Great article. This is still very relevant in 2018 and design has started to shift in this direction.
From Tara Mastroeni August 11, 2015:
Too often in interior design, we see wall art treated as an afterthought. It’s what gets dealt with last, long after the final coat of paint has dried on the walls and all of the furniture has been artfully arranged, if it gets dealt with at all.
But, we’re here to argue that by relegating wall art to the side lines, you’re missing out on an amazing design opportunity. When chosen thoughtfully, the right wall art can provide for the entire room. Dare we say it, but we think wall art matters most in interior design.
However, if you’re a little nervous to give wall art such a prominent role in your design plans, don’t worry. Use this post as a guide on how to accurately choose pieces that will mesh with your existing space and you will have a harmonious interior.
It Provides An Instant Color Palette
Choosing a color palette can be one of the most daunting facets of designing your interiors. The amount of varying shades of paint that are available at your local home improvement store can seem absolutely endless. It can be difficult to narrow down the possibilities into the colors that best fit your vision for the space.
Our best advice is to leave the paint chips behind and focus on searching for wall art instead. Once you find a painting or wall hanging that you absolutely love, you can use that piece as the inspiration for your your room’s eventual color palette.
Your first step is to pick out two or three shades from wall art that you’d like to incorporate into your decor. Choose the dominant color, as well as a few additional shades that you’d like to pull out as accents. Then, look for those colors in the items you use to decorate your space. If you need extra help, you can use an app like ColorSnap, which will let you match those colors to corresponding shades of paint.
It Creates A Focal Point
One of the the most basic principals of interior design is that every room needs a focal point, or a single design element that will instantly draw the eye into the space and give the viewer a sense of what to expect. It goes without saying that a great piece of wall art could easily fulfill this position.
Imagine your favorite artwork hanging above the mantle of a fireplace in your living space or standing proudly above the bed in your master suite. Alternatively, a creative gallery wall could easily spice up a more traditional dining area or a few hanging tapestries could as a cozy feel to a seating area.
When choosing a piece of wall art to be a focal point for your space, the most important consideration is size. An artwork that is too small will get dwarfed by the surrounding furniture and a piece that is too big will look as though it is spilling over. Make sure to take measurements of the wall space available, so you know how much room you have at your disposal.
Original article: