Wall art is sometimes the last step in the design process to turn a house into a home, but it is the finishing touch that gives your space the character, charm, and attitude you are looking for! The real magic happens when your art complements your colours. When you have great wall art that is appropriate to the space, it can pull together some of the various colours that exist in the room, creating harmony and mood! On the other side of the coin, if you have art that clashed with the decor, it could look "off" and change the mood of your space.
In this blog post, we will provide you with wall art design ideas that matches your color themes. Each piece enhances your home.
Why Wall Art and Colour Schemes Matter
Colors may change a person's mood and sensory experience. The warm colors of the spectrum include red, orange, and yellow, energising and creating excitement in your mood; the cool colors include blue, Green and violet, these colors are calming and create peace and relaxation. Wall art is a color visual, where the Picture is an exciting representation, whether it is highlighted by the dominant colors in your room, or the contrast it creates.
Step 1: Examine the colors in your room
Before you go to the store to buy wall art, look carefully at the colors in your room. Most designed spaces have a simple "60-30-10" ratio.
- 60% - dominant color (the walls, floors, or large pieces of furniture)
- 30% - secondary color (the curtains, rugs, accent chairs)
- 10% - accent color (the pillows, vases, or smaller items)
Your wall art is going to either indicate one of those existing colors or offer a contrast that accentuates the a fore-mentioned color. For example, in a room with beige walls (the dominant color), navy blue furniture (the secondary color) and gold accents, artwork that has blue tones and black metallics would feel coordinated and rich.
Step 2: Decide on the two options that you will have: Complementing and Contrasting.
This design option refers to picking art that will blend into your overall color palette. For instance, pastel soft artwork beautifully fills the voids in a light, airy atmosphere in a window room with a light ceiling. Complementing art is visually pleasing, and it feels good, congruent, and harmonious in this space. Complementing art in these spaces is very appropriate for bedrooms or spaces that value calmness. Opposite/Contrast Method. In this case, the artwork brings colours that are strong and are otherwise absent in space. Contrast art is successful with modern and eclectic style homes, well, not only because both qualities allow for personality, but also because you might mean for a bolder, colourful choice.
Step 3: Corresponding the art with the functional space
Each space in your home has its own unique mood, and different colours should reflect that mood; the mood arises from the colour palette in the space. In a space that serves a single purpose as opposed to a multi-functional space, the colour produced by wall art must correspond with the space's inherent function.
- Living Room - This is probably the most used space in your home for entertaining, so the artwork should express your style and may even be a prompt for discussion.
- Bedroom - Use calming, restorative colours such as soft blues, muted greens, or restful graphical abstracts. Don't include too many aggressive or vibrant colours.
- Kitchen/Dining Space – Colours typically associated with warmth, such as oranges, reds, or yellow, can help build beautiful kitchen wall art.
- Home Office - Either blues or greens help invoke focus and productivity. Sharing words of inspirational quotes or minimal prints can also leave your office wall art functional yet tasteful.
Step 4: Consider the Frame
Art is valuable intrinsically; however, it is also important how the art is displayed. Framing the art allows for a specific colour theme to be communicated or at least supported.
- Wood - Wood wall art works well for any natural or earthy colour palettes.
- Metal - A silver or gold metallic frame is not always necessary, but it works well with a luxury or modern theme.
- Black/White - Either black and white wall art is all that is necessary for a minimalist or contemporary space, which allows the art to shine and avoid distraction. Framing, as well as matting (the border of the art and the frame), can also impact colour pops. White matting can provide brightness for the dimensions of the art, while colour matting can bring out certain colours in the art.
Step 5: Size and Placement Are Important
Even if you can get colour matching, size, and placement can destroy the visual harmony.
For example, a large statement piece with colors similar to the room can act as an anchor for the space, where as smaller pieces that are grouped will provide rhythm and flow to a room. Some ideas:
- Include large pieces with color above sofas, beds, or mantles.
- Group art in a gallery wall with a variety of colors and frames to add depth.
- Align the colors of artwork with furniture or nearby decor for continuity.
Step 6: Enjoy Abstract Art and Mixed Media
Doubtful that every single piece of art that is displayed in your home will work together with your various colours, but abstract wall art provides lots of flexibility to contain many shades of varying colours that belong to a larger palette and design, decor, and even mixed media works have value in accent colours, as mixed media works may themselves also self-represent your accent colours (e.g., a canvas element with metallics, or canvased works with textures).
Conclusion
Matching wall art for your home's colour scheme is part science and part art. When you understand your palette, if you want complementary or contrasting tones, and if that tone connects to the space's usage, you can create visual pleasure that functions in harmony to elicit a sense of comfort. Those frames, placement, and seasonal rotation add yet another level of richness to your space.
Finally, the abstract wall art you display must speak to you. It is not decoration, it is you, included in the story that your home tells. When intentionally curated, wall art can not only match your colour scheme, but also bring it to life.
FAQs
1. How do I figure out the sizing of wall art?
First measure your wall space. Some large pieces to make a statement would work well with larger wall areas and smaller spaces are welcoming and feel right when paired with small works.
2. Can I mix all styles of wall art?
Yes! Mixing styles will add character and interest to your home. An abstract piece, contemporary or minimalist will pair as long as you stay in a color palette that you like.
3. What is the right way to hang wall art?
Hanging your art at eye level and off the same wall surface as any nearby furniture will help create a more cohesive look when displaying art.
4. How do I choose wall art that fits in with my decor?
Select art that fits in with your room's colour scheme, style of furniture or feeling you are trying to achieve in the overall ambiance.