Through a couple fun Instagram polls we learned that design advice about living rooms is the most sought after. Which makes sense. It’s the most used room in the home and we’re in our homes more than ever these days. Plus, there is so much opportunity for simple and truly transformative changes in the living room. So, today, we’re kicking off a series on living room design advice with a post about art.

Art is one of the key elements that completes a room. It brings personality. It elevates a space to something a bit extra interesting and bit extra special. If you were to scroll through photos of some of the most universally coveted living rooms, you would undoubtedly see beautiful art on the walls. So, where do you look for art? And how do you choose a specific piece? And then…what about framing it…or just wrapped canvas? And what about gallery walls?

There are a lot of choices when it comes to art. And we have some great resources for making a plan and executing the plan you make.

Pinterest is a key resource for finding inspiration for wall decor. You can find all sorts of big picture ideas (gallery walls, large scale art, non-traditional wall decor, etc.). You can also find specific pieces. But, it can be confusing where to even begin - what search words to use. We have a Pinterest Board full of different styles of art, all of which we love. You can find some wonderful pieces and you can also find key words to use to search for more options.

Below is a snapshot of our board.

Etsy

We use Etsy more than any other website when searching for art for our clients (and ourselves). And here is a trick you might not know: when you find a piece of art that you like, but it’s not quite right, first click the art to get to the details page. Then, scroll to the bottom of page until you get to where it says “You may also like”. You’ll find a lot of similar options. It can be a rabbit hole, but it usually reveals exactly what you’re looking for.

One more tip, many Etsy shops have an Instagram account. If you are drawn to an artist, check out their Instagram feed. You’ll see all the newest pieces they’re adding to their shop and you’ll also see different ways the art is framed and incorporated into rooms.

We want to share one of our favorite Etsy artists - Rachel Elise. Rachel Elise has a shop full of gorgeous, abstract pieces with a sprinkle of botanical pieces. They are all digital files that you can instantly download and print at home or through your local print shop (Staples, Costco, etc.). And they’re all $4.99. We used a series of prints in our Prospect Project Nursery and a single print in a gallery wall in our Lovell Living Room.

Here’s a glimpse of her shop to get a sense of everything she offers. Something in every color combination. It’s all so beautiful and serene.

When choosing a frame for your art, we are big fans of CB2 frames and West Elm frames. We also use Pottery Barn frames, but like to warn that some Pottery Barn mats are not a true white. They’re creamy cream.

Minted, Artfully Walls and Iamfy

When you’re not looking for a DIY (purchasing the digital image, printing the digital image, finding the right frame, purchasing the frame, and putting it all together), we suggest Minted, Artfully Walls and Iamfy. There are endless pages of gorgeous art with frame and mat options. And all three websites have lots of filtering options when you search - color, size, theme, etc. It’s a one stop shop to find the art, choose the frame and have it all arrive at your doorstep.

We used a beautiful cloudscape from Artfully Walls for our Stafford Family Room.

Art Hanging Guide

Once you’ve found your inspiration on Pinterest, found your piece of art (or several pieces) on Etsy or Minted or Artfully Walls or Iamfy, it’s time to know where and how to hang them. First, not every wall needs a piece of art. In fact, typically just one wall per room needs art. Less often, two walls. There can be an instinct to fill every blank space with something, but resist that urge. You don’t need to fill every space and art is not always the answer when you do.

The large scale option. We love this option because it’s a statement and creates such a mood for the entire space. On the other hand, it’s a big commitment…that statement and mood you’re creating. It’s also not the most budget-friendly option. Bigger pieces come with bigger prices (mostly because of the frame).

The fail proof, three piece, eclectic gallery. Eclectic galleries can be intimidating because there are so many micro-decisions. You’re choosing multiple pieces of unique art, multiple unique frames, different size everything. The goal is for everything to compliment, not match. It’s a tricky endeavor. But, we have a formula.

1) Choose one color and make sure all three pieces incorporate that color.

2) Choose one large piece and two smaller pieces. The larger piece will go on one side and the two smaller pieces will be stacked next to it.

4) Choose two matching frames and one non-matching frame. Maybe two stained wood and one brass, two gray and one white, two thin black and one thick black.

5) Frame two pieces with a mat and one without a mat.

Scroll back up to our Lovell Project and you’ll see this formula in action. And now you can visualize it many different ways - the larger piece on the right, different frame colors, etc.

The grid gallery. This is great for a big and entirely blank wall. And also for someone who doesn’t want to deal with too many choices (as needed with an eclectic wall). You measure out the wall and plan for maximum coverage. Don’t forget to include the space between the frames in your calculations. If you have a piece of furniture grounding the wall, then your gallery is just above the furniture top. If you have millwork on the lower half of your wall (wainscoting, beadboard, etc.), then your gallery is just on the top half. If you have a fully blank wall, go for it - floor to ceiling. Here are some tips:

1) Hang the frames approximately 2” apart. For larger frames you can stretch the distance to 3” apart.

2) Smaller frames will read more busy, so choose simple art (black and white photographs, minimal abstract series, etc.)

The series of three. If you’re looking for something truly easy, this method is for you. This is extremely similar to a grid gallery, but it’s just three frames hung in a horizontal row. The human eye loves sets of three because there’s a natural center. You can go slightly more interesting and bold with the art because the scale is in the mid range (not a huge commitment, not a busy cluster) and keep the frames matching.

Stay tuned for a lot more in this series on living room design advice. And leave us a comment or send us an email with your question! We’ll answer everything we can.

- Leah

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