Maintaining a home

Easy ways to incorporate art into your home – Ep 6

01 August 2019

Channel Nine’s The Block judge and Suncorp ambassador Shaynna Blaze presents a series of tips and tricks that can help you save money and add value to your home.

You may not think that you’ve got an eye for art, but you’d be surprised at how easy it is to brighten up your home with great displays of artwork. And you can do it without spending big!

Episode 6

Many of us will say we don’t have an artistic bone in our bodies. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have great art displays in your home and it doesn’t have to be expensive art.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

A mirror can become art by reflecting what’s opposite but with the added bonus of reflecting light to give the illusion of space.

Don’t always think of art in the traditional form of paintings. Your memories can become art too. Frame your memories such as photos, event programs, tickets, with quality frames.

You can source your art from unexpected places. You don’t have to go to a high-end gallery. You can find pieces from markets, online, and when you travel.

Group your art together in surprising combinations to give a gallery feel to the home.

For a more formal look, have all the frames the same size and colour. Or, for a more casual look, have random shapes and two to three different coloured frames.

Great art displays can really change the look of your home, but little touches can make a big difference too.

Watch on to find out about low-cost upgrades to fixtures and fittings.

Incorporating art into your home

Reflect on your space

If you’ve got some free space on your wall, a simple mirror can become art just be reflecting what’s opposite, whether that’s plants, other artwork, or a window into the outdoors. It can also make the space feel brighter by reflecting light, and create the illusion of extra space to make a smaller room feel a little more spacious.

Think outside the frame

When you think about adding art to your home, don’t just look at the “traditional” option of paintings. You could find a nice frame for your memories – photos, event programs, tickets, wedding invitations – and give them the prominent placing they deserve.

You can also find great art in unexpected places, such as markets, op shops and online. You don’t have to visit a high-end gallery (of course, you can if you want to – great art can come from anywhere!).

TIP: Take a look at your spending to get an idea of your artwork budget. A tool such as an online budget calculator can give you a quick overview of your income and expenses, and show you what’s left each fortnight or month.

The concept of bucketing can offer a great way to budget better.

Calculator - Online Budget Planner

Create a home gallery

Choosing the artwork is just part of the process; you also have to think about how you’ll present it. Don’t think that everything has to be symmetrical or matching. If you group your art in surprising combinations, you can give a gallery feel to your room. If you want a more formal feel, you should choose frames that are a consistent size and colour. However, if you want a more casual look, choose frames of two or three different colours, and in a variety of shapes. Have some fun with it! If you don’t like the result, or you grow tired of it, you can always try something different later.

Saving up for a special piece of art

If you’ve got your heart set on a serious piece of art, then a few months of saving up won’t be too difficult. With the right savings account and a bit of planning, you could have that picture hanging on your wall sooner than you think!

Explore savings account options

Next: Low cost upgrades to fixtures and fittings – Ep 7

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