Making a small apartment look bigger is one of the main problems that urban dwellers face. With so many people now living in studios and apartments, I really love to consider art as a way to maximize the available space and make home feel like a sanctuary. By taking advantage of every inch of available space, including your walls, you can create a really beautiful interior space reflecting your style and personality, while at once creating the illusion of a larger space.
Make a statement
Think of art as the punctuation marks of your interior. Try juxtaposing minimalistic furniture with a dramatic work. In statement pieces, colours are bold, vibrant, and powerful. Choosing art that takes centrestage is a great way to divide and frame your apartment into separate areas. Consider incorporating a painting to add texture in addition to bold colours. Artists like Anna Valdez, Annelie Vandendael, and Jonni Cheatwood create large, vibrant works that achieve this effect.
Anna Valdez Pink Studio Painting
Scale up the framing
Exaggerate the size of small photographs and prints by placing them in thin frames with large borders. This also prevents wall art from looking cluttered, especially in a small setting. Try hanging one or two large pieces front and center to give more depth to your wall. I use small, original works crafted on paper and exaggerated their size by floating them in larger frames.
Play with proportion
Try exaggerating the size of your wall by incorporating a few smaller pieces with or without borders. This creates a clean, understated look. Following this mindset, the less artwork you hang, the more important each piece becomes.
Go neutral
Using a neutral color palette will help your space feel lighter and brighter, as well as incorporating easily with many decor schemes.
Think vertical instead of horizontal
Stacking artwork vertically can lengthen the height of a wall. This is a great tricky if you are working with lower ceilings.
Play with location
Regardless of the size of your home, you can add layers of character by placing works in the room’s most unassuming spots. Small works can be stacked on a wall. A bold piece can stand alone on your bathroom door. Incorporate small pieces onto your bookshelf. Katy Krantz’s ceramics and Ali Beletic’s paintings are perfect for this.
From: ELLE UK
