Choosing Art for Your Home

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of finding the piece of art that feels like it was made just for you. It’s that little heart-flutter when you spot something and immediately know where it will live in your home. It could be that it sparks a memory, works in terms of colour palette, or even just brings a feeling of joy. These feelings and memories all play their part in bringing personality to your home.

As a designer, choosing art is part intuition, part styling know-how, and part treasure hunt. I’ve long used artwork as a way to inject colour and pattern, whether that be as standalone pieces or within gallery walls. Artwork can transform the feel of a room without major DIY and is ideal for renters and homeowners alike.

As a long-term fan of Archivist’s matchboxes - I have owned and gifted many over the years - I was delighted to hear that some of the iconic prints were being transformed into a new collection of artworks. I’ve selected a few of my favourites for inspiration in your own abode, alongside some tips for making them sing in your home.

Start with the feeling you want to create

Before I even look at frames or placement, I think about how I want a room to feel. Calm and airy? Bold and energising? Art has the power to shift the mood instantly. A nature-inspired piece, such as ‘Mountain’ will add instant Wes Anderson vibes to your home while reflecting nature, whereas something like ‘Cowgirl’ will provide more of a graphic feel. Consider the ambience you want to create before committing and carefully select artwork to work with your colour scheme and interior style.

Large Prints

Mountain 40x50 Print

Plan your layout

Getting to grips with the layout of your artwork is vital prep before you pick up a hammer. Masking tape outlines on the wall are a low-effort way to test scale and spacing, or you can use the inserts of picture frames to avoid wastage. If you’re going for a gallery wall, start with your largest piece slightly off-centre, then build around it for a natural, collected feel. If you’re hanging a single piece, I personally prefer to keep things symmetrical, or purposefully off-centre.

Don’t underestimate the frame

A frame should flatter the art, not fight it, and it’s often worthwhile to put a bit of budget aside for professional framing. Nevertheless, if you’re on a budget, think again about the vibe you’d like to create. Simple black or oak works well for bold designs, while vintage frames collected from charity shops can add a touch of vintage glamour. In recent years, coloured frames have become increasingly available, or you can use paint sample pots to give old frames a quick makeover. Bold framing can really make a statement on your walls, just mix and match colours so that your artwork feels balanced.

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Add a mount

I’m always looking for ways to add something extra to my artwork, and a mount either creates a visual pause between the art and the frame, or adds a pop of colour. They’re ideal for making works feel bigger, and colourful mounts can tie your pieces together, or create a more maximal approach. Archivist art prints lend themselves beautifully to mounts thanks to the bold illustrations - just look at how ‘Lighthouse’ pops with the red checkered mount.

Fill gaps with photos

It’s inevitable that you’ll end up with small gaps in your gallery walls, something that I’ve learned to embrace over the years by filling them in with Photo Booth strips, Polaroids or postcards from museums. I find this is equally good to break up prints and brings me joy when I look back on memories of travels and times with friends and family.

Let it evolve

Spaces grow with you. Rotate prints seasonally, swap frames, or re-hang pieces in new rooms for a fresh perspective. Art isn’t static - it should keep you feeling inspired, so don’t be afraid to switch things up.

Emma Jane Palin is an interior designer, stylist and owner of DIY & interior store Our Curated Abode. Follow her on Instagram @emmajanepalin / @ourcuratedabode