A coat of paint, generic wallpaper, assorted Crate and Barrel furniture and a maybe a throw rug. This is the picture that often comes to mind when we think of “interior design.” But what happens once the paint has dried, and the space is fully furnished? What options remain for personal touch and subtle design technique that ensure a space feels uniquely yours? A place you are proud to call home.

Wall art is an often overlooked but pivotal component of interior design that can not only make a home or office space elegant and sophisticated but provide a finishing touch in a way that few other items can accomplish. You don’t need a professional interior designer to make your space feel carefully curated to your specific taste and style.

Choosing your own art can be one of the most fulfilling aspects of home decorating because it gives you the chance to rejuvenate the style of your home or create an entirely new one. From contemporary to abstract art, the perfect selection of photographic wall art can completely redefine your space and bring it together in several crucial ways.

Creating a Focal Point

One of the most important principles of interior design is that every room should have a focal point. The focal point is a single design element that draws the eye to a predetermined place in the room. This not only draws the viewer’s attention but gives the space a center of gravity around which the other design elements of the room should orbit.

This can be difficult to accomplish through furniture and other design elements. Unlike a side table, lamp or wall sconce, a beautifully framed, or contemporary frameless fine art print commands the attention of everyone who enters the room. Large art pieces are often displayed proudly above the fireplace or the master bed as these locations are often the most prominent in a room even before artwork is placed.

The key to a focal point is making a statement. The artwork you choose can help set the mood of the room and serve as the design element upon which you center the rest of your decor. Simply ensure that your piece fits the size of your space and ties into the rest of your room’s design. Or, if you have the flexibility, you can design your room from scratch to match the design of the artwork. The right focal point completely ties a room together, offering the building blocks of design through the rest of your home.

Color, Texture, and Tone

But how exactly can wall art tie a room together? Exquisite wall art offers the opportunity for dynamic contrasts or complementary colors, visual elements that create fluidity and direction as well as much needed texture through selection of the right piece and/or choice of external framing. Incredible nature photography checks the box for each of these goals and can dramatically change an environment with a pop of color added to a dull space or by bringing life to walls that would otherwise be flat and blank.

Not only can you experiment with mixed media artwork or sculptures that bring depth to a room, large format nature photography can also provide texture depending on the subject matter. How do the mysterious branches of a tree or the shadows in the rise and fall of a landscape bring dynamic drama to your space? An empty wall is suddenly a window to another world with the right piece of art hanging on it.

The color and texture of your space determine the overall tone of the room -- in other words, how the room feels. Dark colors and rough textures might make a room feel more intimate, while cool tones and smooth textures might add an air of elegance or modernism to the space.

Additionally, you have the freedom to choose a piece (or pieces) that tie together your existing design elements or design the rest of the room based on the art you select. A subtle piece of art can emphasize the undertones of color in your furniture. A statement piece might provide a stark contrast to other colors in your design. A creative gallery wall might add some drama to an otherwise traditional room.

The choice is yours. That’s the benefit of beautiful wall art -- it gives you the flexibility to design a unique look and feel for any room, completely catered to your taste.

Defining You and Your Style

The art we choose speaks for us. What do we value? What do we admire? What do we find beautiful or thought provoking? Art is intimate; it gives the viewer a brief glimpse into the mind of both the artist and the owner. It doesn’t take a master designer to choose a great piece of artwork. Simply select a piece that speaks to you and matches the style you are trying to evoke within your space. No other person has your exact taste, so whatever you choose will give your space a unique quality that invites your guests to get to know you on a more intimate level through the artwork you choose to display.

The more unique the piece, the more interesting the story it tells. Incorporating limited edition art prints into your interior design can not only help you demonstrate your style but can tell a story of who you are through the art you seek out. Art is storytelling. You get to decide what story you tell through your space.

Enriching Your Life

Not only does wall art play an important role in functional and stylish interior design, it has been scientifically proven that art benefits our health and happiness. A beautifully styled room can provide much needed feelings of peace and relaxation at the end of a hard day. Combined with functional and comfortable furniture, any room can provide effortless beauty, style, and relaxation. Interior design is an important part of how we feel and connect with the space we are in.

A poorly designed space can leave us feeling discouraged, disappointed, or restless. Similarly, a well-designed space can uplift us in ways little else can accomplish. When you add art to your interior design, you elevate your space even further. Even just having art in your home can improve your quality of life. Studies show that viewing art gives the same pleasure as being in love. All forms of art are personal and emotional experiences, both for the artist and the viewer. By placing art in your home, you are enriching not only the space, but your overall quality of life.

How to Choose Your Wall Art

So, how do you go about choosing the perfect piece? There are several key factors you will want to keep in mind when seeking out wall art that defines and rejuvenates your interior design.

Available Space

One of the most important considerations is size. An artwork that is too small will be dwarfed by the surrounding furniture, while a piece that is too big might overshadow the rest of the room or appear comically large for the space. Take careful measurements of the wall space you have available so that you know how much room you have to work with when considering fine art for sale.

If you have the space available, don’t shy away from large artwork! Filling an entire wall with a piece of art might be the perfect way to fill an empty space and it is sure to make a powerful statement in any room.

You want the artwork you choose to perfectly fit the space so that it does not create an unwanted effect of overwhelming the area or appearing as an odd afterthought. The right sized piece will appear to be made perfectly for your wall, as though it was created to hang there. Often times, reaching out to the artist themselves for guidance can prove to be a very rewarding experience.

Existing Decor

While you can absolutely design your space around a distinct piece of art, it’s more likely that you are trying to add wall art to an existing space. Therefore, it’s important to keep in mind the colors, patterns, textures, and furniture pieces that already exist in the room you’re adding to. Wall art will add the finishing touch to your fully designed room.

The key is to pick a piece of art or wall hanging that will fit in with the decorating style that you’ve already chosen for the room. This can include matching colors or ensuring you choose a piece that fits the tone or feel of the room. You wouldn’t put a modern piece of art in a room that’s designed to be rustic and vice versa. The piece should feel like it seamlessly blends into the style of the room and ties the whole design together.

Personal Taste

Obviously, your own taste is going to play an important role in selecting the right piece for your home or office. You are the one who is going to have to look at the art day after day, so it’s important that you enjoy it!

While it can be fun to branch out and buy something that is unusual or different for you, it’s also important to recognize that you are making an investment and should get your money’s worth in enjoyment of the piece you select.

The Right Art for You

Above all, the piece you choose should feel right. Art is so intensely personal to both viewer and artist, that you will know when you have found the right piece. It will effortlessly fit into your home and your life as though it has always been there. If you're looking to bring the outside in and add a note of luxury to your space, artist Aaron Reed creates fine art nature photography that can bring beauty and rejuvenation to any home. To learn more, visit his online gallery or make an inquiry.