In practice, there are two ways of going about it, if you believe in “art for art’s sake” then decorate the interiors and select the art piece. On the other hand if you feel strongly about art, then select the artwork and plan the decor around it. However, irrespective of the path you follow out of the two, ultimately the decor and art should support each other for a visual appeal.
Style and subject of the artwork
The first step is to get a sense of the art that appeals the most to you, figure out what expresses your persona. However, in that process don’t get attached to one particular style. Be open to exploring different genre’s since each room has a character that needs similar kind of artwork on the other hand mixing styles in the same space is not against the rule though it is a little tricky.
‘Damselle’ by Pop Art artist Roy Lichtenstein adds glamour to a multi-hued modern interior
Vincent van Gogh’s Painting ‘The pink peach tree’ infuses creativity to the space
Vincent van Gogh’s & Camille Pissarro’s Still life Painting’s act as color blocks complementing the prints & patterns of the interior
Size and shape of the artwork
Shape of the wall should reflect on your artwork, on a horizontally long wall have a landscape size artwork or bunch of small artworks displayed in an interesting horizontal arrangement on the wall. On a slender vertically long space, hang a panel or a portrait size piece. This would highlight the height or width of the wall.
Marilyn Monroe Portrait’s by artist Andy Warhol’s grouped in an atypical manner gives an interesting result
Vincent van Gogh’s Painting ‘Wheatfield with crows’. The landscape makes the width of the wall look more imposing
‘Woman in bath’ and ‘Girl with Ball’ by Roy Lichtenstein makes the wall look tall and grand
The art work should be of the right size if the piece is too large for the wall it can get overwhelming, a large canvas shouldn’t cross three fourth width of the couch below it. On the other hand, if an artwork is too small it will lose its charisma, it should be at least half the width of the sofa below it.
For the painting to be at an average eye level, the center of the piece should be approximately 57 inches away from the floor.
Vincent van Gogh’s painting ‘Fishing boats at Sainte Marie’ is three fourth of the sofa below it
Contrast or harmony of the colors
You can either create a stark contrast or synchronize the colors of the artwork with your interiors. If you decide to follow a particular color scheme then at least one or two of the most outstanding colors in the room should be prevalent in your artwork. Don’t go overboard with the matching, the colors need not be of the exact shade or tone, it’s good enough if they are from the same family.
The tones in Edgar Degas’s painting – ‘Ballet Rehearsal on Stage’ establish a visual link with the interiors
Alfred Sisley’s painting ‘Rest along the Stream’ synchronizes well with the tone of the space
Frame
Three things to consider before selecting a frame for an artwork- the frame shouldn’t dominate the painting, it should form a link between the piece and the interior decor, it should complement the style of the art?
The artwork is the star of the show and a good frame never over shadows the artwork or steals its spotlight. It serves as an enclosure that enhances the painting and drives the viewers focus to it.
Egon Schiele’s modern artwork ‘Crescent of Houses’ looks impactful with a basic and sleek natural wood frame
The ornamental frame on Edgar Degas’s painting- ‘Dancers’. mirrors the paintings’ classical style
Lighting
Correct lighting intensifies the visual impact of the artwork, brings out the subtle details and the fine gradation in colors. Use track or directional spot lighting for recessed ceiling fixtures to highlight your artwork. However, best would be individual picture lights, to illuminate your piece.
John F Weir’s still life ‘Roses’ and Vincent van Gogh’s painting ‘The harvest’, light up with individual picture lights on them.
Image source- rooang.com, decoist.com, canevillecrafts.in, gaiff.com, revitcity.com, custommodernlighting.com, interiorpik.com, cr3at.com (some of the images have been edited)