Large pieces of furniture can also help give you a focal point: in a living room, it’s often the wall above the couch; in a bedroom, it’s the wall above the headboard. If your space doesn’t have an obvious focal point, opt for the largest empty wall, as hanging art there will draw the eye and allow you to design the rest of the room around it. Buying art that we love and feel a connection with is fun and exciting, but crucially it goes a long way in helping us create a home that reflects our personality. Once you have decided on your focal point, look around the space and consider where else you could hang art; the narrow section of wall between windows, perhaps, or above a console, sideboard, or credenza. Behind a door is a lovely way to add an unexpected pop of interest to a room. However, when populating your walls, ensure you maintain a hierarchy in the artworks so when you walk into a room, your eye still falls to your focal point before traveling around in a way that feels comfortable. If the artworks fight each other for attention, the room could feel unbalanced.
All of this means you need to consider how you want to feel in a space before you choose art for it. A living room, for example, can be enjoyed in many ways. If you wish it to be a place to unwind, it’s best to choose a soothing abstract artwork or a peaceful landscape. If it’s primarily an entertaining space and you wish for a greater sense of energy, opt for an artwork with bolder colors and graphic prints that will lend a room vibrancy. You can also use art to add a touch of playfulness, choosing works that make you smile. The bedroom, on the other hand, is a space in which to relax and have a restful night’s sleep, so loud artworks that fill the room with energy are usually best avoided. Instead, choose art that is calming and escapist such as landscapes and seascapes, or abstract art in muted colors or combined with diluted pops of color. Working remotely has made the study a key space in the home, and here the same questions apply. Do you want it to be a tranquil place in which to work in peace, or would a graphic print with inspirational words that help you power on when faced with a challenge be more suitable? HANGING YOUR ART AT HOME You can hang art on any wall of a room, and even on all of them, but the easiest way to begin is to consider its focal point—where your eye is naturally drawn when you walk in—as this will give you a center from which to start. In a room with a mantelpiece, this will be the wall above it.
ART AT HOME ISN’T JUST PAINTINGS
Today, you can adorn your walls with all manner of objects, not just traditional artwork. Ceramics, and plates in particular, have come out of the closet and onto walls, and are found not just in kitchens but also in hallways, living rooms, and bathrooms. In fact, the plate wall is a decorative display used by many renowned interior designers, including Kelly Wearstler, who decked the foyer of the Viceroy Hotel Santa Monica with them. The ever-popular gallery wall has been extended to become a memory wall—a collection that can include art but also objects that reflect moments in your life, such as a ticket to a concert or a map that reminds you of a special place. One of the homes in the book features mounted boxes of shells and sand from places the homeowner has traveled to. A collection of objects can also create a wall that is rich in texture and interest—one of my favorite walls in the book is decorated with an eclectic mix including mirrors, lino-cut prints of animals, dried seaweed, antique keys and padlocks, and a single black feather. The variety of shapes and materials makes for a wall that is utterly arresting and draws you in to examine it in detail. Straw hats, mirrors, signs, clothing, even decorative moldings—anything is possible, and only limited by your imagination.
44 // ASPIRE ON THE SHORE
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