Home is Where the Art is | A simple guide to creating a home art gallery

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Find Your Type
Buying art is an incredibly personal journey; it should always reflect your individual preferences.

However, by buying what you love, you will create a narrative through your pieces when you display them. This will also ensure the longevity of your collection as they are pieces you have a sentimental connection to. 

Begin by starting your virtual collection, like by example, creating a mood board on a platform like Pinterest. Like planning the furniture for your home, it always helps to be able to visualise something.

Browse through art and save pieces that speak to you. After that, do an audit: is there a common thread? Do they all have a style or feature?

Place your favourite pieces against the textures and colour schemes of the room they will be in. If you already have purchased your furniture or rugs, consider how those will mesh with the art. You might also consider including sculpture, which is a great way to add dimension and texture.

Finally, set a budget. The cost of art can quickly add up, especially if you’re looking for investment pieces. 

 

 

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Curate Your Collection
When you buy, always pick pieces that are meaningful to you and remember that while you enjoy looking at your artwork every day, they will also likely become a conversation starter with guests. 

Audrey Yeo, Founder of Yeo Workshop Contemporary Art Gallery, opines: “If you are an avid host, artworks that engage the visual senses can be a treat for your guests. Hang artworks that reflect your personality and can enrich your guests visually and intellectually through interesting stories about the artwork, the artist that made it, and a cultural point of the artwork that can make for engaging conversations!” 

It always pays to be abreast of trends, and buying art is no different. Livette Dikalenko, the founder of Exquisite Art, notes: “Colour-wise, we see a lot of nudes, greens, oranges, and blues. Green, specifically emerald, is becoming increasingly prominent in abstract art forms. For buyers who appreciate patterns, silver and gold leaves with 3D effects garner traction, too; such pieces easily elevate a clean white wall. Abstract and contemporary styles are popular, as is the use of oils and acrylics on canvas.”

Regarding genre, Talenia Phua Gajardo, director and founder of The Artling, provides some insight: “We are seeing a big shift into sculpture, photography, digital art and new media. Clients who traditionally would have only purchased paintings are now venturing into new media interested in diversifying their collections.”

 

 

 

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You’ve been Framed
 If your artwork has not already come with a frame, there are a few considerations when choosing the appropriate frame. First, remember that the purpose of the frame is to draw focus attention to the artwork. 

Also, consider the medium the work is painted in and the material it’s painted on, as framing protects your artwork. 

The style of a painting can often help to suggest the frame style. For example, paintings with a classical subject matter would suit a more traditional frame, while abstract art might suit a box frame with a thin border. 

 

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Expert Tips
“Homeowners are more interested in purchasing art which comes in big sizes – starting from the metre by metre in dimensions. We see around 70 per cent of our sales to be paintings which are over 100x100cm. Large frames make your living area more spacious, adding a bold statement,” Livette adds.

“In terms of lighting, positioning the lights on top of the painting, aimed at the middle of the artwork to spotlight it, is recommended. The light temperature is a personal preference, although most of my clients opt for warm lights in their homes. It creates a homely and cosy feeling without overly glaring lights.”

 

 

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Creating a Gallery 
Displaying your art allows you to show it off at its best. However, remember that if a piece isn’t the correct size or too heavy for the wall, it may be unusable. If so, consider leaning it on a console.  

Creating a gallery wall is a sure way to make a statement as it allows you to showcase multiple pieces in a group.

Think of a theme before you start to make your gallery feels curated rather than random.

Select colours that go with the room decor or suit the vibe room. Also, even if the pieces may be of different genres, it will work if they belong to the same colour family. 

Next, the number of your pieces matter. A good rule of thumb is odd numbers look more interesting visually and work in more random arrangements, while even numbers are better-regimented groups of the same size.

Measure out your wall space, then lay your collection on the floor. Arrange them there and take a picture for reference once it looks right. 

Depending on your skills in hanging painting, you could hire a professional to complete the job or do it yourself. If you decide to go DIY, follow these steps:

Mark the wall lightly where the top corners of the frames will be.
Measure and indicate where you want the holes to be in relation to the picture frames.
Hammer in your nails and use a spirit level to ensure everything is straight.
And finally, sit back and enjoy your beautiful gallery wall.