Finding art that reflects your personal style
When I was in my early twenties, I bought a lot of art. Mostly prints and posters, with a few original pieces here and there (if, and ONLY if they were small and inexpensive). Think generic landscapes, or cities I had been to and purchased 11 x 14” prints of on a whim. But a couple years ago, I realized that my personal style had changed - and I wanted my home to reflect that. I didn’t want generic pieces that just about anyone could have in their home.
So, then what’s next as far as finding your own personal style goes? Here’s some of my recommendations.
1. Don’t worry about a color scheme or “fitting” in with what you already own. You know that feeling when you bring home the perfect couch for your living room, or finally buy that new bedroom set, and something about the room “just doesn’t seem right”? Sometimes, this is because the room is disjointed – there’s too many different styles present – but a lot of the time it can be because there’s not enough contrast. For example, if you’re finding that everything in your space is the same shade of copper, adding something that’s completely different – like a bright red or blue painting – can add some visual interest. The fun part about finding contrasting styles is that no two homes can be the same.
2. Think about your interests. For example, let’s say you LOVE music and are telling Alexa constantly to play your favorite playlists. Can you search for prints of the world’s most-famous concert halls online? Or can you frame some vintage records cases? Or, if abstract art is more your style - there are even artists who will take your favorite song, listen to it, and paint a piece that represents the essence of the song. How fun is that? Any hobby you have – whether it’s golf, old cars, reading, writing, dancing, whiskey tasting, fishing – you can pretty much guarantee some artist, somewhere, creates something that fits in with interests you already enjoy.
3. Take LOTS of photos, no matter where you are. This can be difficult sometimes, because we think we’ll *just remember*, but I’ve always found that seldom works for me! Some of my favorite places to take photos of art are restaurants and hotel lobbies – they usually have interesting, unique pieces. And it makes sense – when you enter a public space like that, the owners typically want you to feel some sort of emotion or some sort of awe.
Once you have some photos of art you saw and loved, it becomes a lot easier to identify similar pieces. Favorite these photos in your phone and start searching online or in home stores.
4. Shop for pieces on trips and vacations, but DON’T feel pressure to buy. We’ve all been there: when we’re on a vacation, we stumble across the most ornate Persian rug store, or an art gallery of stunning aquamarine, Tuscan poolside scenes.
If you find a piece you love and can’t live without – then by all means, get it! Especially if it’s something you’ve never seen before. But, sometimes, we end up purchasing art that we think we’ll love, just because we’re romanticizing our trip, or just because it will fit in our suitcase. When I was in Australia once, I went to a beachside art gallery and saw a painting of a beach scene of these gorgeous women in swimming caps. It was beautiful, but realllyyy tiny. I knew if I bought it, the painting would be too small to hang on a wall by itself. I’d probably have to put it in a standing frame, place on a table, and eventually - it would end up in a drawer. So instead, I decided to wait until I came home. I researched similar art styles and found a similar, much larger piece. Making the decision to wait helped me find a piece that suited my style much better, that wouldn’t end up forgotten.
5. Consider creating art out of something that’s *not* typically defined as art. This might be my favorite tip because it’s a surefire way to create something unique to you and no one else. And guess
Framed sheet music I loved as a kid
Hung vintage postcards in an empty frame
Stapled old cocoa sacks in frames to create rustic, “Old World” type art
Hang an empty but ornate frame on a wall
And guess what? If you decide you don’t love whatever you decide to buy, or hang up on your walls, you can always change it. Just like our personal style, our art can change over time too.
