Designing Art for Your Home – How To
July 26, 2023
Designing Art for Your Home
Designing art for you home. When I was growing up, while all my friends were watching Lizzie McGuire and Hannah Montana, you could find me, gaze fixated on our TV watching Property Brothers (cream of the crop in home design TV if I do say so myself – at least, until Fixer Upper), or House Hunters on HGTV. (Okay, okay, I did watch tween girl shows too. And game shows…and food network. I watched a lot of TV ok?)
But the fact still remains that if there was anything good on HGTV, that’s where I was gonna be. Next I would be telling my mother I couldn’t wait to move out – and not because I didn’t like her. It was so I could decorate my own house!
The Woes of Childhood…..
My bedroom had panda wallpaper. Mother told me it was wallpapered to the sheetrock, so there was no hopes of removing it, since it would damage the walls. Also, facebook marketplace wasn’t around back then, and we weren’t really just going to be scouring for unneeded new furniture.
So, I was stuck, waiting until I was old enough to buy my own place. Fun fact, here I am, 26 years old, still waiting to buy that new place of my own. I have lived in many different places since I left home at 18, but none of them could be remodeled. Mostly because we’ve been renting the majority of that time.
If you have the joy of home ownership, then maybe you also have the joy of cultivating a beautiful space to spend your time in. Crafting a home, whether that be farmhouse, coastal, industrial, modern, etc, can be so fun! And what more fun than to include in your thoughtful design pictures of your family that dwells within it’s walls!
How I Can Help with Designing Art for Your Home
As a photographer, I work with clients to help them design and choose artwork specifically for this purpose. Every step, from the wardrobe selection, to the location, to the product or frame selection can not only elevate your portraits, but help them seamlessly tie into your home.
Questions and Tips – Designing Art for Your Home
There are a few questions I ask before we start. Then I move on to a few tips that I can give clients when we talk about what products to purchase.
First, How do you want to enjoy your images? Do you already know you’d prefer to sit down and look at an album? Or maybe you love to see a picture hanging on your wall. If you have a preference, let’s lean into that.
2. Do you rent or own your home? If you’re renting, it can feel a little wrong to invest in artwork that may not work in your next home. However, there are a variety of finishes, sizes, and even galleries that can compliment a number of home styles. For example, you could do a 12×12 framed gallery and choose a simple frame, like a white one.
3. How much wall space do you have? If you don’t have a lot of space on your walls, then maybe an album or a folio would be a better option.
4. Do you have a spot in your home that you’ve been dreaming about filling? We can make a custom size and design perfect for that. For example, I recently helped a client design a GORGEOUS print to go above the buffet in her dining room. She chose a blue frame, and a smaller frame to fit inside it which was silver and had a dotted accent. It matched her existing blue and white décor, and the overall feel of the room perfectly. I went to her home with all my samples and we held them all up until we found the perfect ones which made the process go so smoothly.
5. What is the existing décor of your space? Certain products come in unique finishes which can add so much character into a home. If you have an farmhouse kitchen, maybe you’d like a rustic framed family portrait above your dining room table. Or maybe you’re more modern, and love the idea of a slick black folio box to sit on your coffee table!
6. What is the color scheme of your home? I suggest taking that all into account when deciding what to wear, and what location. If your home is full of neutrals, imagine taking a family portrait on the subtle brown river bed, with a pop of orange, like this portrait below. Or even keep the wardrobe completely neutral. I have a software I can use to help you imagine what kind of colors or sizes would look best. Simply ask me about it before your session!
7. SCALE. Artwork should take up about 2/3 of the space you’re accenting. For example, it should almost reach the sides of your sofa in the living room, or a headboard in your bedroom. You can use one piece or create a gallery, but the rule is the same. If you do this, play around with spacing and make sure it’s not too far apart or too close together. If you like a more minimal look, consider different mat sizes. Mats are (in simple terms) a white border that goes around the outside of an image.
Feel Free to Ask Me Any Questions!
Because the nature of this is so custom to each person’s style and home, it’s hard to write a blog post all about how to design art for your home. However, I hope this was helpful and if you have any questions, feel free to send me a DM on Instagram!
Another post that might be helpful is “What to Wear for Family Photos“. Have a great day!
