Teal’s Home Art and Why She Chose It
Art is a crucial element in designing and styling a room as it completes the overall look and feel of the space. As a bonus, art has the power to make us feel “something” hopefully good and uplift our mood. Like many of us, I used to feel intimidated by art, thinking that it's expensive and unattainable. I wasn’t educated about the type of art, artists, or style.. bullocks to that! I have come to realize that art CAN be affordable and the way I connect to art is to make it personal. It's like looking at a picture of your family that always invokes a feeling of love and nostalgia. You never get tired of it, and it always holds a special place in your heart. I believe that art is for you and your personal enjoyment, and no one else. So, if you like a piece of art, go for it! It's likely that it will continue to make you feel good and bring joy to your space. Don’t overthink it.
So what did I pick for my own house?
I have a lot of windows in my house and not many walls are available to showcase art. However, I have found creative ways to display the few pieces I own. For instance, I have an awkward stair entry with a short wall that I didn't want to clutter with a piece of furniture. So, I decided to lean a large piece of art against the wall, propped up on the floor. I then used a floor lamp to spotlight it, and it works! I believe that the way in which you display art is a fun and exciting part of the process. You should have the courage to display your art in a way that feels authentic and personal to you or more importantly works better in your space. I mean none of us live in an art gallery! Art is a flexible medium that can move and shift with you, and you can also change frames as your art travels to different spaces in your lifetime.
Below you will find 3 pieces of art in my house that are sentimental:
ONE OF THE FIRST PIECES OF MY MOMS ART COLLECTION
I have a vintage print of the Levis logo and branding press for the jean button cover, which was my mom’s first art purchase in her early 20’s. I don’t really like the image per se, as it is a messy ink press and very orange (not my fav color) but I like to look at it and think of her in the early stages of her life starting out like me. I will never get rid of it.
A GIFT PIECE WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN
My uncle gave me a large piece of framed art with two tiny ballet slippers faded in the middle when my daughter was born. I am not even close to a dancer (although I can cut a mean rug). His gift was so tender that I just love looking at the art in her room. I think my daughter will have this piece for life and maybe she will pass it onto her kids one day.
FRAME YOUR KIDS DRAWINGS
My kids are grown and no longer draw portraits of me, which is probably a good thing as it likely would offend me if my face did not come across anything under the age of 31, ha! But, I am so glad I did frame the drawings they both did while they were in kindergarten. It doesn’t match the room, but it’s ours. A portrait of each of us and we look stunning (I am drawn with one arm and a broken leg.. crushing it!)
In summary, try to choose art that is proportional to the wall that you are trying to dress. If you have a small print you can enlarge the visual experience of the art by framing it with a large matte and frame. Make the art selection personal to you. If it evokes a feeling or makes you happy, it will work in your space. You don’t need to match your sofa, rug, or pillows to your art and vice versa. Art is like a good pair of jeans, it goes with everything. And if you still feel like it’s too much of an eye sore, re-frame it and get a fresh mat that goes well with your space.
HELPFUL LINKS
Check our blog on Gallery Walls
Catherine Freshley’s Blog “Learn How to Hang Art Like An Interior Designer”
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