There’s more to February than Valentine’s Day. It’s also the month for the lovers of the arts.
In 1991, former President Corazon Aquino proclaimed February as the National Arts Month to celebrate the country’s rich culture and the world-class Filipino talent. Several cultural-related programs will run throughout the country to showcase local talent with the National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCAA) at the helm.
If you’re the type who find so much joy and peace just by staring at art pieces, and if you have daydreamed of living in a Picasso-approved home, then maybe you can start by decorating with art. A condo showcasing artworks is a good way to celebrate National Arts Month. With it, it’s like you’re living in your own curated art gallery. But don’t limit yourself with expensive paintings or sculptures. There’s so much more to art than artworks on the wall. After all, art is an expression of freedom, so color outside the lines if you must.
There are a lot of ways to achieve a condo design that is artistic and tasteful, but at the same time showcases one’s personality and character.
It matters where you put it
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Knowing where to place an artwork so that it makes a huge impact is not as easy as, “for as long as it’s in the center, it’s fine.”
If you want to place a piece of art in your condo living room, don’t hang it too high. Linda Crisolo of Art.com says the center of the image that you want people to focus on should be at eye level. People usually sit so the artwork should be lower and a good benchmark is one hand width above the sofa.
For more personal art such as a family photograph or something that has so much meaning to you, it is better to place them in the bedroom. Should you put an art piece in the kitchen, hang it where it won’t get damaged by water, heat or splashes of cooking oil. And avoid kitchen art in a kitchen. Instead of a painting of a fruit basket, bright colors with stainless-steel frames would work in a modern condo kitchen.
Consider size and space
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In figuring out how to display art in your condo, don’t forget to consider the size of the artwork and the space available. If the pieces are too small and you place them in a very large space, the art pieces will be lost. If the pieces are too big and the space is small, it can look cramped. If you’re hanging art in between doors and windows where the space is usually limited, go for smaller pieces. If you’re hanging it on the vast space above your couch in the living room, allow room for people to admire the work.
Achieve visual balance
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When decorating with art, there’s the risk of overdoing things. You can get carried away with the many wonderful artworks you want to put in your condo. But never lose sight of balance so that everything looks and feels right.
Make art stand out by balancing the colors on your wall or furniture. Repetition of color or shape carries the balance all throughout the home. In terms of weight, put the heaviest piece in the middle if you intend to hang multiple items. This balances the arrangement because the eye starts from the left.
Art of repetition
Repetitive use of color, lines, and patterns creates continuity to a space. For example, a graphic of black and white would look perfect with black or white upholstery. You can echo some colors from the art piece and use the same for your furnishings to visually strengthen the art. For example, a green color from the artwork can be duplicated in your throw pillows. Lines and patterns may also be duplicated for continuity such as a lines in an artwork and lines in a carpet.
Grouping pieces of art
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Even when you choose to group multiple pieces, you must not lose a focal point. In displaying multiple pieces, hang them close to one another instead spreading them above a furniture such as a sofa. For beginners, it pays to start with odd numbers so you can easily identify the middle part. Start from the center then work your way to the sides. One helpful trick is to trace each piece on paper, cut it out, then tape them on the wall. This will save you from trial-and-error placing when hanging of each item.
Creating a gallery
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Putting up galleries and collages is an easy way to dress up blank walls. For the interior design for the condo living room, explore other pieces other than just framed art. You can use a mirror, china or a traditional hat. Just pick ones that balances the entire gallery in terms of color, size, and dimensions. The most prominent piece should be at eye level and in the center.
It’s okay to go casual
It’s easy to have the impression that “art” is formal. We see them in museums and galleries where the environment is always proper and somehow strict. But don’t be limited by that impression. You can hang clear and bright colors and even humorous artwork. You just have to figure out where it is most appropriate to mount them—along the stairs, in the bedroom, in the bathroom door, in the nursery or in the reading nook.
There’s place for the sentimental
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If you can’t deal with the fact that most wedding stuff, kiddie drawings, and other sentimental things just end up in a box, go ahead and transform them into a piece of art. All it takes are nice frames to display your kids’ art. Frame their drawings or hang them like they do in a studio. The colorful children’s art will look perfect in your kid’s bedroom or art corner.
For all other stuff you want to put out there for sentimental reasons, just get a nice frame and create your own personal gallery.
Match your style
Make sure that your art layout matches your overall decorating style. Crisolo said that symmetrical arrangements are generally traditional while asymmetrical ones are modern. If you want to go cottage-style, vintage images would be perfect; but for modern spaces, large and abstract pieces would be best.
If your style is soft and serene, choose an artwork that is muted and relaxed. For a contemporary taste, bright colored artwork or a painting that uses patterns would work very well.
Art is something that is extremely personal. Go with art pieces that make you feel or remember something great. Incorporate them in your condo so that every corner screams of your style and personality.