Original Art is A Must!
Original art....YES, PLEASE! I have always felt the art we chose to display in our homes should really say something about who we are. It should have a story or a memory that evokes feeling every time you look at it. When I am asked to redesign a room or an entire home, the first thing I do is take down all art work that looks like it has been mass produced. Nothing takes away from the character and personality of a home more than your family room looking like something out of a catalogue or the art department in a big box store. Most of us are under the impression that original art is expensive and therefore out of our design budget, but I'm here to tell you that is just not true. It takes a little creativity and thinking outside of the box to come up with original artwork for your home that tells a story about who you are.
FRAME CARDS OR POST CARDS
Cindy and I found these greeting cards done by a local artist when we were in Geneva shopping for spices. I fell in love the image and knew it had to go in my kitchen. With a frame purchased at Target, I propped this little guy up on the open shelving in my kitchen to add some interest and personality.
FRAME TEXTILES
Again, using a frame from Target, I framed a piece of Kuba cloth that was left over from another project. Used with a mirror leaned up against the backsplash in the kitchen, it adds a reflective and cultural element to what is an otherwise untouched space.
FIND AN INTERESTING FRAME
I love these see through frames! They are very industrial and charming, in my opinion. You can open up the frame and sandwich and image in the frame. With this frame, I haven't put an image in it as I feel the frame itself is an interesting piece. It also adds a reflective surface to the wall as you can see by the back doors image in the glass.
DISPLAY ART IN UNEXPECTED WAYS
Mirrors, kids artwork, local artist print purchased at the art fair, poster purchased on our travels to Ethiopia are all framed and leaning on our dining room buffet. The frames elevate the art as well as the unexpected layered display. Very little money was spent to achieve a real gallery look.
DON'T TAKE ART SO SERIOUSLY!
Make art fun! Here an original oil (purchased at the flea market) is displayed with 2 canvases painted with chalk board paint. My daughter drew the body for the distinguished lady at the top and it makes me smile every time I walk past her.
SHADOW BOXES
This is a beautiful beaded necklace we picked up during our travels to Africa. Its intricacy can only be appreciated close up, so I put it in a shadow box purchased at Michaels. Think of all the 3 dimensional items you could put in a shadow box! By framing an ordinary item, it immediately becomes art!
I hope you found some inspiration in these ideas and will try adding some ORIGINAL ART to your home. With very little effort and a pinch of creativity, you can create a recipe for art work that tells all your guests a little bit about who you are.
Original art resources:
canvases to paint with chalk paint
