Choosing the Right Wall Art For your Home – Step by Step Guide

Wall art helps create a sanctuary in your space, it can lift the atmosphere of a room instantly. Looking at something you love every day is totally worth the investment! Not only does artwork elevate your space, but it can also enhance the value of your home by livening up dull walls to create that “finished” look.

Feel like you need help on choosing and arranging wall art in your home? Are you wondering whether to go with a single large art piece or a collection of art prints? Which size to pick? Or how do you choose an art print based on your colour scheme? It might seem like a daunting task.. with so many options to choose from, where do you start?

Don’t fret, you have come to the right place! Our step-by-step guide will help you choose the perfect wall art for your home. Read on for help choosing and arranging wall art on your walls 😊
 

 STEP 1 - ASSESSMENT 

Image Credits: Aboriginal Art Print by Leah Cummins for Print and Proper. Bed by Luxo Living.

The first thing to consider is where to hang the artwork. Start by deciding on a location. It could be the centre space above your sofa in the living room, a large empty space in the foyer, or even a bathroom. For example, gallery walls in the living room or dining room to tell a story, a large-scale print in the bedroom to creates a dramatic look and captures the eye, or a set of 3, 4 or 6 prints on the wall in a grid look great for family or holidays snaps! In the above photo, we have incorporated aboringal artwork in warm tones to tie in with existing bedroom furniture to enhance the overall aesthetic and create a cohesive look. Which other rooms in your home may benefit from a splash of artwork?

Here are some additional inspiration photos to get your creative juices flowing! If you are still not sure what would look best, snap a pic of the space and send it to us with your ideas. We will drop some options in there and send it back, free of charge! 

Image Credits: Prints by Print and Proper

 

 STEP 2 - SELET A SIZE 

Image Credit: Collov

Now that you've decided on where your wall art should go and the layout you prefer, it's time to choose your size (or sizes!) An easy way to get started is to keep in mind the size of the space where the artwork will be displayed and then see if it fits properly. You can test it by placing a masking tape on the walls to help you visualise the scale like below 🙌 

Image Credits: (left to right): Cody Ulrich, Print and Proper, Momstatic

Some common sizes listed below, to better understand artwork scale when selecting a size:

• Oversized Wall Art: 1 meter or larger (40 inches)
Go big or go home! Oversized artworks capture people's attention and take up an entire space. These hero sized large artworks can look great in hallways or on a horizontally empty wall behind to your larger furniture like a dining table, bed or sideboard.

• Large Sized Wall Art: 70 - 100 cm (28 to 40 inches)
These make great focal points and can also be hung above most furniture in your bed, living or dining room. Lean them up against a sideboard or table - they can easily stand alone. They also look great as a focal point when surrounded by smaller pieces to form a gallery wall.

• Medium Sized Wall Art: 50 - 70 cm (20 to 28 inches)
These work well when paired with other artworks. They can also function as focal point of a gallery wall. We also just love arranging them into sets, like a pair of two and perhaps even three in a row.

• Small Sized Wall Art: 30 - 50 cm (12 to 20 inches)
These are great for family photos or group together! They look best when combined on a gallery or grid style wall layout with other sizes for an amazing effect.

• Mini Sized Wall Art – 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches)
These are great for your bedside table, stand up frames resting on the table in the hallway or in the office, and are also ideal for creating a gallery or grid wall alongside other print sizes above.

Images (left to right): Capri Boat, Palm Springs Pink Door, New York, Ginger Jars

 STEP 3 - OPTION 1 / SELECT BY STYLE OR THEME  

Image Credit: Space Joy

It's all about your personal style and the mood you want to convey in a room. Consider your walls to be an extension of your style and personality or pick something that makes you happy. By now, your home may have already formed a sense of style, so it makes this part easier! You can blend within the same style or be eclectic, depending on what you like.

If you want to evoke a sense of serene and a peaceful feeling in your room, maybe try pastel abstract prints or a boho art print. If you have a beautiful white space with plenty of natural light, Hamptons style artworks might be a good fit for a cool coastal vibe. If your space is minimalist, you might choose an abstract print or minimal illustration to tie in with the modern look. If you're looking for something more personalised, you can check out our customised art prints like your first date song, custom map print, your own locations in a bus stop scroll, or a family photo collage. 

Image Credits: Artworks by Print and Proper

 

 STEP 3 - OPTION 2 / SELECT BY COLOUR 

Image Credits: Artworks by Print and Proper

Selecting a colour scheme that already exists in your room is a good way to get started. You can either stick with your current colour scheme or select completely new ones if you’re revamping your space.
For example: If you want to create a statement you can choose dark, dramatic hues that will stand out on your wall. Or if you want a tranquil atmosphere, may be try soft neutral tones, blush or earthy colours. Another alternative is to choose one of the most striking colours in your room and pair it with a contrast colour.

Remember the colour wheel? Let's quickly recap that and look at some examples of how you may apply the colour wheel technique to choose a colour scheme.

1. Analogous colours are any three colors next to each other on the wheel. For example, blue-violet, blue, and green. They create a harmonious look together creating a smooth gradient of colour.

2. Complementary (Contrasting) colours are opposite to each other. For example: Yellow - Violet. When put together they make each other pop. Pro tip if you really want your wall art to stand out, you can use contrasting colors against all the similar looking colors in your room!

3. Split complementary - If you want colors to stand out in your room but want to use more than two. Instead of choosing a colour directly opposite, we split apart in the middle and choose the two colors next to it. For example: If you chose an earthy yellow wall art and want to pair it with two more artworks, you could choose blue-violet and red violet to go with it.

4. Monochrome - If you want to play it safe and might you might still be unsure of which colours to use, a clean monochrome color palette of classic black & white is the best choice. This modern simplicity elevates any interior space.

If you want to dig a bit deeper, you can make a cute mood board to help get your creative juices flowing. Using the above examples, think about your favourite colours and combinations. Then, head to Pinterest or an online mood board creator like sampleboard.com or crello.com. Lastly, we have some lovely examples below: Boho, Hamptons, and Neutral styles.

Image Credits: Elleyhome, Creativity Exchange, Eclectic Trends.

 

Now that you've discovered how much fun it is to select wall art, you can try your hand at choosing some wall art for your home. Don’t overthink it, just remember to have fun and experiment with different styles until you are happy with the final look. Wall art is so more affordable these days than it has ever been before! Our range of on trend and stylish pieces were made to be accessible to everyone no matter the budget. A popular option is to purchase unframed art prints and poster frames so the art can be swapped around later. Hopefully this helps made you feel more confident in choosing your art.

Go forth and have fun making choosing your wall art wherever you decide to look. Hello local op shop for some cool frames or unique pieces! Always remember if you don’t absolutely love it, it doesn’t deserve to take pride of place in your home... you are the one who will look at it every day! Following our tips above, have fun and let your personal style shine 😊

Print and Proper has a curated collection of artworks that reflect the latest trends in interiors, fashion, travel, and colour. Elevate your interior with some stylish pieces on offer. If you are still feeling overwhelmed, please reach out and we can do our best to guide your wall art journey!

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Blog Post by Sakshi & Jannet.