Now that you have moved into your new Carlisle home, arranged your favourite furniture pieces and added some special new items to create your new designer style, you’ve probably noticed all those walls are looking pretty bare! So, rush out and buy some bright and cheerful canvas prints from the local junk shop, anything to fill those walls, right? WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
Choosing artwork is more about expressing your individual style and personality than it is about breaking up the monotony of a Dulux Chalk USA wall! A pristine bare wall (without a mass of picture hook holes) may actually be a better option than the wrong piece of artwork!
Danielle Taylor, Interior Design Manager at Carlisle shares her top tips to deck your home out with the right pieces to bring together your signature style!
1. Start your art shopping list
Take a tour of your new home and choose the walls you feel would be enhanced with the addition of artwork, noting that this doesn’t have to be every bare wall, it’s all about quality not quantity! Take photos of the room, ensuring the wall is featured, and note the dimensions. Now, carry those details around with you everywhere, you just never know when the right piece of artwork will present itself!
Matisse at Selandra Rise, Clyde North
2. Size matters
The scale of your new artwork can really make or break the effect of the piece. Choosing a big, bold piece that although stunning, can totally take over the room and make the space crowded. While a dainty miniature can get lost on a large wall. Make a choice that suits the room, enhances the style and creates the right ambiance. A clever idea for impact is the use of box frames, check out the Bridgeport at Warralily, Geelong.
3. Colour or monotone
A favourite piece of art can be a great way to start the theme in a room. The Day Spa inspired Nevada at The Avenue at Casey, Cranbourne has a neutral canvas, however, pops of colour in blues, bright greens and aquas with simple framed prints, really pack a punch in this children’s room.
4. Love at first sight
With your art shopping list in your pocket you are armed to seize the opportunity when you stumble across the perfect piece. You will know it when you see it, if you love it straight away, then it is meant to be hung on your walls!
5. Originals on a budget
Buying an original piece of art doesn’t always have to cost a fortune. Keep an eye on social media such as Instagram and Pinterest and also sites like Etsy.com for some amazing pieces from upcoming or undiscovered artists. It is a great way to start an artwork theme in your home by buying affordable originals from the same artist.
6. More than just paint
Artwork doesn’t have to mean a watercolour or acrylic masterpiece, think photography, illustrations, and vintage-style posters or maps. Artwork including different uses of texture can also add some interest to a room, create a focal point with depth like the feature piece in the Indiana at Somerfield Estate, Keysborough.
Contemporary designer scrolls from Ikea are a striking feature in the Matisse at Selandra Rise, Clyde North.
Metal sculpture pieces add a definite three dimensional feel in the Vaucluse at Somerfield Estate, Keysborough.
Fun letter profiles create a great effect as artwork in the Indiana at Featherbrook Estate, Point Cook.
7. Get crafty
Kids’ rooms and nurseries are the perfect rooms to ‘get your craft on’. Simple silhouettes cut out of patterned paper in classic white frames are a fun way to add a homemade touch.
Riva at Berwick Waters Estate, Clyde North
We love these dreamy birds inflight adorning the walls in the form of wallpaper in this pretty girl’s room at the Vaucluse at the Somerfield Estate, Keysborough. Little white birds are (double side) taped to the paper to add an interesting three dimensional look and replacing the need for framed artwork. Start small such as homemade bunting or experimenting with framed photos or images. It is worth checking out shopping sites like etsy.com for some original wall decal ideas to add to the quirky feel.
8. Think multiples
Pairing artwork or creating a trilogy series is a clever and effective way to fill a large expanse of wall. Choose to create a story through a collection of similar pieces by the same artist or simply buy two of the same pieces for a striking effect. Check out the Canterbury at the Somerfield Estate, Keysborough and the Matisse at Selandra Rise, Clyde North to see this idea in place.
9. Functional art
More than just nice to look at, using clocks as artwork features is a great way to pass the ‘time’…
We love the clocks in the Indiana and Vaucluse at Somerfield Estate, Keysborough, and the Matisse at Selandra Rise Clyde North.
10. Wallpaper as art
Remove the stress of trying to source the perfect piece of artwork by choosing to style with wallpaper instead. Still creating a designer impact, the amazing wallpapers available can give your room a unique personality and are perfect for bedrooms.
Vaucluse and Canterbury at Somerfield Estate Keysborough
Choosing artwork really is an individual and very personal choice. You really need to love the pieces you purchase because you will be seeing it every day! The right piece will create a new dimension to your room, express your own creativity and provide a great talking point for your guests!
View all of the Carlisle Homes design themes via our extensive image galleries and virtual tours and plan your display home tour of our stunning homes. Register for our next Spectra Sneak Peak Evening and meet our interior designers to start your new home journey.
For a behind the scenes experience and to get the scoop direct from the design team, be sure to follow us on Instagram, @Carlislehomes.
