A home full of art is a welcoming environment to relax and entertain. You can tell a story about who you are as an individual, a couple, a family or a business by filling your home or office with art in every room.

There are many different ways to decorate a home. Some people prefer to keep things simple, while others like to add layer upon layer of colour and pattern. But whatever style you choose, it's important to make sure that every single room feels cohesive and inviting. If you want to bring some personality into your home, there are several rooms where adding artwork is a great way to do just that. Here are some ideas to help you choose art for each room of your home

Living Room 

In today's world, our living room is more "our living room" than the showcase room it was in times past. So here is a place where you can share art that reflects who you are, what you love - through the colours, the themes or the styles - and how you express your art sense.

The good folks at Havenly.com offer some style tips for the living room. 

These will create a space that will stand out and sparkle. For example, adding a gallery wall or picture ledge will allow you to display a wide and varied collection of artworks, posters and other cool stuff you've accumulated in your life journey. Add a pop of colour or play with neutral tones depending on your decorating ideas. 

Gallery Walls

Gallery walls are lovely conversation pieces in your home. Popular themes for these groupings of photos, posters or other frameable articles are: 

• family pictures, 
• cities you have visited, 
• photographs you have taken on your travels or 
• theatre, movie and entertainment posters you have collected

 

 

Have some fun with this! Include some "found" objects on your gallery wall. For example, if you have tickets to a concert that was the highlight of your life, frame them and hang them on the wall. i.e. Tickets to the Prince Concert you took your son to when he was 16. You can even place a clock in the middle or other neat objects. The point is that a gallery wall can include anything you want!

The Bedroom:

The bedroom is where you go to escape and chill out. Use soothing colours like green, a calming colour, to set the backdrop for your chosen artwork to create the environment you're looking for in this room.

Landscapes, forest scenes or abstracts that have colours and images that resonate with your sense of inner peace may be the direction you want to go. How do you know what to hang in that space over your headboard? What size should it be? Where should it be positioned? What art style would work well in this space, or would a wall hanging work be a better option? These are challenging questions. Take your time and experiment with placement.

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Dining Room:

When choosing focus pieces for your dining room, consider the following:

- Look for artwork that will match or complement your existing colour scheme.
- Choose an artwork that expresses something meaningful to you and fits with the overall design of your interior design space.
- Think about how the art can enhance the area, making it feel cheery and warm or cool and airy, depending on your preference.

There are many ways to decorate your dining room walls. You could choose some pictures of your friends and family, or you could go with something abstract like geometric shapes or even paintings of flowers. If you want to add colour, you could opt for a painting of your favourite city skyline or bright colours. The dining room is also where you can add sculptures, baskets and other wall decors for a dynamic statement or conversation piece. Whatever it is you decide on, make sure to keep things simple and classy.

 

Bathroom

A chic bathroom is key to creating a contemporary interior space. But you want to maintain style even if you're trying to keep costs down.

Mirrors are one of the most versatile design elements around. They reflect light, add dimension, and help draw attention to focal points. Mirrors are especially effective in bathrooms where there isn't much natural light. Place a mirror above the sink to brighten up the area, or hang a larger mirror over the tub to give yourself ample reflection during bathtime. 

  

 

A piece of art displayed in bathrooms often needs special care. "In bathrooms, moisture gets trapped underneath the glass and can really damage artwork and matting," explains Michael Carrier, founder of Artistic Home Decorators. So instead, he recommends hanging artwork on walls near windows to let in light and air or canvas art that is easy to clean.

The Kitchen:

Kitchens are bustling spaces. We spend a lot of time there preparing meals, cleaning up messes, and enjoying life.

So if you're spending your days and nights cooking, washing dishes, and doing laundry, you deserve to hang out in a pretty and practical space. So find something unique for that blank wall in your kitchen.

You'll notice that many kitchens are filled with paintings, photographs, sculptures, and other types of art. This makes sense because we often associate those objects with our homes. But don't limit yourself to just one medium; try incorporating multiple styles into your decorating scheme. For instance, you could include both oil paintings and watercolours in your collection. Or do you prefer abstract work over realistic depictions? Whatever your preference, there's bound to be something that speaks to you.

 

 

 

Pick up food-related themes for the kitchen, such as a beautiful still life of fruit or vegetable or fun artwork that you love waking up to and seeing as you have your morning cup of java.  

When it comes to the artwork that will be displayed, hang glass framed art away from areas that will show the grease. For example, canvas-framed painting does well in a kitchen. 

If you want to ensure every piece in your home reflects your personality, start with a theme. Check out this great article from thespruce.com.

Office

Have a home office that you utilize every day? You're not alone; the function of the study has changed dramatically in recent years, with more and more employees working from home. With so many people working from home, wall art will appeal, creating a curated background for your Zoom calls. Inspirations pieces such as quotes are also trendy, and you can add some pizzazz to your home office with a neon sign, possibly of your brand name or a keyword or relevant hashtag, for fun!

 

General points to consider when buying art.

 

Our experience at Totally Toronto Art suggests you are better off buying framed artwork than giving an unframed art print. While it may cost more, your recipient will have a ready-to-hang gift that will bring them joy. Buying custom-framed art online will be cheaper than purchasing an art print and getting it done at a framing shop. Custom framing is expensive.

To learn about other ways to bring art and colour into your home décor, check out the blogs in this article as well as the following:

 Tiny Apartment Decor You'll Love

Six Tips for Creating A Gallery Wall