Just because you have taken a piece of art home with you, it doesn’t mean the creative journey has to stop.
Here at the Affordable Art Fair, while our modus operandi is to help you fall in love with a perfect painting, print or sculpture, we’re also all about the fun factor and doing things a little differently.
For anyone who’s been to one of our fairs — whether you’ve seen some entertainment at a charity private view, or had a go at one of our creative workshops — you’ll know we’re all about creative thinking. And just because you have completed your purchase and taken a piece of art home with you, it doesn’t mean the creative journey has to stop.
Thinking outside the box when you display your art is a fantastic way to merge a little bit of your personality into your décor. We have some great hacks if you space restrictions, like to regularly change the curation of your home, or are renting and don’t want to mark the walls. Read on for our top tips about how to display art creatively at home — and don’t forget to let us know how you get on with your creative hanging!
In recent years, using shelves to display artwork has become very popular. Rather than hang your artwork on the wall, you can create a display that’s super easy to assemble and can be instantly refreshed by simply swapping your artwork around. This display style isn’t just limited to your bedroom or living room: think kitchen shelves, bookshelves or even bathroom shelves (just make sure your work is safe under glass for the latter!). Mantelpieces are also a fun way to display your artwork, as it can be mixed up with other items on the mantle — such as home photographs or plants for an attractive vignette.
If shelves are in short supply in your home, think about installing a simple floating shelf or picture rail, where your prints, paintings and photos can live and mingle happily. A fun option for budding collectors who like to change up their displays as they build their collection.
Filling smaller spaces choc-a-bloc full of fantastic artwork is a really fun and unusual way to display your collection. We love the idea of adding a salon hang to a forgotten slither of vertical wall-space, curating a surprising, light-hearted hang. Mingle artworks in a tight-knit forgotten space, keeping frames close and inject some character into a random space — you’ll be amazed at how it breathes new life into your interior.
If you have unframed pieces that are waiting to be taken to the framers — time for a rethink! There are lots of fun, simple and creative ways to get your work up on the wall without a frame, which can be a brilliant contrast to existing framed works already in your home. Consider using binder or bull-dog clips, along with simple picture nails to hang paper works or prints — it’s a really versatile and eye-catching way to display your art. Similarly, installing a picture cable allows you to hang pieces of work up around your interior, meaning you don’t have to frame your work.
Sometimes finding alternative ways to display art can be as simple as placing pieces in usual parts of the home. With the trend for the gallery wall, or salon hang, being more popular than ever, hanging a statement gallery wall for one of the trickiest areas of the home, the staircase, can make a real impact.
Having a stunning collection to gaze upon as you ascend and descend the stairs throughout the day can be a real pick me up as you transition through different parts of the home.
Want to learn more about this style? Read our blog on how to create a staircase gallery wall.
A simple one but a goodie- we’ve been seeing more and more of our collectors opt to lean work up against the walls, resting on the floor. It’s important to note that this only works if
a) Your works are on the larger side and feel sturdy, meaning they won’t slip.
b) The area feels safe.
Don’t try this is you have children or dogs running wild but for those more serene spaces, leaning and layering a few pieces of work alongside a wall or in an unused fire place can prove effortlessly contemporary. Plus, it’s great for rented properties so you don’t mark your walls.
Finally, try mixing your artwork with other 3D objects for a intentionally mismatched and effortlessly bohemian style: think sculpture, ceramic plates, blocks of fabric, 2D items such as home photographs or vintage posters, even antlers or skulls.
Before doing this, it’s worth having a think about whether you want to create a really eclectic, unusual feel, or opt for something more classic. Will the items surrounding your artwork complement its subject matter or colour scheme? Either way, it’s a quirky, alternative way to incorporate artwork into your space alongside the sentimental keepsakes we all collect through our lives. Just make sure to map things out on the floor before you start hanging to make sure you have enough space and are happy with the layout.
And there you have it! Follow the fair’s ethos and don’t be afraid to try something fun and new. Injecting a little magic into the placement of your newly purchased artwork can really give it some added oomph; before you know it, you’ll be dying to add something new to your collection so you can try another weird and wonderful display technique!
So time to get creative! For tips on the technical side of hanging, read our blog on this very subject!
Main Image: Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong, 2021