How to Select Art for Your Home

Selecting art for your home can be an exciting adventure and a source of enjoyment for years to come. Keys to success are figuring out what kind of art you like, how it will fit in with the rest of your interior design plans, and how to exhibit the art to the best effect in your home.

Steps for Success

Look at as much art as possible before you make your selection. The internet is a great way to find a large variety of fine art available. One advantage of using the internet is that you can search for the specific kind of art you are interested in, whether it's photography, sculpture, prints or paintings.
eBay is great place to search for art you like. Stay clear of the assembly line Chinese art, as these can be copies from legitimate artists. There are many well known artists whose work is represented on ebay at a savings to you. Don't forget to check feedback. A seller with Numerous negatives will often burn you. Read about the seller and ask questions before you bid. If they don't respond, look on down the line. You'll find a seller you like who will respond.
Once you know the artist whose work you wish to purchase you need to select the artwork by size to fit a particular space. Art that is too large will often overwhelm and art that is too small will be lost and look out of proportion. The bolder the art, the more room it needs to breathe. Measure the space you want to hang the art and leave enough "white space" so that the art will not feel crowded.
When selecting a print to match color, select one or two of the boldest colors in your room and look for artwork with similar colors, but remember you're not looking for an exact match here. Artwork which has one or two of the same colors will send a message that the artwork belongs in this environment.
Style is another consideration when selecting art to fit a room. If your house is filled with antiques, for example, you'll want your prints to have antique-style frames. If you have contemporary furniture in large rooms with high ceilings, you'll want to hang large prints with contemporary-style frames.
Choosing art you love is the most important criteria. More important than the artist or type of artwork is to make sure you purchase the subject matter that matters most to you. If you love wolves then purchase artwork which has wolves as its focal point.
As a rule, prints should be hung so that the center of the print is at eye level. Sculpture may sit on the floor, a table, or pedestal. Rules should be considered guidelines only, however, so feel free to experiment. One collector hung an acrylic painting on her bedroom ceiling so she could better view it while lying down.
To make art the center of attraction in a particular room of your house, play down the other design elements such as window coverings, carpeting, wall coverings, and even furniture. A room crowded with other colors, textures, and objects will take the spotlight away from the art.
Selecting and displaying art is an art in itself. Experiment to learn what pleases you and what doesn't. You'll be well-rewarded for the time you invest by finding more satisfaction both in the art and in your home.

We hope that this short guide to select art for your home was helpful. Now that you have the information you need to help you select art for your home its time to start shopping, and there is no better place on eBay than North By Nature Gallery.