Often, interior designers and those who are redecorating themselves will create a room, almost to the point of ‘finished’ – and then they’ll look for some art that matches. I, and many others, would argue that that’s the wrong way around. Art is the most important part of a room, so it should come first. Here’s just a handful of reasons why.
IT PROVIDES AN INSTANT COLOUR PALETTE.
Go out and fall in love with a piece of art. Then, use it as inspiration for a room. The colours from it will provide the perfect shades for accents in the room, or even inform a feature wall against which you can hang said artwork.
Designing a room around a piece of art can completely change your mind about what you thought you wanted, in the best way possible.
IT CREATES A FOCAL POINT
Probably the most important principle of interior design is to make sure every room has a focal point. Art is the easiest, and arguably best, way of doing this.
It creates a central point to the room, as well as providing a talking point.
IT SETS THE RIGHT TONE
Making sure you have the eventual purpose of the room you’re decorating in mind means you can pick art that’ll strike the right note.
Certain colour waves will create certain moods. Yellow and warm colours set a welcoming tone, so it’s good for a space such as a living room. Calming blues and greens could work to settle a highly charged environment, such as a busy office. Red or orange could work for a dining room, to encourage lively conversation.
IT BRINGS DEPTH AND DIMENSION TO A ROOM
Despite the introduction of furniture, rooms without artwork can often seem flat and lack excitement. Artwork, whether that’s a painting, or something more literally 3D like sculpture, will remedy that immediately. It’ll add an extra layer to any interior design that just can’t be created any other way.
AS WELL AS BEING A STARTING POINT, IT’S THE FINISHING TOUCH
It might be the best place to start your interior design, but it’s also the sign of a finished and completed room. Bare walls or completely neutral rooms are so often indicative of a design that just hasn’t been properly considered.
It’s worth remembering, however, that artwork isn’t restrained to paintings hung on walls. Consider sculpture, and even less traditional art forms. I’m working with Designer Rugs to create my ‘Lara Scolari Collection’, where my artworks are being translated onto carpets. There are even collections by designers where their work features on soft furnishings. Artwork can really fit into any room – even if you don’t have wall space – and it’s well worth doing.
