Monday, March 30, 2009

Chosing the Right Artwork....


by Nicole Wilkinson

How do you know if what you choose will 'fit' your home? Many decorators will have different answers to this question, but ask any artist who lives in a beautifully decorated home and you will always get the same answer; buy what you LOVE!

4 Myths Debunked:

1. "But it doesn't match the couch." No, it probably doesn't. Everything in a home shouldn't be matchy-matchy, just like shoes, belt, earrings and purse shouldn't all be the same color. Its overkill.

2. "But my style is traditional." Its ok. Mix it up. Many beautifully decorated traditional homes have contemporary pieces of artwork. Even beach cottages have serious thematic pieces of art. It is ok to mix and match styles.

3. "Beach scenes belong in beach houses". WRONG! I recently started dating a guy who has a boars head, YES, a stuffed boars head on the wall. I have mixed in my paintings of floral still lifes, contemporary pieces purchased in NYC, coastal paintings, and WOW! It looks sharp! We look like professional art collectors. You don't have to keep the Boars Head in the Lodge, and the Beach scene at the beach house.

4. "Think Think Think about it". For some this may be true, but you should have an AH-HA or WOW! moment when looking at a piece of artwork. You need to have an emotional response to the piece. Whether it reminds you of something from your past, a place you have visited, or something personal, it should be yours! Scenes or images that resonate with your emotions are what the artist is trying to achieve. Don't pass these pieces up! Do what you can to make them yours!


Happy art hunting!