How to: Collect art to make your house a home – with Julie Bloom
Founder of JMB STUDIO and Affordable Art Fair interior design consultant, Julie Bloom, sat down with us ahead of Affordable Art Fair Sydney to share her expert advice on collecting and styling art to create a home that feels truly personal.
Affordable Art Fair
Thursday 2 October, 2025
Start with what you love
When it comes to collecting, Julie’s golden rule is simple: buy what you love.
“Each piece needs to be something that you will be happy to look at each day”.
Original art has a timeless quality that will outlast passing fads and gradually weave the story of your life into your interiors. Affordable Art Fair Sydney is the perfect place to begin (or grow) that journey, with thousands of works from over 500 artists under one roof. At this year’s Sydney edition, you’ll find 65+ galleries showcasing an incredible variety of mediums, palettes, and styles.
Be open to surprises
You might walk into the fair with a colour palette or wall in mind – but sometimes the piece that takes your breath away will break all your rules. Julie warns against buying art just to ‘fill a space’.
“Taking the time to build a collection of works that resonate with you adds personality and joy to your home.”
Styling, placement, and framing can often transform a surprising choice into a perfect fit.
Think beyond the living room
Art isn’t just for the obvious walls. Kitchens, laundries, even pantries can be lifted with unexpected pops of creativity.
Julie, for instance, has an ‘alla prima’ landscape by James Lyle (Sarah Birtles Art + Advice) perched against the backsplash of her laundry – giving a daily dose of colour in an everyday space.
Not all art needs to be hung on the wall (especially if you are a renter) – lean smaller works on shelves or atop sideboards. Art doesn’t always need a nail to make a statement.
Match the mood to the room
Each room in your home serves a different purpose – art can enhance these moods.
“My daughter’s bedroom is designed to spark imagination, while the dining room is all about entertainment.”
A bold abstract can inject energy into a dining space, while softer palettes may bring calm to bedrooms. Julie added this statement Gelbell work from Gallery Alchemy as a statement piece at the end of her table. Its large scale seemed imposing on the fair walls, but perfect to anchor her dining room.
Framing can transform the impact of your art
Frames do more than protect art; they shape how you experience it.
A sleek black frame can make a vintage print feel edgy, while a traditional timber can soften a contemporary piece. Mixing frame styles creates eclectic charm, while consistent framing lends cohesion.
At Affordable Art Fair Sydney, many galleries offer advice on frames that suit both the work and your interiors – so don’t be afraid to ask.
Refresh by rehanging
Living with the same arrangement for too long can make art fade into the background. Rehanging your collection is the quickest refresh. Move a painting from the study into the bedroom, swap a hallway piece into the kitchen, or lower a work to shelf height for a completely new perspective.
A visit to the fair can inspire new display ideas, with galleries showing inventive ways to hang, lean, or group works.
“A fresh hang allows your art to tell a new story in your home and keeps your interiors feeling alive and ever-evolving. I love playing around with how paintings may sit next to one another or shift the mood of a room.”
Collect slowly, collect meaningfully
The best collections take time. Each artwork marks a moment – where you were, what inspired you, or who you shared it with.
At Affordable Art Fair Sydney, you’ll find opportunities to start small or to invest in established names, knowing your collection will grow with you over years.
“The beauty of collecting is that there is no end point; your home becomes a living, breathing reflection of your journey.”
Ready to put all this advice into practice? Book tickets for Affordable Art Fair Sydney and join us this 6 – 9 November 2025. Big thanks to Julie Bloom from JMB STUDIO for all her expert insight.
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