The Art of A Traveler

As summer is coming to an end, the fall is creeping in which means winter is around the corner. Already thinking about jumping on a plane to a new place to escape to, I thought today I would address our natural inquisitiveness to travel, to visit places, people and cultures other than our own.

Away from home we see ordinary things differently – a local hardware store, side street, service station, avenue of trees. There is no doubt that our outlook is broadened by the experience and our un-jaded eye finds art that reflects this. One of the attractions of traveling is the moment of coming home. With these keener eyes our home becomes somewhere to re-create those places and cultures we visited, so that the experience is ongoing and the influences persist.

Actual traveler or not, creating your chosen world in a room broadens horizons and interest. If you were to make a point always of bringing home a piece of original art – a canvas, a print a small piece of sculpture – you would soon accumulate a rich art collection to enjoy, each pieces with a story to tell.

Don’t forget, when looking at a work on canvas far from home, that it is relatively simple to have the canvas removed from the wooden frame. Roll it up for the journey and have it re-stretched once on home ground. Bigger or heavier pieces can be shipped; prints can be easily carried in a hard tube.

How to make your art ‘feel at home’ in your space

When planning your art display, or introducing a new piece, make sure the art “feels at home”. This is not as odd as it sounds. Combining the joy in first seeing the individual work of art with the elements in your home creates a harmony of living.

Here are three tips to create harmony in your space with art:

1. Colour: Integrating art though colour is another way of making the art feel at home: echoing blues and grays for marine subjects, subtle greens and earthy colours around landscapes, bolder colours for abstracts in aspects of soft furnishings and objects.

2. Paring: Some paintings fall naturally into a paring. When putting two paintings together in such paring, look at the two as though they were one whole piece. There is usually an obvious left and right defined by weight or colour. Bold colour and strong shapes delineate the two outside edges. Figurative work, portraits and animals prefer to look at each other. If only one of the parings is a portrait then give the subject something to ‘look at’.

3. Echoing something from the art itself will quickly give it the right setting. Relating to the subject matter in the painting with objects, ceramics and sculpture when planning how to display it is the easiest way to create harmony.

Fireplaces and Art

Fireplaces may be a hazard to a homeowner because they are open or occasional winds may cause smoke to drift in. To another homeowner, a fireplace and the space above it will be no problem - it may not be in use or a gas fireplace. The active chimney can be a focal point for a change of art according to the season - finding more or less vulnerable pieces depending on whether the fireplace is in use or not.

Be cautious with what you hang over active radiators in the same way as fireplaces. Incorporate these in your changing picture scheme; this way when you move it you have the opportunity to inspect for any dust or damage. The same goes for pictures continually hung in strong sunlight - especially works on paper and photographs.

Integrating Your Art

A themed approach, if handled well, can create a cohesive look; one way is to assemble art, textiles and furniture from a particular period. The hallmark of a good collector is the development of a strong personal preference.

At some time or another we have all come across people who are fascinated by a particular place or period and their homes reflect this, whether it be classical Roman, American 50's, English country house or minimalism.

The owner chooses to integrate the domestic space in a unified personal preference.

Note: This is the opposite of eclectic collecting.

Related Articles

• What To Do With Decorative Textiles? (apartmenttherapy.com)

Art To Calm

In parts of the home where you want to relax and unwind, aim to include as many elements as possible to achieve a sense of calm: comfortable furniture, soft lighting, the smell of fresh flowers, sound of soft music – and good art to rest your mind and eyes upon.

Select a subject matter that is gentle and un-provocative.

There are no sharp angles or bright colours to stop the eyes movement only the softly lit silhouettes.



The physiological effects of colour are well-known, they have the power to envoke strong feelings, demand attention, stimulate and even calm. So the colour palette plays a role here, too. Neutral tones, and soft hues of blue and green are restful and therapeutic. Consider this when you are looking to achieve a calm space to retreat to after a hectic day.

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Size: Is bigger always better?

In art, size plays an integral role when attempting to reach harmony between your artwork and your furnishings.

The perspective of a room will alter depending where on the size you choose and where you place your art. Paintings will show different facets according to the light, the scale of the room and what is placed around or next to them. When a piece of art is in the ‘right’ place it adds to the harmony of a room - not work against it.

Wherever possible, follow the proportions of the space that a wall provides. When hanging artwork behind furniture such as your bed, sofa or table, aim for 40-60% of the furnishing's size. Any smaller and the work can get lost, any larger and the piece can appear  overbearing.

Do you have a picture of your space in ‘harmony’? Lets see it!