Art is quite often thought of as part of the finishing touches of your decor, a last-minute addition or a required space filler on your wall. However, art is more than that, when it is well curated it can transform, establish and elevate any room. It sets the tone of the space while adding to the overall design aesthetic. Art is an expression of personality. It adds visual interest, evokes emotion and can communicate our deepest thoughts.

Understanding the role art plays in your space is important. A vibrant abstract can create energy, a subtle landscape can be calm and peaceful. The colours, textures and forms found in your artwork can be complementary to the surroundings of the room, adding not only visual interest but also depth to the design. It can create a focal point in the space, or add a subtle nuance to a small little corner of a room. It can be the starting point when designing or it could be that extra layer needed when creating a well-curated room.

Space inspired by art

Many feel that great artwork should stand alone and really have nothing to do with the finished decor of your space. However, when working with clients, I often find that art always will have a greater impact and look better within the space when the decor supports the pieces in questions.

Whether you are working with original art, prints, photography of your family or from your travels or some great vintage pieces you found while thrifting, you need to decide the role these pieces will have within your space. Is the design of your space inspired by your art pieces? Will the art in question be displayed prominently in your space? Will you create a collage wall that blends old and new, abstract and vintage? Does your art collection consist of “objects” that will accompany your framed pieces? However you decide to incorporate these pieces, know that they will certainly add dimension, richness and interest to the area.

So, the question remains, how do you design a space to highlight your art? One of the more classic and easiest ways to coordinate your art selections within your living spaces is drawing on colour. This is not about having your art “match” everything in the space, but rather developing a palette of colour and texture throughout that will help enhance the pieces. This could be a simple repetition of some of the colours found within the piece through paint, fabric and accessories which will help to strengthen the visual impact of the art. A coordination and balance of colour, pattern and texture within your decor will draw you into the room and visually highlight the art.

Modern approach

For a more modern approach, the design of a room can be a bit more restrained, both in colour and composition, allowing the art to become more of an impactful focal point, and with the addition of proper lighting, you can truly make your art piece become the centre of attention. When working with bold or large scaled pieces of art, put some thought in to how you’d like to display these pieces and make the design or decor of your space complement them instead of just making the art exist. If you are selecting fresh pieces of art for your room, select wisely, in both size and composition. Look to creating groupings or collages with some pieces to avoid simply hanging a single piece per wall. While art is subjective and personal, it does need to vibe with the space it will be in to truly shine.

Art can elevate and complete your interior space. But in the end, artwork should simply make you happy. You can make a bold statement or create a calm and relaxing environment, whichever suits your personality and style best. Be creative with your selections and don’t fear colourful or large-scale pieces. Your art collection is a reflection of you, your life, history, travels and family, so have fun with it and show your true self.