It’s true that home is where the heart is. Home is also where art exists, in stunningly framed decorations that enhance and lighten up every room. Art is a priceless part of our lives. Surroundings yourself with it in all shapes and forms will enhance your creativity, inspire you on a daily basis, and allow you to appreciate the hard work of other people. Waking up to a stunning painting in your bedroom will give you moments of peace before a busy day. Appreciating a painting in your kitchen as you eat with family and friends will add a warmth to the atmosphere and provide you with intelligent topics to discuss. No matter where you choose to hang your new purchases, you’ll find an abundance of inspiration in them.

It can be hard to choose the right painting for your home, especially if you’re not an art expert. Admittedly, most of us aren’t experts, and that’s more than okay. The truth is that you need neither an art degree nor thousands of dollars to gracefully decorate your home. But where should you start? Fortunately, there are easy and helpful methods that will help you choose the perfect artwork for your home. Once you familiarize yourself with these tips, you’ll be able to find incredible paintings you’ll be proud to own. Decision-making has never been so easy!

The Most Important Question

Ask yourself, “What kind of art do I like?” You don’t need to finish art school to know the answer to this question. All you need is a relatively clear idea of the type of art you admire. A few specific questions you could ask yourself are:

– What are my favourite colours?

– What kind of “mood” do I like? Cheerful, thoughtful, hopeful, etc.?

– Do I want the art to be abstract or clear?

– Do I want a custom painting or am I open to other subjects?

Once you answer these questions (it’s completely fine if you’re not sure about all of them yet), you’ll be much closer to discovering the best paintings for your home.

Research Passionately

It might be tempting to visit art websites only, but that can be limiting. Having very few options might confuse you. Before you make any solid decisions, check out communities like Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram, and search for keywords that are relevant to your style. The keywords can be as specific as you like. A few examples are: ‘cloud painting’, ‘flower painting, or ‘abstract water painting’.

Once you find something that inspires you, save it! Saving features are available in all of the aforementioned social platforms; with the click of a button, you’ll be able to create a beautiful private collection of art that you like. Once you’re happy with your collection, carefully analyze it. Is there a pattern? Maybe you’ll unexpectedly discover that you’re very interested in certain colors, subjects, or feelings. Whatever your taste is, you’ll discover it during the researching process, so make the most of it and remember to have fun. 🙂

Previews Are Everything

Imagining how a painting will look on your wall isn’t the same as seeing it in your home in real life. Continuously buying paintings, testing them in your home, and working in this trial-and-error way would be frustrating (unless you really like this process, in which case I don’t judge you at all!). This is where previews come in; virtual previews allow you to visualize how a painting will look in a specific setting, be it a stock photo of someone else’s home or your very own room.

Once you have a few paintings you’d like to test out online, visit a website like Art Beamer, which will combine photos of your room with photos of paintings. If you’re not willing to pay for a website’s services, ask a friend to help you out with Photoshop – this editing program is ideal for combining different images and doing the same thing that Art Beamer does. If you’d like to get a glimpse of what these previews look like, check out these virtual ones from Paint Your Life:

Embrace Your Style

It’s okay if your taste seems quite eclectic or unusual. After all, this is your home! 🙂 If you simply feel  that an abstract painting is right for you, for example, then purchase it fearlessly. Don’t worry about being an art expert; when it comes to personal taste, every detail and emotion is valuable. Knowing this, listen to your gut and the right paintings will stand out to you immediately. Find what speaks to your heart and add it to your home. You won’t regret it.

Who Is the Artist?

Familiarizing yourself with the artist behind your favourite painting will allow you to value their art more. This is especially useful when it comes to abstract paintings. Interpreting themes independently might be your preferred way of doing things, but if you’re not confident in your art skills, then get to know the artist. If possible, ask for their e-mail. Let them know that you’re interested in purchasing their creation and ask them insightful questions. Artists love sharing their vision with others and answering meaningful questions, so don’t be afraid of inquiring. You’ll be rewarded with valuable information, a mind-opening story, or a fact that’ll make you fall in love with the painting even more. It’s bound to be an amazing experience, no matter what happens. (And who knows, you might even discover your inner painter during the process. 😉 )

Don’t Be Afraid of Failing

If you’re still afraid of regretting a purchase, especially if it’s a pricey one, there’s a great solution to this: fair payment plants. If you’ve chosen a particular painting, make sure the company selling it has a satisfactory payment plan. As an example, Paint Your Life offers abstract and custom paintings without asking for the full payment immediately. Their offer is 10% advance payment, which means that you have to pay a 10% deposit upfront – if you approve the painting, you’ll pay the rest of the money. That way, you’re guaranteed to stay safe as a buyer. It’s very important to be aware of payment plans; most companies with more expensive artworks do offer this, but always get in touch with a company if the information on their website is too vague.

As you go through all of these tips, you’ll find your favourite paintings along the way. Once you do, you’ll have an amazing creative companion for life, one that will motivate you, add more meaning to your life, and make your home even more stunning than it already is. Surround yourself with art that you love and your life will become even better.

Good luck!