Thanks Rosie. That painting is a pleasure for me on so many levels - the crazy coloring, the "art" labeling, the primitiveness... I am way too constrained to create that freely. And then there is the personal - knowing all DH was going through at the time and his very surprising decision to try painting for respite. It inspires me. For the OP, reflect on what is appealing to you about those museum pieces you like. Crystalize that as best you can. Any gallery would be happy to help you discover works you love, for a price. If that price is prohibitive, try 'lesser' galleries, student art shows, resale shops, art fairs - just look and trust yourself to respond. Let yourself make a mistake or two, it's the only way to learn what you really love. And yes, framing can make all the difference.

OK - I thought a little sketch would help. you need about a 12" drop of chain from the top of the ceiling, then a max size fixture of 30" long (top of ring to the chandelier to the bottom crystal or bottom.), then 33" above the table to the bottom of the chandelier. So, max 30" high, 28" max round, and for some chandeliers depending on the design, might be able to go to 30 wide. Chain drop is easiest to deal with from an installation point of view. Hope that explains the sizing.

LOL, that's my brother, and yes - there have been so many times when I wished he could just magically appear and take over the hanging jobs I've attempted on my own! I love your space! It's so bright and welcoming. I like the four prints where you've hung them and wouldn't move them. Looks like you have interesting and eclectic taste in art, and I actually like your DH's suggestion to scour the antique and thrift shops (but part of the fun to me is in the "hunt"). You may find yourself knee-deep in day-glo Velvet Elvises, but you never know. Also check online sites, such as shopgoodwill.com, eBay and Etsy. I've found a good deal of my artwork at those sites, and while you do have to pay to have something shipped, sometimes you can stumble upon some fab art that's priced low enough to allow for that.

Jinx, thanks for taking a look at the pics and your kind words! I love Alfried too with his sexy forehead lol! When Neo Thissen affirmed it was a good quality and fair price that only reassured my decision to bring Alfried home. I haggled so hard for Mr. Sernau to make him mine. I texted back and forth with the dealer several times to firm up the offer. Then I did more research on the value of antique painted portraits too and I can't believe just how expensive they are online. Regarding Neo Thissen, when you look through his instagram pics, you can conjure up an impression in your mind of how he looks from what you see on his instagram page He's definitely not the person I was expecting to see, when he posted a rare pic of himself, He's quite young. He is so talented and gifted in his eye for curating antiques and offers endless inspiration. I love Neo Thissen's craft! Be sure to check out his house in April's Architectural Digest it's quite lovely. There's a link to the article in his instagram bio. Posting the link to see the pics enlarged. https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5758296/vintage-thrifted-jungalow-style-needs-upgrading-one-room-at-a-time#addAnswer