Please try not to be too matchy with your room or it will look like a hotel room! I'm sure you've seen those over coordinated rooms. I do try to find a common color in a home and reuse it from room to room in small to large ways. For example paintings with some red in it for dining and living rooms. Maybe the living room is a large abstract featuring red, the dining room maybe juts a bit, kitchen some red cannisters, guest room red pillows etc.

Ok awesome that makes me feel better <3 I was sad about having to be restricted to a specific palette but this opens up my options

Does the same principle apply to grouping art together within rooms?

I don't take a philosophical approach to art. Bottom line is the art needs to correspond with the space just like everything else does. Nothing has to "match" exactly, in fact it's better if it doesn't, that is how you bring "style" into your decorating, but everything needs to coordinate. And with art, that means the color has to relate as well as the content. Now that doesn't mean that you can't stretch a bit (example, I often like a slightly abstract piece in a more traditional home), but you don't want to go too far so that the art sticks out like a sore thumb or feels out of place as that can really throw off a whole room. But having said all of that, my best piece of advice for art is .... beware, most people don't go big enough on their art. They get too small of pieces and then they don't have any impact. So don't buy a bunch of little small pieces, you're better off getting one larger piece. And my next best piece of advice is ... if there is/are color(s) in the artwork, don't feel like you have to have that same color(s) anywhere else in the room. Example, if you have a greige room and there is a sweep of blue in your painting, don't start putting blue pillows on the couch. This is a mistake people make all the time. It's okay to let that blue in the art be the only blue thing in the room. You don't have to start trying to reproduce it other places. Again that's a way that art drives impact, by standing out from everything else.

First, choose artwork you like, then worry about whether it works in the room. You really have a lot of latitude in choosing artwork, especially when your room is neutral, like yours is. I have a few pieces that I don't use in my living room because I find the colors jarring with the LR decor (pink and periwinkle with my robin's egg blue walls), but it's really only a couple out of a lot of artwork. I have quite a lot of red and orange in my living room art and none at all in the other elements of the room.

The price of artwork depends on the medium. Photography, digitally manipulated photographs, and other digital artwork tend to be less expensive (partly because the artist typically sells multiple prints). Drawings, watercolors and collages tend to be less expensive than acrylics or oils. I have a fondness for wood-block prints, where again the artist can create and sell multiples, which reduces the cost.

There are a few online sources for original art. You can sort by lowest price and see what they have in your price range. I've use Saatchi Art, but there are others. In my city there is an art studio for disabled adults that does an annual open house. I have a lot of art from there starting from $5 (for small drawings or wood-block prints) up to the low hundreds (for framed acrylic paintings). Student art shows are a source. If you know any amateur artists whose work you like, that's another option (I have two pieces from one friend and three from another).

Cpaul & Cawaps- THANK YOU. I appreciate the solid advice. Admittetly I totally would have tried to reproduce all of the colors in my paintings all over my house. I’m glad I nipped that in the bud.

I also will start looking at some photography & student art shows is a great great idea

Don't buy anything online. It's worthless. Buy something real that is meaningful. Collect slowly as budget allows. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it must have meaning.

It's better to have a blank wall for a year or two than a wall filled with inkjet ("giclée") reproductions from some Chinese sweatshop.

When someone visits you and notices something interesting, you should have a story about who made it, how you found it, where you were. Visit art shows, end-of-semester college student shows, etc. Make a day of it, have lunch, explore. Buy something while on vacation.

My last purchase was at an art show in Rittenhouse Square as I was on my way to the hardware store! It was an infrared photo of a popular part of Philadelphia. I would never have bought a standard photo of it, but infrared is so other-worldly, I had to have it. And I also got a story out of it.

^ that makes sense, Tatts. Your advice does kind of grate against my “I’ll only do it if I can do it from my couch” philosophy, but I see the wisdom in it. Especially for somebody so prone to buyer’s remorse like myself. I work in Manhattan anyway so I have no real excuse for not going out & seeing things for myself.

Also I was wondering what “giclee” meant so thank you.

What do people normally spend on art? What’s reasonable? I know “it depends” but within what kind of boundaries typically?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.architecturaldigest.com/story/dont-miss-these-end-of-year-student-art-shows/amp

^ article in AD also recommending student art shows

HI -- Art does not need to match the furniture . Choose any Art such as paintings or photography , whatever for what you love about it . Look for Art as if you have nothing else . Check second hand or donation stores . You would be amazed at what can be found at a Goodwill or Salvation army store or flea markets . Check out any showings and sales at Art Schools . As for how much color to go for ...go for as much color you love about what Art you find . Looking at and for Art most people learn a lot about themselves ... no limits , get only what speaks to you . Art has really very little to do with interior design and decorating or it should be .

Thanks lefty from another lefty!

Are there any basic guidelines to follow for size ?

I agree with the comment about going larger than you think. Go large or go home! A Giclée is a printing process typically the same size as the original but the colors can be off from the original. I bought a giclée once from a local artist and asked him to add some oil impasto to it to add texture. be careful doing that unless you know the artist. Check out art from a local rental gallery and after you live with it you can buy it.

Simply Elegant Home is correct imo. Go big or go home. I love art and have a ton of it in my home. I do think in terms of colors of the rest of my space when deciding where to place a piece. I have a piece of art in my living room that contains blues and my sofa is a similar shade. I have a piece of black art in my dining room and my chairs are also black. Maybe I miss the mark with the colors but it fits my taste.

In terms of cheap art that is big, consider abstract pieces created by toddlers. They are really the best abstract artist imo. Find a piece of canvas or board or whatever. Paint it a solid color. Then give a 3yo three colors of paint and 15minutes. Tell him/her to paint a picture of the family. It will turn out amazing, I promise you. It will not look anything like the family but it will be a great piece of art.

Good tip simply elegant!

Friday- Ive always loved that idea. We don’t have any kids yet but perhaps I can commission a friend’s kid

Yes - buy the kid an ice cream cone for the effort. He/she will be thrilled ;-)

I have found some really great things at second hand stores such as Value Village. I don't mind reproductions of art, not so much reproductions of oil paintings but I like reproductions of ink or pencil sketches. They translate better to reproductions. I have a reproduction of an ink sketch by Van Gogh of a courtyard in Arles, that I really love, a Value Village find. Also A VV find, this Ikea Picasso reproduction always makes me smile.

The colors in a piece of art you love will not matter at all. What does matter is that you love it, you relate to it in a deeply personal way, you feel something every time you see it.

If you like photography, check out a site called UNSPLASH. People share high-resolution photographs they shot and they are all copyright free. Yes, free art work--and there are thousands upon thousands of images, many from talented photographers. You can have them printed out at any size and on any type of background (paper, wood, canvas, etc.) at art stores in your town or online.

A piece of art should be 2/3 to 3/4 of the width of the item it's going over (e.g. over a sofa or wall table.) Hang it so the middle of the piece is 60" from the floor. Hang it about 6" - 10" over the back of the sofa.

That's pretty big for a sofa piece. You can put a narrow shelf the correct width over the sofa, and rotate the smaller art pieces that you sit on it.

We go to artist's studio tours when they have them in our city (Toronto), usually in September. We also have an outdoor art exhibit every year where you can buy directly from the artist.

Tapestries and hanging rugs are another attractive way to decorate a space, and can be less expensive than oil paintings etc. Ethnic stores and markets can be a good place for these.

I agree with those who have said to take your time and buy things you love, so it's good to have some inexpensive interim wall decor that you won't mind replacing when you find "the one" piece that you know you'll want to look at for a long time. You don't need to live with blank walls in the meantime.

I like the idea of kids freedom of expression and if none are around I suggest a few girlfriends and wine and several canvases and see where it goes! It will remind you of the fun you had with close friends and if it doesn’t work out, have a garage sal

following

As far as experimenting with wine and friends, or kid's efforts, you may be unpleasantly surprised at the cost of a decent size canvas, and the paint.

Aside from the skill of the artist, there's a reason that good-size canvases are not cheap.

I find my art tends to work with my decor because I like my decor and only buy art I like and so it naturally tends to come together:)

I have bought giclee fine art prints directly from artist websites when I love the artist works but cannot afford the originals.

I have not bought from Etsy, though I have thought about opening an Etsy site. I have found the time to go back to some art work (painting) in the last year - mostly through a series of flukes which recently ended up with a $300 sale. I've been wondering if I should try to market anything and just beginning to research. I am not in a large metropolitan area and having an online site seems to be a way many artist display their work. Be sure there is a good return policy as what you see online may not work in your home and computer monitors are not really true to color.

I think you have been given some good ideas of where you can look for art in person. I agree to wait till you find something that you really like - better a blank space for awhile then seeing something every day you really wish you had not bought.

Partim - You could go the route of buying expensive canvas and paints and spend upwards of $300 on materials but I would not suggest that, especially for a kid. Cheap canvas or mdf works just as well.

I prefer MDF. A 24"x24" piece will set you back $6. As the piece increases in size, the cost stills remains relatively low. An 8'x4' piece of MDF is only about $20.

I would not suggest professional grade oils and mediums. $5 sample cans of paint from Home Depot would work great.

I completely agree with Lefty and IdaClaire. Art is not decor. It can certainly exalt interiors, but to relegate it to the category of decor would be remiss. To do so is to overlook the creative force that informs it. Art teaches us about the universe of which we are a part, who we were, are and aspire to become in the continuum. Art is. And it is content to preside alone. However, I do think it appreciates she who selects it as much as she who makes it manifest.

Short answer is, no, Art most certainly need not "match" a room. In fact, I think Art would view the entire notion as ridiculous.

To determine what we like in art, we must view a lot of it - and in person. As in face to face, real, original art. From what you've posted, you seem to be drawn to portraits. Manhattan has a tremendous art scene, so opportunity to explore your tastes abounds for you. You might have to get out of your comfort zone to do so. Art often requires that of us. And what an exciting prospect it is!

In terms of how to arrange groupings of pieces, there are many formulas - many of which can be found here on Houzz - but it really comes down to what arrangement pleases you. I recommend you look into the Golden Ratio for insights on scale and proportional arrangements. Humans tend to be hard wired to look for that ratio - albeit subconsciously - as we find it very pleasing. It's applications are endless.

HI -- Corinne -- Your left handed -- that means you should have talent .... get some Art supplies , and some big canvas boards and give painting a shot .

I admire the work of designers Fox Nahem Associates. Below are some examples of their spaces in which the art makes a major statement, and was not chosen to match the furnishings.

God I love that gorilla!

So do I! It makes me happy every time I see that pic. What an amazing piece of art ... certainly not for everyone, but I think it's fab!

Ida- THANK YOU just the kind of example I needed.

Anita- that’s awesome what does it look like?

Corinne it is at home so I can't take a picture right now but it is a small English cottage with some trees, water, flowers, and grassy fields. I'm sure it didn't appeal to the tastes of the person who got rid of it but I think it is quite lovely. A pretty picture but not a statement piece.