Design Recipes: Cathy’s Travel To Design - Hanging Home Decor: A Yes and No Checklist

Design Recipes: Cathy’s Travel To Design - Hanging Home Decor: A Yes and No Checklist
Cathy Hobbs
12/4/2014
Updated:
4/23/2016

Are you tired of looking at boring, bland walls? Maybe your walls are anything BUT bare, and you’re looking to spruce up your room by giving it a complete makeover.

When choosing wall art, it’s important to remember that your goal isn’t to simply fill in blank walls –it’s all about creating your own personal space, and finding pieces that are meaningful to you.

To help you on your journey to creating a beautiful space that’s alive with inspiration, here are some simple steps that can help make the process of finding -and hanging art fun, and exciting!

1. How Much Space Do You Have?

VIew: <a href="http://shop.cathyhobbs.com/XGPP-7811" target="_blank">Mariposa Traditional Wall Art</a>
VIew: Mariposa Traditional Wall Art

First, determine how much wall space you have available and then look for pieces that are the right size. A good rule is that art should fill about two-thirds of the available wall space.

Small areas call for smaller pieces of wall art, while larger areas are best suited to larger pieces, or groupings of smaller, coordinated pieces of art. If you have a large wall, you may want to spring for a decent sized, modern contemporary painting or abstract piece. For compact, tiny spaces, like corners or areas at the top of stairs, groups of four small pieces are ideal for creating a “window” effect.

2. Which Mood Do You Want to Convey?

View: <a href="http://shop.cathyhobbs.com/XGPP-6123" target="_blank">Contemporary Landscape Framed Wall Art</a>
View: Contemporary Landscape Framed Wall Art

Different rooms call for completely different styles of art. A living space can be serene, comfortable, vibrant, zany, minimalistic, or ultra-modern. Try to find art that is in line with the mood that you want to create.

3. Finding Art That Coordinates

View: <a href="http://shop.cathyhobbs.com/XNC-70260" target="_blank">Lifeline Contemporary Wall Decor</a>
View: Lifeline Contemporary Wall Decor

When framing a gallery of photos, keep things visually coordinated by choosing similar frame styles, artistic styles, or colors. Creating symmetrical groups is another way to create visual balance -groups of four pieces are a classic example of symmetry. Or, you could go with a triptych -a painting divided into three separate prints; a beautiful way to ensure perfect balance.

Remember, it’s all about your own personal style –and finding ways to inject that into your décor. Choosing pieces of art that YOU enjoy and appreciate is ultimately the best strategy when choosing art.

Instead of trying to find art that matches your room, try to design your room around a favorite piece of art. The results will be outstanding!

What do you think?

Do you have a special piece of art that you'd love to design a room around?

Share your thoughts with us on Twitter and Facebook!

And Don’t Forget Your Checklist!

Click on image for larger version.
Click on image for larger version.
5-time Emmy award winning television personality Cathy Hobbs (ASID) is the founder and creator of Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes™. Cathy currently hosts her own self-branded design television series, Design Recipes, airing on the top rated “PIX Morning News” on WPIX-TV in New York City. Cathy was a finalist on Season 6 of HGTV's Hit Reality Series "DESIGN STAR and most recently served for a year as the green expert for “The Life Improvement Squad” a national campaign with IKEA and O Magazine.
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