You’ve just moved into your new apartment, condominium or home, and unpacked all your furniture, but now you’re staring at blank white walls. What should you put on your walls? You’re not a teenager anymore, so celebrity posters hardly seem appropriate, but you don’t exactly have a collection of fine art, either. Here are some ideas for how to decorate your walls to add style and personality to your home as well as complement your furnishings.
Framed Photographs
Don’t overlook your own potential to be the star of your own artwork. Select some of your favorite photos, whether it’s you and your friends on a ski trip, family portraits, your beloved pet, vacation pictures or anything else that gives you a warm fuzzy and have them enlarged and framed for your walls. Consider putting your favorite picture on canvas and framing it so that it will look like a cherished portrait.
Arrange collections of similar photos together for a sort of wall montage. For a really stunning effect, frame black and white photographs in black frames with white matting and group them together in a hodgepodge of sizes and shapes.
Garage Sale Paintings
Depending on your décor, you may want to hang a collection of old paintings you find at garage sales and flea markets. Try to select paintings that have the same feeling, or are from the same era. They could be still life paintings, panoramas, buildings, animals or a variety of subjects. Try to find a common thread; this can be either the subject of the paintings or the overall style and color scheme. Group them on a wall for an eclectic effect.
Framed Prints
If you have an artist whose work you enjoy that complements your décor, group a collection of framed prints on one wall for a truly modern feel. You can also take your favorite print or poster and have it made into a picture on canvas to give it a new twist.
Create Your Own Art
You don’t have to be a master artist to create your own masterpiece. There are fun classes you can take in which the instructor will take you through various brush strokes and techniques to create a finished work of art in just one class. Give it a try, and if you like the results you can create enough artwork to fill up the whole place!
Quilts and Fabric Art
If you have a fabulous quilt, tapestry or other piece of brilliantly designed fabric, consider hanging it on your wall to add an old fashioned feel. A lovely quilt can be an amazing centerpiece for a room. You can also frame a gorgeous piece of fabric for a unique look. For a fun, quirky effect, frame a swatch of fabric that matches your patterned sofa, chair or even your curtains.
Frame Old Maps
Scour book stores, garage sales and flea markets for old maps, aerial charts or any sort of old, antique-looking diagrams or drawings and frame them to add an old world charm to your décor. Or consider framing a map of some exotic locale you hope to visit some day for a sure conversation starter.
If you have a child, young brother or sister, favorite niece or nephew who sends you artwork, add a professional touch to it by having a few of the best pieces professionally matted and framed and then group them in a prominent spot. They’ll add a unique, modern art look to the room, and the artist will be overwhelmed with pride when they come to visit. You can even go a step further by taking a photo of your favorite piece and having it made into a picture on canvas.
Anja Koester is a writer for PaintYourLife.com where you can put your pictures on canvas or find classic art reproductions for decorating your home.
Pingback: Marlon Eldreth