We are back for the final post in our series on all things art. We have absolutely loved this series, mostly because it grew out of a question you sent us. I hope you guys have enjoyed it as well. If there are any other topics that you would like for us to cover in this manner, just let us know in the comment section of this post. We love helping you guys with your own design dilemmas or questions. Today we are going to be talking about the hows and wheres of purchasing art for your own home. We are going to tell you where to look for art, secret ways to find good art, and introduce you to some of our favorite artists.
This is sometimes a hard one to advise clients on because art is such a personal decision. If I could only give one piece of advice, it would be to only buy things you absolutely love. Another reason that we find that clients are nervous about picking art is they assume that art collections or nice art pieces are only for the very rich. I am here to dispel that myth. There are hundreds of thousands of talented artist out there that are selling unbelievable works of art in the $200-$500 price range. Websites such as Etsy, Minted, and Society 6, as well as places like Ebay and Craigslist have done so much to democratize art. A lot of times our clients are not sure exactly what style of art they like. If you find yourself in the same boat I highly recommend browsing these site’s full collections from time to time and see what your eye is drawn too. Also, spend a morning or afternoon at a local art show or pop into a gallery. All of these things will help train your eye so that when you are ready to make a purchase you know exactly what you want and where to turn.
I have a few suggestions on things that will help when you are ready to make an art purchase for your home. Keep a running list on your phone that includes the locations and the dimensions of what you need and where you need them. This will help because you will be prepared when you stumble upon the perfect piece. There is absolutely nothing worse than buying a piece of art and then getting it home and realizing it is not the right size for the space you had intended it for. My next suggestion ties into what I just said above. Add pieces throughout your house, rather than focusing on one room and getting it “done”. This will allow you a bit of room to grow in each room. Move pieces you already have around to different spots. Just because something has always lived in one space doesn’t mean it won’t work just as well…or better…somewhere else. My last suggestion, is do not be afraid to ask an artist to commission a specific piece of work for you. Almost all artists are more than happy to do that and it typically does not cost more money to have a custom piece done. That way you know you are getting exactly what you want and have the added benefit of having a special, one of a kind piece.
Lastly, here are some tips on great ways to search for art on places like Ebay or Craigslist. I love doing this because I like to mix older pieces that have a bit of history or are a little quirky in with some of my newer pieces of art. I got this awesome tip from the art guru of the universe, Jenny Komenda. She frequently searches for art on eBay. She uses this search paintings, original, oil, pre-1800-1969, $0-$200 when she is perusing eBay for art. I love this search and the idea of the narrowed down search. It can be totally overwhelming to just head out and try to find a piece of art on a site like Craigslist or eBay. Having a general idea of what you are looking for and the price you are willing to pay will help make the search so much easier. You can personalize the search based on the type of art, the era and the amount of money you are willing to spend. Such a great idea! I also wanted to tip you off to two other great under the radar websites for art. Chairish and 1stDibs are awesome sources for beautiful art. Can you believe that this Pablo Picasso lithograph is less than $400 and I found it on Chairish. They are so easy to search and have things categorized so they take a lot of the hard work out of it.
Ok and the cherry on top… my sister in law, Sarah Papworth hand painted these adorable Valentine’s Day art prints! They are available right HERE in our shop, SHOPPE E. You can use them as decor, gifts, tags, anything! Stay tuned for more art coming to the shop soon. And HAPPY (early) VALENTINE’S DAY. xo
Feature Image: Cuckoo for Design
Love this post! Very helpful for someone looking for art for their home. Thank you for sharing this with your readers and for sharing my art too! I was so pleasently surprised to scroll down and see my art. Thanks!
Forgot to include my info in the comment above… Thanks again— Kim Merritt (Artstudiokm)
Kind of off subject but do you mind sharing where the white dresser in the first photo is from? 🙂 Thanks!