The artwork is often an afterthought when styling a new space. It is added to a room well after the paint has dried and the furniture has been planned. Of course, the layout, colour and furniture are very important, but it is usually a home’s details that define its interior design. 

Fine & Country Interior Design caught up with their experts to discover their tips to use art to define the design of a space.

Unique style 

Adding art to your walls is one of the most transformative design tricks you can add to your interior style. It gives a space instant kudos and adds colour, dimension and texture. It’s not easy to find the perfect piece, but once you start, can become addictive. Kate Haynes from EHG Home has been staging and styling homes for over ten years. 

She says: “Artwork is very important as it can create feelings and association with a buyer. Larger pieces give proportion and bring scale to a room, which can enhance a space.” 

Different styles

Mixing up your media can enhance your interior design style. No matter if you choose prints, posters, magazine covers, or paintings sourced from auction houses or your local antique market, art injects instant personality, ramps up the style ratings and it doesn’t have to be expensive. 

It is key to consider the artwork you are hanging, as some pieces deserve to be alone. Others, such as drawings, photos and small-scale prints, work best in groups, clustered by a staircase, above a sofa or simply strung along a wall. 

“Art can act as a framework for a room. It is a guide to position pieces of furniture to make the most of the room. When chosen well, artwork can transform any room and tie together the cushions and furniture to create the finished look,” says Kirsty Fisher from Lemon & Lime Interiors.

If you are limited on space, try considering innovative ways to add art to a room. Rosie Ward from Interiors by Sarah Ward says: “We have incorporated art into this headboard. It is a great trick if you are stuck for space; it created the perfect focal point and added interest, depth and texture to the room.”

Reflect your style 

The art world can sometimes be viewed as stuffy and unapproachable, but this doesn’t mean your artwork has to be viewed this way. A great way to make your home feel cosy and relaxed is by making your artwork reflect this feeling too. Leaning art against a wall or spacing pieces unevenly has the impact of a large single work, without the formality.

Kate Spence from Hub Architects and Designers recently designed the architectural interiors for a house in Clarendon Place, London. The house was located at the end of a post-war terrace. It wasn’t a hugely distinctive building. Kate’s brief was to give the house an elegant and spacious feel, flexible enough to be appealing to a wide range of potential residents. 

“I drew on several inspirational sources, including the artwork of Gio Ponti, giving the house a clear and distinctive style,” says Kate.

Here are Kate’s top three tips to use art to influence your interior design: 

1. The best way to buy art is to buy what you like and work out where to hang it later. If you love a piece for its colour, paint the walls or select furniture that will match to draw out the colour in the painting. 

2. Paintings can be grouped to enhance the proportions of a wall.

3. Do not always feel that every inch of the wall needs to display artwork. Leaving some space between pictures can give accent to other elements that might also deserve some attention. 

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