The functional use of wall space is underrated. The art and photos that adorn the room set the atmosphere. With gorgeous wall art in frames, hung with intention with consideration given to breathing space around the frames, rooms can be transformed almost instantly.
Tips on What to Frame and Display Where
Living Room
Statement pieces
Two places in every living room that are perfectly suited for statement pieces of wall art are above the mantel and above the sofa. When you look around your living room, you’ll likely find the largest furniture are the fireplace and the three-seater sofa. Those are prime spots for statement pieces of wall art.
A thoughtfully designed gallery wall
Gallery walls are for any home. Not just stately homes with high ceilings. The name may conjure images of an entire wall laden with photos and artistic prints, however, the reality is that it’s just a simple curation of framed prints, hung with grace. Accurate measurements are the trick to pulling it off in even the tiniest of spaces. As an example, a narrow two-foot width to the side of patio doors could be sufficient for four to eight framed prints. If you have more prints, you could continue the display in a wrap-around way by grouping frames on the adjacent wall.
Seasonal prints
The ambience of the room can be transformed with the art adorning the walls. You don’t need much. Fireplaces tend to be located in the centre of the living room. The wall space to the left and the right of that can be used to hang seasonal art. A pastel watercolour in the spring, beach themes in the summer, nature scenes in the autumn, and then in the winter, set the tone for a white Christmas with digital prints containing a play on light capturing the sunrise beaming across snow-covered fields or hilltops.
Dining Room
Prints of food and beverages
Set the tone for the dining room by using prints that you’d expect to see in a bistro or restaurant. Framed prints of vintage wine bottles, perhaps pictures of hand-glazed ceramic jugs, or for the coffee aficionados, consider a latte print. Did you know there are now latte artists? The 200 Degree barista school in Birmingham run two-hour workshops teaching you how to draw designs on steamed milk. Take a photo of yours with a quality camera, get it printed on canvas and display it in a canvas floating frame to show off your artistic creation. You’d have a memorable display piece to cherish for decades.
Framed mirrors
Just like the statement piece of wall art in the living room, framed mirrors make statement pieces in the dining room. They’re considered functional décor because it makes the room feel larger and helps light bounce around the room.
Black and white photography
For a sophisticated look that you can do once and enjoy in all seasons, take colours out of the equation by using black and white photography in either black picture frames and mounts in white, or vice versa to display monochrome prints.
Bedrooms
Use the bedroom wall space to create a calming atmosphere. Framed prints of picturesque landscapes or seascapes can calm the mind. Have these above the headboard and have smaller frames with photos of loved ones on your dresser or bedside table to lift your mood in the morning when they’re the first prints you set your eyes on.
For the kids' rooms, metallic frames do a good job of showcasing posters, such as those from their favourite movie, a leading character in a play, or posters related to video games. When putting wall art in kids' rooms, frames with acrylic glazing are safer than those with glass. And lighter too.