Mini Q&A: All About Bringing Art into Your Home
Prints (clockwise from left): “Wild Oak”* (18”x24” frame), “Morning Stroll” (16”x20” frame) “Montauk” (12”x16” frame) - all using this frame
Over the weekend, I shared about a little gallery wall (the one above!) I finally hung up in our new home office on Instagram Stories and then posed this question: “Have any questions about bringing art into your home?”
I got some really great ones, and I thought I’d share the six I posted answers to, since I think that they’re pretty common ones! Art is something that I think a lot of people feel intimidated about choosing and hanging up in their homes, but I don’t want you to live with blank walls! Art makes such a difference in making your home uniquely you and it’s all about finding pieces you love to make that happen.
Let’s jump into a little recap of the Q&A from my Stories!
Q. How do I start? My walls are blank. I’m paralyzed with indecision!
A. Empty walls can be so intimidating! Start with one obvious place like a wall above a sofa, console, or bed. Focus on finding a single large piece of art or a pair to fill the space. Finding ONE piece is way easier than feeling like you need to tackle every wall immediately! Then build on things from there.
Q. How do you pick art?
A. Gosh, this is a tough one since it’s so personal! Art speaks differently to each person, and in some ways, it’s a “know it when you see it” kind of thing. Begin by seeing what you’re drawn to. One way to do this is to start a blank Pinterest board for art and browse some collectives and sites (here are some places to start!). Pin your favorites to your new board and then study the collection. You’ll see themes, I promise!
Q. What are some of your favorite art retailers?
A. I have so many, and I’m always finding more! Here are some good ones to start with:
Minted (Prints)
Juniper Print Shop (Prints and Digital Downloads)
One Kings Lane (Prints and Originals)
Liza Pruitt (Originals)
Well & Wonder Artist Collective (Originals)
Saatchi Art (Originals and Prints)
Etsy (Originals and Prints)
Q. I’m having trouble knowing how to make mismatched frames work in a gallery wall. Any tips?
A. Try to have some sort of theme or unifying idea with the pieces if you have an eclectic set of frames. Things that work well: all black and white photos, similar themed art (landscapes, for example), or a similar color palette among the different pieces. As you gain confidence in your ability to create a gallery wall, you can try some more ideas that are a little more eclectic!
Q. When you hang frames in a gallery wall, how much space do you leave between them?
A. It varies a bit based on the sizing and placement of the pieces on the wall and their relationship to each other, but it’s usually less space than you’d think. I’d recommend a general rule of about 2”-6” apart for a typical gallery wall.
Q. Where did you get the mat for the large piece? (Editor’s note - the “piece” in question is the mossy oak print on the left side of my gallery wall at the top of this post).
A. I actually cheated on this one. I just mounted the print on a white piece of paper instead of matting it. I wanted to see if I liked the look before committing to getting a mat cut! That being said, it’s easy to have custom mats made at places like Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, or any local framer. They’re usually quite affordable and can give you a custom look for a budget-friendly price. There are also some online frame companies that will cut and ship them to you as well.
If you like the idea of an oversize mat in an off the shelf frame, check out this post. I rounded up a bunch of good ones here!
I hope that’s helpful, friends! If you have any other questions about art, send them my way!
*This post contains affiliate liks, which means Mix & Match Design Company earns a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you.