Family photos, abstract images, landscapes and animals are all regular features on walls across New Zealand. No one likes a bare wall, but at the same time you want to strike the balance to make sure you have wall art that adds personality and interest to your spaces.
Wherever you look around your home, you are bound to have space on the walls, whether it be above a couch, in the dining room or above the TV, I’m sure it is not hard to find a wall that could do with a bit more character.
Before you hammer in a nail to hang a picture you found in the back of your wardrobe, consider how you use that space. Do you entertain guests regularly? Is it an area the family hang out in? Do you need it to inspire creativity or offer a more relaxed vibe? Ideally, what you want to hang from the nail should reflect the mood you want to convey.
Here are a few ideas to consider bringing inspiration to your wall art search.
Uniting colour and abstract
When you have no idea what to hang on the wall, turning to abstract designs is a fool proof answer. Abstract paintings suit all spaces and everyone tends to interpret them different – so it’s a real people pleaser.
All you need to know is what colour you want to add to your room. Whether you match it with the curtains, the cushions you have on the sofa or fit it in with the theme of your house, it is hard to pick the wrong abstract wall art.
If your home has a natural theme, consider earthy colours. But if you are lucky to be near the coast, try incorporating blue and green tones.
3D illustration
From black and white, to a spectrum of colours, 3D graphics are high-impact features, perfect for a living room wall. The shapes can be squared, flowing curves or a mixture of both – what it will be is eye catching and an instant feature in any room.
Portraits add personality
A portrait or two in your living room is the easiest and best way to add more personality that genuinely reflects you and your family. There are many ways to elevate the traditional phone snaps to help make that screensaver photo a work of art:
- You can blow the photo up on a massive canvas in black and white
- Turn to photo editing tools such as Lightroom or Canva to add effects that transform standard photos into works of art
Line up mini prints
Wall art doesn’t have to be big and striking, you can make the small effective too.
You can find several smaller prints and line them up side-by-side to create a rectangle. Get a few photos printed on small canvases you can line up, or buy several photo frames to neatly position side-by-side. Make sure there is a theme with all your photos, and line them up on your wall.
Who said photos have to be square?
Just because photo frames, canvases and a lot of art are squared, does not mean you have to settle for traditional shapes – you can try something different and unique.
There are services available who will print photos and art on shapes. Whether it be a heart for your wedding day photo, a circle to showcase a landscape or an oval to make your family or couple pictures a little different. You don’t need to confine photos and images in four edges anymore.
Split that canvas print
If you are getting a canvas made, why restrain that photo to just one? How about splitting that image across three or four canvases to turn it into more of a feature?
These are great for larger, empty spaces on walls as it offers a different impact to amplify your images.
If you are doing these, you want the photo to have minimal details as possible. If you are putting a family portrait on a split canvas it could mean limbs and heads are split which might not look the best.
You should stick to landscapes (such as beaches, mountains and forests), scenes from nature or pet photos.
Allure with watercolours
If you need to inject colour into a room, wall art is the perfect way to achieve it. Psychedelic watercolours are magical and offer a calming, yet powerful presence to your living room wall. And it’s a great way to watch the compliments roll on in.
The important thing to remember is your wall art should inject personality and style into your space, and whatever you choose, make sure it reflects you and your family’s style. For some it may be bold and bright, while others may be a bit more subtle and elegant.
Whatever you pick to hang on your walls, make sure it inspires you and makes you smile. After all, it’s got to be better than that blank wall behind the art.
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