I have a fine arts degree majoring in photography, so adding art to your home is a must-have in my book! As an interior designer I see homes as my canvas; there’s nothing worse than lots of blank white walls crying out for colour. Art makes a house a home, and choosing the right pieces is key to making a room look lived in and loved. But it’s easier said than done! No matter what your style, I believe the most important thing is to choose art and objects you love. After all – you’re going to be living with them every day! If you’re a minimalist, then two or three larger pieces in key locations will make your home feel loved. If you’re a maximalist, you may prefer a picture wall, or art zones where collections come together.
How to choose the right art for your home is something many of my clients struggle with. So, here are my top five tips to get you started.
Scale, proportion and orientation
Before you start looking for art, you need to consider the size and scale of the artwork you need for your space. Orientation is very important. If you have a tall, narrow wall, the artwork should be portrait rather than landscape. You always need white space around the work. Not all art needs to be rectangle either – a large round artwork can look stunning in an entranceway. Scale is also very important, if you get it wrong it doesn’t look right! Many people struggle with the idea of filling large walls. If this is you, there are a few options:
1. Buy a large-scale work.
If you’re brave enough to go big, you could look for something around 1.5m x 1m or larger. One substantial work may be all you need to create that wow factor.
2. Use a diptych or triptych.
This is a work that’s made up of two or three pieces; great when you need to fill more space.
3. Create a gallery wall.
This is definitely harder than you think! But, if you have a large collection of small artworks, you may be able to pull them together to create a body of art. Gallery walls can look messy if not done right, so I’d consider hiring a professional picture hanger to help. Having the works all in the same coloured frame can help pull it all together.
4. Commission an artist.
You may want to ask a favourite artist to create a work specifically to fit your space.
Where to buy art
Once you’ve decided where to put your artwork and the size you need, the next step is finding where to buy it.
The internet is a great place to start. If you use Instagram, popping in a few key hashtags (like #nzartist or #nzart) can bring up some amazing New Zealand artists. Make sure you save the images to a folder, so you can refer back to them later. These days, most artists will sell work on their own website or on larger third-party websites, so you should be able to connect with them online and discuss what you’re looking for.
There are lots of traditional galleries across New Zealand, where you can take your time browsing and working out what you like. Thanks to COVID and lockdowns, many of these galleries now have good websites or social media systems where they sell to customers online.
Here’s a list of a few of my favourite galleries and art stores.
https://artisgallery.co.nz
https://www.gowlangsforgallert.co.nz
https://hnsengallert.com
https://thepoiroom.co.nz
https://endemicworld.com
https://www.janedenton.co.nz
https://kiranmckinnon.co.nz
