Naked Walls, Oh My!

 

Moving on to a slightly different topic today, let's talk about dressing up our walls with art! There are so many different things types of wall art out there- oil paintings, shadow boxes, framed prints, canvas prints, family photographs, and one of my favorites... children's art! Deciding what style of art fits your home is the first step to creating a cohesive space. As with wall colors, using wall art that is similar in style will help create a sense if flow throughout your home. This does not mean that you cannot mix different types of art. Basically, if you took all of your hanging art off of the walls and put it in one big pile together, you should see some similarities. Ex: If you have landscape oil paintings, botanical prints, and more natural toned art in your living room, you may not want a bold, modern, abstract piece in your adjoining dining room. I love a home that feels like it has been constructed over time. I think having a mix of old pieces and new helps to achieve this feeling, not only with wall art but furniture as well. If you would like to incorporate some piece that have an antique or vintage charm, visit some of your local antique stores, flea markets, and yes, even yard sales. Not everything at antique stores is creepy and expensive! Here are a few of my favorite local places to hunt for treasures:

Gas Lamp Antiques and Decorating Mall in Nashville, TN. Do not let the expensive pieces showcased on their website scare you away! They have a huge selection of decor in all price ranges. This store recently became one of my all time favorite antique shops, and it is massive. Plan on spending several hours here if you make a trip.  

Nashville Flea Market at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. Ok, I admit, you may have to wade through vendors selling socks, purses, and old makeup in bulk quantities, BUT there are a few vendors that make the trip worth your while also. I go here to get oil paintings SUPER cheap. You can pick your oil painting and a frame and have it mounted and ready to hang in a matter of minutes. The reason why these paintings are cheaper is because, while they are all handmade, they are also produced in large quantities. Don't kid yourself into thinking every pricey oil painting in a gallery is a "one of a kind." I recently saw the exact same sheep oil paintings that I have in my daughter's room (I paid $55.00 a piece for them including the frames!) at an antique store. They were asking $280.00 for each painting!

Frame your own art, family photos, or prints with open-back ready made frames from Hobby Lobby. Their frames are on sell 50% off every other week. This route is definitely cheaper than having custom frames made, and they have a great selection of styles too. For the best selection, try to go on Mondays. They get picked over quick!

And I have to admit, one of my indulgent favorites is always Pottery Barn  for frames. They have a great selection of eclectic frames that still have a cohesive feel.

Note how many different frames are used here, yet they all have a similar feel. The black and white images help pull them all together.

I know today's post is pretty basic, but sometimes knowing where to start is half the battle! Decide what style fits your home and personality. Perhaps you are very traditional, or maybe you have a modern feel in your home. I personally like things that have a time worn, cottage feel, and you may feel that my blog is somewhat biased towards this style. If you think your style leans more towards the modern, contemporary spectrum, check out these blogs for inspiration Marie Burgos Design, MoCo Loco, Loft Style

Sticking with one style will keep the rooms in your house from feeling disconnected. Tomorrow I will give some tips on how to display family photographs!