Do you love the art in your home? Are you searching for new pieces to add to your collection? Not sure what types of pieces match or accentuate your home’s style? Or maybe you’re new to the art world and aren’t even sure where to start.

We’ll answer these questions and hopefully inspire you to discover new art that you love and are proud to display in your home.

The Benefits of Art

When it comes to decorating their homes, many people overlook the importance of artwork or choose pieces that they don’t love, simply to fill empty space. Those are mistakes!

Displaying the right artwork in your home has many benefits:

• Art can make your space look and feel larger. Use different-sized pieces of art to highlight and accentuate your home’s best features.
• Art can make you feel better. A beautifully designed home, including well-chosen pieces of art can make you feel less stressed. You’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll enjoy your home more.
• Art builds community. By purchasing pieces you love from local or emerging artists, you’re supporting your community and helping talented artists earn the living they deserve.
• Art serves as a focal point for your home’s style. Your favorite pieces shouldn’t fade into the background. Instead they can serve as a focal point to build the rest of your home’s style around.
• Art reflects you, your values, your loves, and makes your space your own. By selecting pieces of art that you truly love and want to look at, your space will become a reflection of you, your style, and your aesthetic.

Choosing New Art for Your Home

The key to filling a home with art that you love is simple: Don’t rush.

Enjoy the process of searching for pieces of art that you love. The more time and care you put into choosing a new piece of art for your home, the more joy that piece will bring you. But before you buy anything, here’s something to try:

Move your art around.

Often, you may see a piece in a whole new light (no pun intended) just by moving it to a new room. Some pieces look their best in bright light, while others work better in more subdued surroundings. So experiment! By giving the art you have a chance to breathe new life into your space, you’ll learn more about the style and type of art you love.

Where to Find New Art?

Finding new art doesn’t have to be a chore or break the bank. There are many great places to look for artwork that you’ll love.

Your Travels

Your travels are one of the best resources for art. Keep an eye out for locally-made pieces of art and of course, take a lot of photos. When you custom frame your travel photographs and display treasured souvenirs from your experiences, you bring to life great memories. There are plenty of online resources that make it super easy to custom print and frame your digital photos. Livestock Framing is a website that offers a simple way to have your digital photos professionally framed. PopSugar has some great creative ideas on how to organize your travel mementos with style and elevate your souvenirs into art.

Local Colleges & Universities

If you’re looking for a truly unique piece on a budget, local art schools and universities can be a great resource. Many students would love the opportunity to create a piece for their portfolio and earn money for their work! If you live in the Portland area, visit the Pacific Northwest College of Art student galleries to see if any artists inspire you. You’ll see a variety of styles and mediums by up-and-coming and very talented artists.

Art Galleries

Visit your local art galleries. The more galleries you visit, the more you’ll begin to recognize styles and pieces that speak to you. Don’t feel pressured to buy right away. As you see pieces you like, look at the materials and style (ask the gallery curators for help) and then search out similar artists. There are also many online art galleries that can expose you to a wide array of art from the comfort or your own home. Some of my favorite online resources for finding original art include:

Saatchi Art: Offers a free advisory service to help you find the perfect works.
Captured52: Features framed, original large format photography from emerging photographers. One image is unveiled each week.
Ugallery: Lets you search for art by medium, style or subject.
Etsy: A great option for finding affordable, original art for the kid’s rooms or for your home’s statement piece.

Vintage Stores and Consignment Shops

Depending on the style of your home and your personal preferences, you might be able to find some great pieces of art and some great bargains by searching vintage shops, consignment stores, and other secondhand art dealers. Updating an old frame can do wonders to a painting or a vintage photograph. If you’re on a tight budget, Apartment Therapy has ideas to take thrift store art to the next level.

My Biggest Tip for Choosing New Art

Don’t stress.

Art should be fun and something you love. Don’t worry about choosing the “right” pieces — just look for art that strikes you and makes you happy in your home. Don’t feel like you have to search out hot artists, the latest trend, or pieces that cost a fortune. Simply look for pieces you love and pieces that you want to have in your home.

Art that’s chosen with care, love, and thought will always look great.

Author Bio: Erin Davis is lead designer and co-owner of Mosaik Design & Remodeling in Portland, Oregon.