I have been noticing how many people do not display art work in their homes. Unless you live in a spare, minimalist white box, bare walls leave the impression that the occupants have never really settled in.
It’s true that the decision of what, where and how to hang can be intimidating. However, you do not have to own an original Picasso to qualify for space on a wall. A framed reproduction or poster can be just as impressive. Whatever you hang on your wall should bring you pleasure. It doesn't matter if it is worth a million dollars or 50 cents. If it makes you feel good, then it is good.
The most important thing to remember when displaying art is to maintain a balance as you would do with your furniture arrangement. A small class photo of your child, no matter how adorable, will be dwarfed and made insignificant if it is all by itself on a large wall. Even three class photos will be lost. Sometimes if you try too hard to match pictures by theme, size or frame color, their impact will be diminished. Often it is the unexpected combination of appealing images that creates excitement and interest.
I recently redesigned a large home using only the existing furnishings. One particular room that needed my attention was the “formal” living room. The owners were under the impression that only expensive and formal items belonged in this room. As a result, it felt empty and cold and not surprisingly, was rarely used. I saw this as a challenge to not only make the room more livable, but dispel the idea of needing a “formal” room. Unless you are hosting state dinners, formal should go out the window. It helps to maintain your sanity if you have at least one room without leggos, but let's get real about how most of us live. When the in-laws visit or at holiday time, the room still has to be welcoming.
I rummaged through the large house I was redesigning and found furnishings in the den, hallway, and bedrooms that I felt would serve the formal living room better. In the attic was a pair of chairs the owner had purchased years ago that she was intending to recover. I convinced her to give them a try as they were.
One of the most important discoveries I made in the house, was pictures lying around in various closets, boxes and in the basement. There were drawings and prints by unknowns artists collected on vacations, hand me downs from relatives, music posters and framed book illustrations. Each piece was different in size, shape, style and medium. Yet when I looked at them all together, a wonderful lifetime of experiences and a strong sense of family history emerged. This was what was missing from the formal living room.
Adding the art, rearranging and adding furnishings, allowed the house to blossom and take on the personality of the owners. That “formal” living room as well as many other areas of the house came to life. It drew the family into rooms they never spent time in, they found themselves socializing seamlessly from one part of the home to another.
Best of all, I was able to realize this artful arrangement and re-design of the home without purchasing more than two pieces of picture glass for a pair of old frames.
Now you may not think you have a cache of art hiding in the far corners of your home, but look again. I have collected wall paper remnants and framed them. I have torn apart picture books and displayed their illustrations in inexpensive frames from IKEA. A friend placed seven Hawaiian shirts in seven shadow box frames from Michaels, and they made for one of the most exciting wall displays I have ever seen. I have taken polaroids of people and blown them up on copy machines until they were pixilated, turning them into wall graphics, gessoed directly onto sheet rock.
Some of my favorite wall art is textiles. Large quilts, ethnic cloths, even old blankets stapled to canvas stretchers can be exciting. Their texture and the faded coloring of the old wool is so soft and lovely, great compliments in a bedroom.
So no excuse. You have your own originals somewhere in your home. I am not promising you will have a showing at MOMA, but it will make you and your pocketbook happy.
Katherine Stern K+L HOME STAGERS
Interior Design "Home Staging that makes properties sell and sell well"
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 914-582-1920 www.kandlhomestagers.com
