HOW TO DECORATE WITH WALL ART

Your wall art is one of the most visible clues to your unique style vibe. The types of art you choose, the colors, the textures -- even the frame styles -- tell a story. Your story. 

And it’s not just about what you hang on your walls, but also how you hang it. Are you into making a splash with one statement-making piece, or do you love to lean your art? More clues. 

If you’re ready to update your walls or fill those empty ones with wall art that shows off your personality, take a look at some of our favorite tips for decorating with wall art. 

Curate a Gallery Wall

Gallery walls are those fab collections of art in various sizes, shapes, and media all hung in a cohesive grouping. Because they’re arranged in unique ways, the gallery wall becomes an art piece in and of itself. 

You can make an eye-popping statement by creating a gallery wall over your entryway console table or on oddly shaped walls, like the ones that run along a staircase. 

To curate your own impressive gallery wall, get inspired with these ideas:  

• Create consistency with your color palette, running similar tones throughout your pieces. 
• No need to choose art that’s all horizontal or all vertical. Your gallery wall will be more intriguing if there’s a mix of both. 
• Add mementos like a framed ticket stub from a first date -- or other personal items that have meaning and make you smile. 
• Mix up your look with up to three frame styles and colors to keep it from looking too matchy-matchy. 

Go Large and In Charge

One oversized statement wall art piece can speak a thousand words -- and make a powerful impact, even if the art itself is in subdued tones. Statement art is an excellent choice to hang over sofas, fireplaces, and headboards because it has the opportunity to shine and take center stage. Oversized wall art will pack an even bigger punch in rooms with few other distractions, so all eyes will be on your chic sense of style. 

When choosing a large art piece to hang over your sofa or bed, as a general rule of thumb, it should be at least two-thirds the size of your furniture.  

Create balance and harmony within your style by arranging your art in an orientation that complements the lines of your room. Portrait-style will show off high ceilings, while landscape will flow with low lines. 

Reflect Your Style 

Mirrors offer so much more than just a spot to check your look. When positioned properly, like across from a window, a mirror can actually create the appearance of another window and bring in a ton of light -- and maybe a glimpse of Mother Nature -- into your space. 

If you’re decorating a small office or bedroom, capitalize on the reflective powers of mirrors to make your space feel larger and airier. And there’s no better way to show off your beautiful collection of seasonal mantel decor than by reflecting it throughout the room in an oversized mirror. You can also count on a mirror to offer reflective relief to a gallery wall to break up bright colors and patterns. 

Prop It Up

Leaning art has been all the rage for a while now -- and it’s not going anywhere. What we love most about propping up art pieces is that there is no limit to where you can display your style! No longer limited to that middle space on your walls, you can set oversized art on the floor or lean it on your desk, sofa table, the back of a bookshelf -- even a windowsill. 

To create cohesion in your style -- so your leaning art doesn’t look like you forgot to hang it -- style a vignette with a mix of framed art pieces and other decorative accessories. 

Create Continuity

We think the only thing better than one perfect piece of art is two perfect pieces of art. Or three. Which is why we’re in love with diptych and triptych art. 

Whether you love a lush landscape or an ocean view, decorating your walls with a diptych or a triptych can help you create that panoramic look that seems to go on forever. 

Diptychs and triptychs make excellent focal point wall art because -- well, it’s hard to take your eyes off of them. Also, when they’re placed in such a way to play off of the architecture of the room, they can bring even more wow to your walls. 

When hanging a set of two or three coordinating wall art pieces, it’s usually best to space them pretty close to each other -- under six inches apart, or even as little as one or two inches, depending on the space and your preferences.

Let It Evolve

Art is one of those things that we collect over time. As our tastes change and our experiences grow, so does our art collection. So don’t worry about whether your wall art matches each other -- or even your room decor. 

Let your art be a reflection of who you are, including who you were. Your overall look will work as long as the scale and color palette of the art generally jibes with your style --and you love it. 

Art, Art Everywhere

When you’re decorating your walls, look for those blank, forgotten spaces. Because they’re the ones that might need a little pick-me-up the most. While you certainly don’t want to create a cluttered look by hanging art on every square inch of your walls, do think about areas like your mudroom, laundry room, kitchen, or stairway walls. They can be easy to overlook, but with your unique decorating touch, they may just become your next focal point.

Eye It Up

When you’re ready to start hanging your wall art, the adage, “measure twice, cut once,” certainly rings true here. You don’t want a bunch of unnecessary nail holes in your walls. 

To choose the proper height for your wall art, 65 inches from the floor is a great place to start. But if you have high ceilings, you can raise it up a bit. Or you can lower it if your own eye height is lower than 65 inches. 

Some designers like to create paper cutouts in the size and shape of the art they’re hanging and arrange them before they ever pick up a hammer. Others like to eye it up. And if the “eye it up” approach is your preferred way, it’s always best to have a buddy in the process. One to hold up the art, and the other to stand back and take a look. Then switch and repeat. 

And when you’re done, kick back and cheers to a job well done -- and wall art expertly hung. 

Ready to Decorate Your Walls? 

Get inspired to curate your own look with wall art that speaks to your sense of style. Shop Pier1.com to find a huge selection of wall art, wall decor, signs, frames, mirrors, and shelves to create your unique gallery wall or statement wall.