- Words Jane Zatlyny Photography Lia Crowe

Whether it is your child害羞草研究所檚 first painting, an inherited watercolour, an old family photograph or a piece of functional pottery害羞草研究所攁rt brings incredible meaning to our personal lives. As the artist Pablo Picasso once put it, 害羞草研究所淎rt washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.害羞草研究所�

In a sea of manufactured goods, art also humanizes our homes.

害羞草研究所淚 always like to look at it as the personalization of a space,害羞草研究所� says Hannah Katey Berger, principal interior designer and owner of Hannah Katey Interior Design in Kelowna. 害羞草研究所淲hen you have a neutral space, art really adds that personality.害羞草研究所�

When I was a teenager, I papered my bedroom walls with pages torn from fashion magazines, my own drawings and posters of my teen idols. A great compliment from a visiting friend was always, 害羞草研究所淲ow, there is so much to look at in here!害羞草研究所� Today my condo walls are covered with colourful paintings, my own photographs, large pieces of pottery and art glass. There害羞草研究所檚 still a lot to take in, and it may not be to everyone害羞草研究所檚 taste害羞草研究所攂ut that is perfectly okay.

Art is powerful because it takes a room to the next level, explains Brooke Hatfield, interior designer and principal of Brooke Hatfield Design in Victoria. 害羞草研究所淓ven if two people have the exact same furniture in a room, you will get a completely different vibe and understand so much about Person A and Person B, just from their selection of art.害羞草研究所�

The art you choose to display in your home can also profoundly influence the way you feel. It can calm you or it can energize you, depending on the pieces you choose害羞草研究所攁nd where you choose to display them.

害羞草研究所淎t museums, we often see people staring at a piece of art for a long period of time,害羞草研究所� says Lucila Diaz, founder and creative director of Harmony Sense Interiors in North Vancouver. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 because the art is making them feel something beyond the colours or the lines or the composition.害羞草研究所�

The same holds true when art is integrated into interior design, she stresses: 害羞草研究所淚 know I害羞草研究所檝e done my job when people say,

害羞草研究所業 don害羞草研究所檛 really know what it is, but it feels so peaceful and harmonious to be in this space.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Ultimately, art helps us create a beautiful sanctuary from the world, says Brooke. 害羞草研究所淚f we have pieces in our spaces that we love, it can really bring us home to ourselves.害羞草研究所�

Building a collection

When choosing art for your home, the nearly infinite selection of styles, colours and sizes can often seem overwhelming.

害羞草研究所淢any of my clients say, 害羞草研究所業 wouldn害羞草研究所檛 know where to start害羞草研究所� when I ask them about art for their homes,害羞草研究所� says Brooke.

A simple rule to follow is to buy what you love, she adds: 害羞草研究所淔ollow your gut, and you won害羞草研究所檛 go wrong.害羞草研究所�

Ten tips to help you source art for your home:

Building an art collection takes time, so it害羞草研究所檚 wise to buy art piece by piece.

害羞草研究所淏e patient and have fun with it,害羞草研究所� says Hannah. 害羞草研究所淓xplore different artists and different mediums. There is nothing wrong with liking or disliking certain styles. When it害羞草研究所檚 right for you, you害羞草研究所檙e going to appreciate it in your space.害羞草研究所�

Start by showcasing your children害羞草研究所檚 art, suggests Brooke. 害羞草研究所淥ne of my own favourite pieces of art is a series of three cards my god-daughter created in preschool, which I matted and framed.害羞草研究所�

Visit museums and galleries to get a sense of what you like.

Studio tours and art walks are another great way to build a collection; you can also forge a meaningful connection with the artist and learn the story behind a particular work of art.

Parker Street Studios in Vancouver, a 52,000-square-foot warehouse, is home to more than 100 artists害羞草研究所� galleries and studios, says Lucila. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a great place to look for or even commission art.害羞草研究所�

Etsy, the global e-commerce website for makers, is another good place to source art, whether you purchase a digital download or an original piece. You can also explore Instagram for artists害羞草研究所� profiles and follow and purchase art through that platform, says Brooke.

Online auctions like MaxSold can also be a great way to browse and find art to suit pretty much all tastes and styles.

Try to avoid settling by 害羞草研究所渕atching害羞草研究所� a piece of art to a sofa or other piece of furniture; instead, choose a piece that speaks to you, says Hannah. 害羞草研究所淎rt can act as a major focal point, which should inspire the remaining space. You can add cohesive harmony to your interior by pulling colours from the artwork through accent pillows and accessories.害羞草研究所�

Many public art galleries offer art rental and sales. This is a great way to test drive a painting style or size in your home before buying.

Hanging, spacing and placing art

How we hang or display our art pieces can greatly affect their impact in our homes. The most common mistake, according to the interior designers I spoke with, is hanging a painting too high or too low. Here are some tips about hanging, spacing and placing art.

Take your cue from art galleries and museums and make sure that the middle of the art work is at your eye level.

Another rule of thumb is to hang paintings 60 inches from the floor to the centre of the art for a room with an eight-foot ceiling. Adjust for higher ceiling heights.

When hanging art over a sofa, mantle or dresser, make sure it relates to that piece and isn害羞草研究所檛 too high above it. Usually four to eight inches is ideal, says Brooke.

Be mindful about scale when hanging artwork, as pieces can sometimes be too large or small for a particular space, says Hannah. With too-small pieces, consider adding an extra-large matte when framing, or group items together.

Try to make sure that the distance between pieces in a gallery wall is consistent.

Think outside of two-dimensional artwork, says Brooke. 害羞草研究所淎 friend of mine collected those small blue and white houses that a Dutch airline gave away. Displayed together, they formed a powerful piece of art.害羞草研究所�

Make sure your artwork is properly secured to the wall. 害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 want things to fall,害羞草研究所� says Lucila. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 also important to protect your investment with UV protected glass, so it won害羞草研究所檛 be damaged by sunlight.害羞草研究所� Don害羞草研究所檛 be afraid to layer art by putting a lamp in front of a painting, suggests Brooke. 害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 want to obliterate the artwork, but layering is what makes a space interesting.害羞草研究所�

Use painters害羞草研究所� tape or trace your artwork onto newsprint to test out a gallery wall.

Consider the overall atmosphere you want to create when hanging art, says Lucila. 害羞草研究所淚f you have a piece of art you love, make it the centrepiece of your room.害羞草研究所�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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