosen paintings to appear “haphazard”. Do you?
So, how about arranging artworks artistically? Just follow these ground rules to showcase a carefully-thought-out design where each element speaks volumes about itself and about you!
When following a bold theme, use one large piece of art placed centrally to create a strong statement. You can use a couple of smaller artworks to support this statement.
However, if you prefer a milder, softer theme, such as Patachitra art, use several pieces of artwork to spread the theme all over the space.
Designate the space to be used for display - Given that space is always a premium commodity, it’s important that every inch is well-utilized. So, always keep in mind the wall space that you will use for displaying artwork.
When wall space is limited, you can hang several small prints in the vertical or horizontal arrangement, in line with the orientation of the available wall space. Avoid choosing one large painting or photograph as it can be overwhelming.
When there’s abundance of space, such as at the back of a large sofa, a single large piece of artwork will look stunning. In this case, avoid putting up any other pictures on the wall or using too many accessories.
Decide the size of each artwork as well as its orientation – vertical or horizontal: The size of the artwork—big, medium, or small—should complement the size of the room, its seating arrangement, and the furniture. Your artwork should not be longer than the width of the furniture right below the hanging artwork. Also, arrange the artworks vertically or horizontally in line to achieve symmetry.
Settle on how you want to group the artwork:
Do you want a random grouping of different prints and frames? It may wonderfully bring out the relaxed theme of your space overlooking the courtyard. You can also use a random grouping to create a stairway gallery.
Make up your mind about the number of pieces you want to use. Be sure that your space is well utilized and balanced—this means that there should not be so many pieces that the space looks cluttered and neither should the artworks be so few in number that the display appears too sparse. Decide how many pieces of paintings or photographs you want to use by taking into account your theme for decoration; the space available for display; and the size, orientation, pattern, and grouping of the artwork.
Today, with the many forms that artwork has taken – ranging from paintings in water color or oil to photographs and digital artwork – you get never-before-seen-or-experienced options for doing up for living space.
Isn’t artwork expensive?This is one of the most common myths around artwork. So while most of us appreciate art and would definitely want to own different types of artworks, we shy away from buying art thinking it will be “out of our budget”.
However, unbelievable as it may sound, art is now very much affordable, especially with websites such as www.artndecor.in offering direct sale to customers. The website aims to spread the word that art is very much affordable – in fact, a good piece of art can cost even less than what you would spend for a family dinner!
I always thought artwork was only for connoisseurs and collectors! Is it also for “laypersons” like us? Absolutely! And why not? Each of us is an artist in our own respects. When we choose clothes for ourselves, we check if the colors and designs complement each other. At times, we use contrasts and at others, we mix and match. In all these activities, we are artists for ourselves. We can extend the same sensibilities when choosing artwork to decorate our homes.
When you use art for display, you can work wonders by completely transforming the living space and at the same time, making a stylish impression. In fact, such flexible and varied is its function that you may use artwork to:
Most people want the space around them to be a reflection of their personality. So, for example, if you’re a dancer, you would want pictures and paintings of various dance forms to adorn your living space. Or, if you’re a lover of natural or scenic beauty, you would want to bring your walls to life with nature smiling at you!
On a simple note, this means that you want to be surrounded by your choices and preferences. Let’s see how you can do it!
Color it up: Decide the color of the walls – should it be plain white or your favorite color? Choosing white offers several advantages – it makes your space appear bright and spacious and gives you the liberty to use your favorite colors for the furniture, upholstery and curtains. However, if you are inclined to use your favorite color – say, a bright red or orange – for the walls, go ahead and paint the most prominent wall in that color. Remember to pick curtains of the same shade. Use subtle colors for the other walls.
Play it up on the walls: The walls surrounding a space are like the central plot of an act – and you as the author can “design” to uncover this plot in any way you want! You can design it as a romantic interfusion or a complex interplay of characters, as a story filled with suspense, as a killer thriller or as a story with muted undertones that only reveal what your audience wants to see!
When you decide to use artwork, some basic questions will cross your mind. Isn’t artwork expensive? I thought it’s only for connoisseurs and collectors, is it not? How can “laypersons” like us afford such expensive pieces? Well, okay, suppose I bought a painting – then how do I decide what’s the best way to put it up on the wall?
These are only some of the innumerable questions concerning the purchase and use of artwork as pieces of decoration. Let’s find out answers to these and other related questions in my next post.
Tips for home decor - Introduction
If you don't like coming back to a well-decorated home, this article is not for you. For the rest of us who appreciate tastefully designed spaces, there are a world of options to choose from. Some of these may tantalize our senses, making a bold statement or creating an individualistic expression. Some of the other options may be more subtle and sophisticated, but equally impacting. And, of course, there are tons of options in-between these two extremes.
The manner in which you decorate your living spaces showcases your unique design - this will depend on the choices you make, which in turn, will depend upon the" feel" or "experience" you want from your living space. This roundabout system of choices, one leading to another and then back to the first, may leave some of us confused!
But it's all very simple - it depends on where and how you want to start. Here are a few tips:
Soak up the space: Look around at the space you want to do up and answer some key questions about it, for instance, how big or small is it? Does it have a source of natural light? If yes, how big or small is the light source? What do you want to use the space for? What kind of furniture do you want to use? Where do you want to have the seating? Which walls will be busy and which walls will be available for decoration?
Decide a theme: The theme is the "central idea" of a space that best describes it. For example, the theme can be reflection of your personality or of your hobbies and interests. The theme reflects in each and every component of your decor - right from the furniture, carpets and curtains to the lamps, artifacts and artwork.
You've collected some key information about your living space and successfully completed the first stage in designing your space. Watch this space for the next steps.
