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How to Choose Artwork For Your Living Room: Tips and Tricks

WRITTEN by CHRISSY, LAST UPDATED ON June 29, 2023

& FILED IN Home Decor & DIY, Living Room 

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When it comes to decorating your home, artwork is a key element. But how do you choose the right pieces? What should you consider when making your selection? In this blog post, we will provide tips and tricks for adding some personality and style to your space. So read on, and learn how to choose artwork for your living room.

How To Choose Artwork For A Living Room - Tips And Tricks

What You Need To Think About When Picking Art For Your Living Rooms

1 – Where will it go?

The first step is to decide where in your home the artwork will go. This will help you narrow down your options and choose pieces that are the right size and shape.

For example, if you want to hang a painting over your sofa, that area will have a specific theme to work with, including colours and patterns.

If it’s a living room wall that’s pretty bare – then there may be more allowance for patterns and colours…

Living Room With White And Black Decor

2 – Size Of Space Available

Before you consider the size of the art you want to hang – you need to know the available overall space you’ve got to work with.

Family Room With Picture Wall Artwork

This is because your art will fit that space – but could be done in a whole manner of ways:

You can only start to narrow down your options when you know what space there is available, as the larger the space, the more options you’ll end up having.

TIP – When looking at the space you have available, always look to hang the artwork in relation to what’s around it. People often mistakenly hang frames too high, whereas it needs to be grounded by the furniture it’s next to. Always hang around eye level or lower, and near to the sofa, bed or table etc… it’s being hung above.

3 – Size Of Artwork

Now you know the space available, you can start to pick the type of display you want.

When you know this – you can measure out the space and know exactly what sized artwork you’ll be looking for.

TIP – Cut out pieces of paper and use these as templates on the wall to see what works best in the space. This will save you lots of time and money as you’ll be able to get it right more quickly.

4 – Framed or Not?

This is important because it can dictate the type of artwork you end up choosing.

If you have a frame:

  • You need to pick the type of frame – wood, metal, plastic, thin, thick, decorative, minimal etc…

TIP – Try and match the metal or wood – and style – used already in the room for a cohesive look.

  • You then need to decide on whether you’ll have a mount in the frame as well (this is a border basically around your artwork). Will this be a colour, will it be thick or thin etc….?

TIP – To make artwork feel larger in a space, a neat trick is to mount it really thickly, and frame it – as this gives it a larger feel without having to buy a large piece of art.

If you don’t have a frame:

  • You’ll probably end up with something on canvas – which usually feels more contemporary and a little less formal.
Traditional Living Room

5 – Theme Of Artwork

The theme of any artwork you pick in a living room needs to be less personal than you may get away with in a bedroom.

This is because it’s a more social and entertaining space – and so will be looked at by more people than a more private room.

Some great choices for living room artwork would be:

  • Floral – colours and types that are significant to you
  • Abstract
  • Word Artwords that resonate with a living space. Quotes, family related, relaxation type words are all good options
  • Photo Art – family photos, holiday photos etc.. all work well
  • Landscape – specifically places you’ve been or the local area

TIP – Pick this based on your personal taste. Art is a really personal choice, and so you want to have something that you’ll love to look at for years to come. It’s always nice to pick things based on your own history as this can be sentimental for you to look at, and also create a talking point when you have people over.

6 – Medium Used In The Artwork

Next step is to decide on the type of artwork you’ll be looking for. There are loads of options here – including:

  • Watercolour
  • Oil
  • Acrylic
  • Photo / Paper
Peach And Natural Living Room

7 – Where To Shop

Now that you know a few things to keep in mind when choosing artwork for your home, it’s time to start shopping!

Neutral Living Room

But where should you look?

There are many great places to find art, such as local galleries, online marketplaces, and even garage sales.

When you’re out and about, know the measurements and sort of thing you’re looking for – so you can easily make a decision when you see something.

Don’t rush it – it’s worth waiting for the right piece…

Some places that are fantastic to find art are:

  • Etsy – buy a print and frame it with a mount – you can then get a really bespoke look that fits the size you need perfectly.
  • Artfinder.com
  • art2arts.co.uk
How To Choose Artwork For A Living Room - Tips And Tricks

Now that you know the different things to consider when choosing artwork for your home, it should be a little easier.

Remember to think about the size of the space available, what type of frame you want (if any), and what theme or medium you prefer. You can also start thinking about where to shop for art – whether online or in person.

Have fun – show your personality – and enjoy whatever you end up choosing!

Read These Next:

30 Easy Interior Design Tips To Create The Home You Want

Dark Walls – Why It Pays To Be Brave With Colour

The Two Things To Consider When Hanging Artwork At Home 

This article was written by Chrissy:

Hi - I'm Chrissy... Having run my own business for 12 years as a Professional Organiser and Interior Designer, I know what works (and what doesn't!) when it comes to setting up a home that works both functionally and aesthetically. Now you can mostly find me in a coffee shop or at home, working full time on OrganiseMyHouse.com (which I setup back in 2011) sharing all my tips and ideas. My mission is to help you create a home that you love to live in every day...

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