When it comes to putting a personal stamp on our homes, you can’t go wrong by adding artwork. Art helps define the personality of a space, and it can dramatically improve the look of any room. And while most of us do have art woven throughout our homes, it’s often limited to a painting or a picture in a frame. If you’re looking to shake up the art in your home, here are some simple ways to do so.
Group Things in Threes
The living room is often one of the most exciting spaces to fill with art — but it can also be one of the most intimidating. Empire’s Industrial Ranch living room, designed by Dominic De Freitas, is brimming with both traditional and modern forms of art: a trio of hung artwork imparts a gallery feel; a painting of a vase propped against an artist’s easel adds more dimension to the space; and a trio of snowshoes left leaning casually against the wall create an interesting design moment and accentuate the vertical line of the space.
Hang Tapestries in Place of Traditional Artwork
An attractive alternative to the traditional painting, a tapestry offers the same wow factor on a wall — and often at a fraction of the cost. In this cozy family room, a tapestry mounted a few inches away from the wall adds dimension and calls attention to the room’s architectural features.
Hung above a craft corner in the Industrial Ranch model, a patterned tapestry is a fitting choice to inspire creativity.
Incorporate Functional Pieces that Double Up as Art
The kitchen is often one of the most forgotten rooms for artwork, so the inclusion of a dramatic large-scale piece is what sets this Modern Scandi kitchen apart. To ensure that the mood of the kitchen remained homey, designer Dominic De Freitas let the piece rest on the floor and leaned it casually against the wall.
Metal brackets affixed to the wall of a workspace are great for keeping important files like lists and schedules in sight, but they also offer an excellent opportunity to display favourite family photos of magazine clippings. Place a few pictures on a dynamic angle to boost visual interest and keep the look from feeling static.
While the thought of an open closet might seem like a nightmare to some, it can be a great way to utilize a bare wall in the bedroom and boost storage space. In this bedroom, a black metal red strikes a graphic note and establishes a cool focal point.
Set on a baker’s rack, an array of functional kitchen items double up as statement-making pieces in this industrial kitchen.
Whether stacked or side by side, pairings of art often look good together. Designer Dominic De Freitas employed this favourite design trick in the Shabby Chic master bedroom, hanging a pair of leafy artworks on one side of the bed and a pair of ornate candles on an adjacent wall.
Want more decor inspiration and advice for your next decor project? Check out our 4-part Love Design, Live Empire video series with designer Dominique De Freitas and subscribe to receive the episodes directly to your inbox along with exclusive bonus content including our curated style guides and expert tips and inspiration.