Did you know I was an interior designer before I returned to my love for fine art full-time? Art was one of my favourite elements in designing an interior. My first client briefing, whether commercial spaces or private residences, always included a "show me the art you live with and tell me why". The interior always came together for them because I was able to draw on those pieces of art for inspiration.

tips for art collecting

Personally, my number one question when I'm considering a piece of art is "can I live with this?" It is the easiest way to tell if a piece resonates with you. If it is a resounding "Yes!" buy it, if you're waffling - walk away. Sometimes the piece reverberates with you for a while then go back and get it!

Art is critical. What we surround ourselves with and what people see we surround ourselves with, project an image and invoke feelings - consider it.

You may be drawn to one medium of art like photography, paintings or sculpture or prefer to mix it up. You don't have to limit yourself to any one art form or style for that matter. My personal collection ranges from traditional paintings and prints to very abstract forms of sculpture - I love it all. I feel if you are drawn to a piece of art, then it should be in your space and it will automatically be at home and "work" within it. That being said, the next point of consideration is where and how to install it!

installation ideas

Locations Where you place a piece of art should be considered carefully. Is it a piece you want to be greeted with when you arrive, or motivate you on your way out? Is it suitable for a bedroom, bathroom, living room or hall? After you determine that then the installation is easy! Please, please, please don't hang it too high. If it is a space that you are primarily walking through place the centre of the art at average height eye level, if it is a space like the living room or dining room where you are primarily seated then place it at eye level when seated. Trust me you will enjoy the art so much more if you're not straining your neck to look at it.

Installation Consider unique ways to display the art whether by:

• the hanging apparatus - nail and picture hook versus chain versus easel;

• the actual wall space it is hanging on

- put a really small piece of art on a large expanse of wall - people will be drawn to the piece by sheer will to see what the detail is;

- put a large piece of art on a smaller wall so that their senses are completely enveloped by the art,

- can it be suspended from the ceiling ?

- display it on an easel!

Visual flow As you review your collection you may find some pieces have a lot more detail in them than others. Put visual rest spaces near the busier ones - that may be in the form of physical distance or it may be another piece of art that is much more simple in content. One of the things that will become apparent to you is that you are likely drawn to a similar palette of colour. It doesn't mean that all the pieces have the same overall colours but each likely pick up on colours one to another. In effect, you  create a ribbon of colour from area to area that makes viewing (and living with) the art a harmonious presentation. The harmony can come from content but more often than not if you have a mix of art forms, it is the colour piece of visual information that you will land on.

Those are a few of the tips I have for you at present - they are the most common questions when people want to put their collection up to enjoy the work.

Oh and if you can't handle it yourself, I'm available for hire — I love working on displaying collections!

#interiordesign #artcollections #displayingart