Or would this be better (frame on larger painting is not reddish in real life)?

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Close-up (crappy pic):

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First let me say that I'm not always great at visualizing things on the wall until I see them actually hanging on the wall. Having said that, the first thing that strikes me is that these pieces may be too small for the space over the sofa. The second thing is that I think the frames are too different from one another. They don't have to match but I'd prefer to see them in the same wood tone or at least have the two smaller ones match each other, even if they don't match the center one. Finally, and this may sound silly, but in the first arrangement, it's bird-dog-dogs. The bird seems out of place here. In the second arrangement... I don't know, I'm just not feeling the arrangement in general. Maybe because the landscape seems kind of Asian (from what I can see)? and the others just don't quite work with it. Can't quite put my finger on it. My not-entirely rational feeling is this: if you have just a few separate items that you're grouping, it feels better if they are similar in some way. If you were grouping a lot more items, it would be OK for them to be more dissimilar. I don't know if that makes sense at all, but I'm not sure how else to say it.

sue: So are you saying that all the frames must match and the subject matter must match, as well? All the wood tones are the same--it just doesn't look like it in the photos.

Heehee, asian...I can see where that came from, but I can't help but chuckle when it's in reference to your painting. Sooo not where I imagined it was set.

Organic, I do agree with sue about similar vs. variety. I think if you had MORE to add to the collection it would make sense and more of a gallery type grouping. Eccentric/eclectic, yes, but still neat. Do you have any more to add and make a large 3' x 5' ish group?

I know the norm is to stick to a theme, but I really think it would be super cool to group your art collection that way...to heck with the subject matter and framing.

alex: I might have more, actually, but not more in the sense of all having the same frame color and subject matter. And no, that painting is not Asian--it's a folk art painting of an American farm. :)

I'll just put everything away. It's hopeless, anyway.

Thanks for the feedback, you two.

NO NO NO! I like your stuff and think it would look great if you had more to put with it. A group of 3 doesn't get you THERE, you know?

Maybe 5-7 pieces, depending on the end size of the whole.

Definitely get your other stuff and lay it all out on the floor to see how it goes together. It is NOT hopeless and you are so close to having something cool up there. One of the mistakes we make is not taking an idea far enough to be great. You're almost there!

Besides, your hammer is already out :)

I like the first arrangement. Most of my art is animal-themed, so I guess I'm partial to that. But I think it's valid to question is that grouping substantial enough to work over the sofa. Have you tried taping up paper to approximate the art?

Organic, I have loved your bedroom for a couple of years now and like what you've done in this room so far!!

One thing I'd like to say is that I think that not worrying so much about themes and matching this but not that makes a house feel more cozy. I was at a friends house the other day and she was pointing out all her husband's stuff she didn't like, that didn't really fit into HER idea of what decor should look like. But it was exactly those items that made her house work - it was eclectic, interesting and homey. So many homes where everything is just "SO" don't do anything for me.

alex: LOL--No problem! My other stuff, as it turns out, doesn't really work, so I'm thinking of doing something completely different. :)

kimberlyrkb: I agree--the grouping is not really substantial. Thank you for the compliment on my bedroom--I've put the window treatments on hold for awhile--I'm too indecisive. On another note: I also really like the eclectic look. :)

So what do you guys think of an arrangement of these prints? The rust-colored matted ones are a bit smaller than the other ones.

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I gotta say that I love your big dog picture, and I love the smaller dog one as well. Not so much a fan of the parakeet though, and I don't like the farm picture (well, correction, I like the farm picture, just not with the other animal pics). The bird prints you just posted are nice too, but they seem kind of stiff and formal and I think they lack the liveliness and folky charm of the dog paintings.

I'd love to see a grouping of all dogs there - I think the 2 dog pics you have give a lot of character and charm and I'd love to see more like them. Someone here (Allison, maybe? or maybe goldgirl (might not have that username right - she raises golden retrievers and recently moved to NJ)) had a ton of very charming dog paintings (like yours!) arranged in a grouping up her stairwell and I still remember the picture very well because I liked it so much!

Good luck!

Oh, and I totally understand how daunting that space over the sofa can be. After living with a BIG BLANK WALL for 5 years, I caved and went for the BIG OVER-THE-SOFA MIRROR. Cop-out, I know.....sigh.

Oh, i LOVE the birds! And i think they compliment the pillows very well.

Clearly I'm not an art (or geography) expert, sorry about thinking the painting was Asian. Something about the way the bridge is painted, and the boat, reminded me of Japanese paintings or something. And it was blurry on my monitor. Just wanted to clarify one thing, because I am SO not into matchy-matchy or "themes." I was not trying to say that the subjects had to match, but the bird just didn't work with the dogs. The bird just sticks out, to me, as being Wrong in that arrangement. If the picture had been a group of birds hanging out in a barnyard, sort of like the group of dogs, it might have worked better. But still, the whole arrangement might just be too small for the space. I agree with lkplatow: the new bird prints would work, but they are very formal feeling, and the dog pictures are more charming. I wonder if you could re-frame the larger dog pic in a chunkier wood frame to make it larger and give it more presence; then find a few more pictures around the same size as the smaller "group of dogs" print, and make a grouping that way. You could have the large dog pic in the center, with 2 smaller ones stacked above each other on either side. Maybe search on ebay for dog paintings? Not that you have to have just dogs... you could throw in some cats or cows or chickens too! But I would relate them in some way, by scale or color, to the small dog pic. I hope this makes sense.

I LOVE the two dog pics. I don't like the parakeet pic WITH the dog prints. I, personally (for what that's worth! LOL) like to see different frames (though similar) in a grouping. I do like to see the subject matter more related though. If you could find some other dog prints, and even possibly a couple of small mirrors, plates or other objects to mix in and make a larger grouping, I think it would look GREAT over your sofa.

Cattknap had some great dog prints also. I miss her posting around here!

tina

Organic - I also love those bird prints! Are they all framed in similar frames? I'd try those over the sofa and see what you think.

I actually agree with the first poster that the prints in your first photo do not tie together well enough to be hung together. The bird looks out of place with the two dog prints. And in your second grouping, the bird looks out of the place with the two landscape photos. In my opinion, to work as a group, the prints need to have a common element or have similar frames.

So where did you get the bird prints? Very cool.

One of the things I've learned is have some element in all the pics to make a grouping that compliments one another.

I collect dog paintings and all have different style of frames - but all the paintings share one thing, somewhere there's gold in the frame, either the entire ornate frame is gold leaf or a simpler frame has a gold band, the gold ties everything together.

Mixed in w/my dog paintings is a huge barnyard fowl picture, the painting was too good of a find/deal and the only wall space I had to accomodate it was to mix it in w/the other dog pics - the orig frame was whitewashed, so I painted it gold and now it works/blends w/all the dog paintings.

Jim

ikplatow and jim and tina: I also love the dog prints! I think what I've decided to do is an arrangement of the dog prints over the sofa in my study, instead of in the living room. I think that the living room needs a bit of color, so I'll go with the bird prints there.

tina: I also miss cattknap's postings. She is positively brilliant when it comes to wall art arrangements.

sue: No problem! You were right about the bird not working with the dogs! You've made a good suggestion to reframe the larger dog print in a larger frame, and I may very well do that in the future. It will cost a bit, so I'll have to wait, but a very good idea. :)

haberichter: The bird prints are actually hand-colored engravings from the mid-nineteenth century. From ebay--where else? LOL

estreya: I think so, too!

An inspirational mix.

Jim

This picture kind of represents what I was thinking. A disparate group, but enough items within it to make it's own statement of "art collection". Placing your pieces, that have something in common, next to each other may help it feel more ordered. I think this would work as well on the sofa wall as it does going up the stairs.
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I do agree with everyone that it's a good rule of thumb to have a commonality among the works of art, but it isn't always necessary. Especially when/if you are going for an art gallery look.

This arrangement uses several different items, but employs symmetry to frame the large piece. That might appeal to you more than the gallery look.
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Sue, I hope you don't think I was picking on you! I DID see where the asian vibe came from in the painting, but I knew it was Americana and my weirdo brain blended the two into something that tickled me. It's hard to convey nuance in the written word :)

More inspiration.

Jim

Jim - those groupings are fab, especially the arrangement over the sofa! Is that your home, by chance?

Organic, I love your artwork originally selected -- just think there needs to be more of it for that spot. The bird pics are da' bomb. I really think they'd be perfect arranged there.

Jim and Alex -- many many thanks for posting such brillant inspiration photos!! What wonderful warm and charming spaces -- and artworks -- of course!

Jan

Organic -- wonderful artworks! LOVE the dog pics! But yes -- similar "themes" might be the key to an artful arrangement.

Jan

auntjen - No it isn't.

Jim

Here's a pic of some of my dog painting collection.

Well, that's just as cool as the inspiration pics you posted!
:-)

Jim -- GORGEOUS arrangement -- both on the wall -- and on the chest!

Jan

Jim - seeing your house just reminds me how very UNDECORATED (is that a word) my house is!!! If only I could find my style, other than kid-proof!!!

Wow: Thanks, everybody, for the inspiration photos--they're gorgeous!!!

Jim: Your dog wall art arrangement is simply stunning--very classy, indeed. :)

I will reference all of these photos when I put together my own dog wall art arrangement in my study--and will be coming back to get your feedback, to be sure! :)

I bought the bird pics. I made an offer to the seller (it was a "Buy It Now or Best Offer" listing) and he accepted! A couple of questions:

1) Do you think I should have them professionally framed, or just buy very simple wood ready-made frames for them? The latter option would be cheaper, of course. :)

2) How should I arrange them? I bought all five of them. Anybody have the time to photoshop them over my sofa? Yikes--Is that asking too much? Especially since lindy already photoshopped my chair fabric for me this week?

Wowsers, Jim!! Love your pictures!!

OS, nice choice on the bird pics!! They are very popular right now and I think those colors will look fabulous with your new upholstery choices.

So the bird pics are coming with that matting? If so, then I think you could find frames yourself for sure!

Maybe someone can offer up suggestion for style of frames?

I was going to say too---before you nail pics up, make paper cutouts (use newspaper) of the size of the pics and arrange them on the wall first with tape. That way you can get the right balance over the sofa.

This is going to look great!

texashottie: Thank you so much! I just really feel like my LR needs some color, and as much as I love the dog prints, I think they will probably work better in the study. All I have is a tiny little house and not a lot to work with, so I need all the help I can get--lol. :)

Cool! Those are great!

My first instinct is to hang the larger in a row on the bottom, with the seagulls in the middle.
Then I'd hang the two smaller above, side by side.

OR hang the larger one on top of the other in the middle, the two smaller on either side of the seagulls (bottom) with the bottom of the frames in a straight line. Of course, with that arrangement you would have to find some other items to hang above the smaller prints.

Another option is seagulls and the pair of birds on the ground next to each other. Above seagulls is the colorful pair, and above that one of the smaller pieces.
Above the ground birds would be the other smaller print.

I guess you'd have to see how large they are after you frame them.

alex: Thanks for the arrangement ideas. :) The seller actually has a few more of these prints available for purchase, so now I'm thinking I should do two rows of three--or even four-- each?

Sounds dramatic! Would you do 4 larger prints on bottom and 4 of the smaller on top?
What about a square of nine, or would that be too much?

I can't wait to see how they look :)