Where To Find Art For Your Home, Part I
Steps to finding art for your walls that isn't soulless
Anything can be art.
To me, great art in your home is summed up by just two things:
Enjoyable to look at.
Interesting to look at.
This is easier said than done, so let me break it down for you.
The first thing I recommend when picking and hanging art in your own home is making sure it brings you joy, regardless of how acclaimed or high brow it may be. Kids art should be hung on the walls if it brings you joy. Intellectual, controversial, or ground breaking art absolutely has its place in the world, but if it doesn’t speak to you, you don’t need it in your home. Whether a piece of art brings you joy is extremely subjective, so in your own home, I wouldn’t even worry if other people don’t like it. Personal art is better than universally accepted art. Don’t let others pull you in a different direction.
To decide if art is interesting to you, ask yourself if you’d like to look at the piece of art for a long time, or if you won’t get bored seeing it everyday in your home. Again, it doesn’t matter if other people find it boring as long as you find it interesting. Art can also be more enjoyable and more interesting if framed in the right way, or placed in the right place. Here are steps to help you find enjoyable and interesting art!
How to source for art for your home:
Step one: Determine the size range of the art you are looking for
Measure the wall
Determine the overall boundary box where you’d like art to be placed. If you want to do a few pieces or a gallery wall, you should have a general overall idea of the space it should fill. Or, see what is the minimum and maximum size for one piece of art to fit.
Take into account the frame size. You could find beautiful art that is way too small for a space and frame it with a large mat.
Read up on general standards for art size and placement, and ways to break the rules if you want to do something intentionally quirky.
Art should be hung around eye level. If you’re doing multiple pieces, the center of the group should be around eye level. People tend to hang art too high, don’t do that.
Art should be hung around 6-9 inches above a bed, console, or sofa depending on how big the wall is.
If you have a large piece on one wall in a room, add some variation by doing a grouping of smaller pieces on another wall
For gallery walls, I like the pieces to be around the same space away from each other, around 2 - 4 inches.
I love a grid of art. Generally grids look better with the pieces hung close to each other.
Step two: Figure out your budget
Art can be an investment, or at least something you’ll enjoy the rest of your life and pass down to others. I like to think you’re helping support artists and local framers. However, some of us don’t have the money yet and still want art, this is why I’m writing this article.
Save budget for quality framing. This might sound like a cherry on top, but I want to tell you it is almost as important as the art itself in making the piece look good. Framing can be very expensive, but at least you can’t really get ripped off, the more expensive the framing, the better the quality. If you want art to look high end on a budget, I suggest searching for frames at consignment shops, or getting a frame from pictureframes.com. Also, Framebridge is an inexpensive option for having art custom framed for you.
Step three: Figure out the type of art, type of frame and type of colors you’re hoping for
Think about what colors, or mood, you’re imagining for the wall. I say do this prior to your search. Are you looking for something bold, something neutral, something gestural, geometric, modern, historic etc.
The type of frame, size, mat and material really sets the mood for the space. If you figure this out before searching for art and it can help you narrow down your search to art that would work in the type of frame you’re feeling. For frames, I tend to like thin minimal real wooden frames, or white frames, or some antique gold leaf frames (depends on the finish). I don’t usually like thick, black or plastic frames.
Step four: Search
A helpful exercise in understanding what art you gravitate toward is going to museums, galleries, and looking at art online without a budget in mind. Then you can get a sense of what you like and dislike, then try to find that in cheaper versions. For example, if you like the serene impressionist landscapes of Monet’s waterlilies, you can narrow your search to impressionist landscape paintings. Keep a folder on your phone for reference. You can also share these images or artists with friends or gallerists who may be able to point you in the right direction of attainable artworks.
Where to look for inexpensive art:
Auctions and estate sales!
Liveauctioniers.com shows auctions near you that you can bid on online or go in person.
This is so cute going for $45!! Pencil painting Forge Dmitry Lednev
And this one! Pencil painting Have a rest Dmitry Lednev
Student art - look for exhibits at art schools or find lists of artists enrolled and see if they gave online portfolios
Painting at Antik Brooklyn Vintage home goods stores have gems at really great prices
even if a curated store is selling refurbished furniture at expensive prices, I’ve noticed the art is still wildy affordable
Some examples near me are Humble House and Antik on Atlantic Ave
Nice clothing stores! They want to sell you a lifestyle when they sell you clothes, so they often have cool art in their stores for sale. For example, Oroboro in Soho sells amazing inexpensive art and home goods.
Art fairs and flea markets
There are so many art fairs in NYC, and a few are dedicated to inexpensive art
The Affordable Art Fair is coming up March 19-23
Chairish and 1stdibs - they make it easy to search budget, dimensions, style etc.
Ask an artistic friend if you can commission them, I’ve done a lot of commissions for friends.
Copy art that you like and think you can do your self ! Even if it's bad, it still would be cooler than nothing. Obviously don’t go selling a copied painting, but doesn’t hurt to copy and hang it on your own walls if you just give the artist credit when you talk about it.
Hang something that is less expensive than a painting or drawing!
Atypical things that can be beautiful art
Framed woven horsehair artwork by Alexandra Kohl Unique fabric or rug pieces - fabric swatches, especially handmade, can be super beautiful and adds cool texture with little expense. Shadowbox frame these.
Restaurant menus if they are more about art than a menu - these add personal touch to a gallery wall.
Doodles - find a friend who's good at sketching and rip a page from something they doodled. David Burn did a whole exhibit on his doodles and I bought his book on them.
Very nicely framed doodles Postcards - these are so cheap and usually beautiful photos or prints of beautiful art, also personal.
Flat tile, broken or flat ceramics, old plates - also adds interesting texture and handmade feel.
This is expensive because its Andy Warhol, but framing inspiration for tile. Old beautiful book covers or basically anything hand printed and vintage that you like.
Quilts! They are art with cool texture
Step Five: Frame
Frame everything unless you bought a piece where the artist specifically doesn’t want you to frame it
Framing even the most mundane things in a beautiful way makes the item feel precious and beautiful.
When in doubt, go for a large mat, especially with photos.
Support your local framer, tell them your budget and they can work with you. You can also bring in a frame you found at a thrift.
Framebridge is great for framing anything inexpensively if your local framer is just out of budget
I have also framed my own painting using a custom frame from pictureframes.com
There is so much to say about art, so more to come!
Love this! Hot tip: use painters tape to block out size of art so you can visually see if it’s proportionate
Love this, thanks for all the tips!