Decorating Made Easy With Wall Art
By Susan D Ferrell
Starting From Scratch
Decorating your home can be a confusing and stressful time. There are so many colors, patterns, styles, and accents to choose from; where do you begin? Do you choose the latest trend or stick with the hues you like? Do you choose the same palette as your sister did, or do you venture out on your own?
There are a lot of factors at play when you decide to redecorate your space. For example, are you trying to match new furniture to an existing wall paint? Are you looking at painting the wall to match your existing furniture? Have you decided to start from scratch and will choose new wall paint and furnishings? Does your flooring come into play? Are you replacing it or coordinating around it? What about accents like tables, lamps, vases, and wall art? Are you replacing them, or will they match the new decorating palette? See what I mean; stressful and confusing. Let me try and simplify it with a conversation that I had years ago before I started to work in the home improvement industry.
An acquaintance was thinking about changing the wall color on the main floor of her home; kitchen, living room, dining room, and front foyer. She spoke with an interior decorator who convinced her to paint the walls with the trending color theme; at that time, it was mustard yellow and sage green. When I heard this, the warning bells immediately went off; here are the reasons why.
First: Her sofa set was a dusty rose that currently coordinated with the pale blue on the walls. I asked her if she planned on buying all new furniture too. Emphatically she said no. So I explained that the "trending" color scheme wouldn't go with her furniture, and she would have to buy new if she wanted it to coordinate.
Second: The same interior decorator picked the color palette for the husband's new office; you guessed it, sage green and mustard yellow. Now, I am not saying there is an issue with the hues, but wouldn't it seem like you never left the office if you painted your home the same color.
Third: What if she hated those colors because they didn't jive with her psyche. Should she still pick them because they are "trending" and then avoid the rooms because they make her feel uncomfortable? I think not, because next year there will be a new trending color. Not everyone has the finances or time to renovate their home with the latest fad.
My home is a refuge from the outside world, a space I can regenerate and feel at peace. I want it filled with a color palette and accents that make me happy; not my sister, not the Joneses down the street, and certainly not the trending color for the year. She chose the blue and rose color scheme because it made her feel happy. I suggested that if she wanted to keep the color scheme but update the look, she could pick a neutral wall color, like taupe with a pink undertone. Then I suggested she find window dressings, throw pillows, or a painting with the same shade of blue. The result would be a fresh update while staying within the color scheme that she likes. Little did I know that one day I would be giving customers the same suggestions.
Where to Begin
Someone once said that if you are trying to match art to your sofa, you are missing the point of what art is. As an artist, I agree. But for me, decorating a space is like picking out a wedding ring. The gold band is the foundation, and the diamond is the bling. In the same sense, a sofa set, wall color, and flooring is the foundation of a room, and accents like wall art, sculptures, and throw pillows are the bling. They are the key elements that give a room character and make a house a home. That is why I suggest customers choose a painting as their starting point and coordinate everything else around it. After all, the artist already has the color scheme done for you.
The following are decorating ads that I created for The Brick's (Simcoe) Facebook page. These are samples of my work, not an endorsement for the Brick. You can achieve the same result using wall art and furnishing from your favorite home decor retailer.
Are you looking to bring a feeling of calm and relaxation to your space? Start with this beautiful display of trees. "Teal Trees," a printed canvas 31.5" x 61.5," is proudly made in Canada. It reminds us of a perfect summer's day. Can you feel the calm wash over you when you look at it?
Keeping with the peaceful theme, we paired it with the Designed2B Felix Textured Polyester Sofa and Chair - Plush Pewter. This sofa is so comfortable you'll be relaxing for days.
We chose the Augeron coffee and end tables because of their minimalist design. Why be grounded with heaving wood furniture when you want to float away.
Keeping the atmosphere light and airy, we chose for our lighting the Crystal Table Lamp.
The Sparkle Pillows in teal and white will add a touch of texture and a pop of contrast against the neutral color of the sofa. We added a couple of accents pieces for fun, the Dana Throw in grey and the Small Lady Vase. The vase looks lovely on its own but can also hold a bouquet. We chose a touch of luxury with the Alpaca Snow Area Rug-White to tie all the pieces together. It is so soft. It will feel like you are walking on clouds.
Crimson Forest by Patrick St. Germain. This stunning yet simplistic painting, 60" x 30" on gallery-wrapped canvas, will be a real conversation starter.
We went a little Country Chic with our furnishing and accent pieces. First, we started with the Oakdale Linen-Look Fabric Sofa and Chair in red. Not sure you want red furniture. That's okay; the Oakdale in Charcoal or Tobacco colors will work well too.
Our accent tables are the Regan chair-side table and coffee table. The creamy white tones and brown tabletop blend well with the misty background in the painting.
We chose the Bean Bronze Table Lamp with Cut-Out Shade for lighting, only because we think it's pretty cool looking.
We paired the Mongolian Sheepskin Accent Pillow- Beige with the Design2B Accent Pillow - Chocolate for fun. If that is too much fun for you, the Sparta Accent Pillow-Taupe is a perfect alternative to the Mongolian.
Keeping with the country theme, we tied all our furnishings together with the Shanna Area Rug. If the Crimson Forest doesn't start the conversations, this delightful patchwork-look area rug certainly will.
When does a bunny become a work of art? When you dress it in a traditionally tailored 3-piece suit and add a pocket watch, of course. "Stephens," a reinterpretation of the White Rabbit, is pleasantly displayed on a gallery-wrapped 36" x48" frameless canvas. His debonair allure will add a touch of whimsical sophistication to your well-dressed room.
Keeping with the sophistication and blue color theme, we paired "Stephens" with the timeless beauty of the Valentina Genuine Leather sofa and chair in navy blue.
Because every gentle bunny needs an elegant table to play chess on, we chose the Downtown Table Set. Its graceful lines and deep merlot hue look lovely with the Valentina.
For lighting, we added the Walter Table Lamp because of its vintage, artistic charm. For a touch of contrast that matches the painting's color palette, we selected the Design2B pillows in Kira Musk and Fog. For fun and texture, we added the Sparkle pillow in grey.
Tying all the furnishing together is the Estelle Area Rug. We chose it for its old-world appeal. The colors and delicate lines will complement rather than distract from the painting and nicely highlight the Valentina furniture.
We started with the glamorous Kelly in this modern setting for this vignette, two geometric abstract oil paintings in gold, black and white.
We paired them with the timeless elegance of the Curt, genuine black leather sofa.
Our accent tables are the Emery, cappuccino and gold nesting tables, and coffee tables. Their simplistic lines highlight the lines in the paintings rather than distract them.
For lighting, we chose the Frieda table lamp. The purity of gold and white complement the colors in the painting.
We finished with the Gleam area rug in white and gold. The Curt sofa will showcase quite nicely against it. It is also available in charcoal and gold if you are nervous about having a white area rug.
Striking an impressive pose, "Golden Moose" by Daniel St. Amant is a stunning display of determination. This 32" x 48" printed canvas will have your family and friends wondering what his story is.
Perhaps, they will pen their own tale and answer, why is he standing alone? Where is his herd? Is he emerging from the mist or disappearing?
Whatever tales are spun, your family will recline in comfort on the Seth Genuine Leather Sofa and Chair Grey.
The distressed finish of the Minsk Coffee and End Table set coordinates well with the Seth and highlights the misty background in the painting.
For lighting, we chose the Collin Ceramic Table Lamp. Its pleasing shape will add a comfortable feeling to your entertaining space. We decided to use the Design2B throw pillows in Earth and Kiera Blue for our decorative accents. They will add texture and a pop of color that harmonizes with the hues on the moose.
Continuing with the teal color, we chose the Medium Blue Vase. For fun, we added the Playing Guitar Sculpture because every great story has a theme song. Add a small houseplant like a Boston ivy or Spider Plant to make a trio. They will display nicely on the white finish of the coffee table. To tie it all together, we chose the Tuscan Are Rug. Its lovely array of colors complements the painting and will showcase the Seth nicely.
Thank you for visiting Decorating Made Easy With Wall Art. I hope it has inspired you. If you have questions or feedback, please add them to the comment section below. And don't forget to like, share and subscribe to my blog Just North of Sixty. Stay tuned for the next post, where I will share tips and tricks on how to decorate your space on a shoestring budget.
Susan D. Ferrell was a kitchen designer and Home Improvement sales specialist. She has fifteen years of experience assisting customers with their renovation and interior decorating projects in various home improvement environments. Presently, she is transitioning from sales to writing content about the industry, related products, and services. Susan specializes in kitchen designing, color coordination, visual art, and merchandising.
