Titans of Style
Decorating with Oversized Art
Art is one of those things that is deeply personal. It has the power to evoke feelings and transport you to places near and far. When it comes to art, size is something you should never shy away from. No matter the size of your home, there is always a place where large artworks can make your space.
Making a Statement: Decorating with Oversized Wall Art
The Blank Canvas Conundrum
So you’ve finally scored that dream piece – a monumentally scaled work of art that utterly captivates imagination. A true show-stopping tour de force destined to transform any room it graces. But that aspirational blank wall you’ve saved for something special suddenly feels smaller than envisioned with art of such proportions in hand. Fear sets in…will incorporating something so generously sized simply overwhelm my space?
The answer lies not in shrinking ambitions, but rather thoughtful integration. When dealing with plus-sized art, focus fixes firmly on considered positioning and strategic scaling. Surprisingly, expansive pieces feel more cohesive than dominating in rooms intentionally tailored to their titanic persona.
Through careful editing and accessorizing, dramatically oversized artwork melds seamlessly into surroundings, becoming the consummate focal point. Neutrally-hued furniture coverings keep grounds calm, allowing vibrant colors and textures inherent in the art itself to shine. Complexity builds through layering complementary components like textiles, throws and art objects linked by palette or pattern – orbiting the superstar showpiece without competing.
That bare wall is begging for something bold and dramatic – a piece of art expansive enough to captivate a room. When working with plus-sized art, you have the power to utterly transform your space. But incorporating monumental works requires careful planning and placement. Follow these tips for showcasing your treasured titan canvases and prints.
Choose the Focal Point
Blank walls make the best canvases for dramatically large art. Whether it’s an empty expanse over the sofa, a void above the sideboard, or vast vestibule begging for personality – oversized art brings these wasted opportunities to life.
Before mounting massive art, envision how guests will experience the room. Work backwards from the ideal viewing angle to determine placement. For frequently used spaces like living rooms, center the piece on the primary seating area at eye-level. This allows the art to become an interactive part of conversations and activities.
For drama, play with unexpected locations like stairwells or foyers. Positioning the art where it surprises captures attention and delights.
Set the Mood
Giant art sets the tone for an entire space. Lean into bold colors and textures within the piece to inform the room’s mood. If it exudes playfulness, carry whimsy through with accessories. For serious, emotive works, keep the décor refined.
Layer complementary palette and pattern elements to enrich the intended vibe without competing. Whether you want your dramatically large art to establish gravitas or levity, let it guide the room’s personality.
Mind the Surrounds
Once placement is decided, edit surrounding furniture, accessories, and décor with a critical eye. Ask: does this contribute to or detract from the Big Statement Piece? Retain only what underscores the art’s prominence.
Pare environments down to their most essential bones before styling up again while giving the feature artwork breathing room. Fill space thoughtfully, allowing substantial white/negative space around the piece so it stays the spotlighted star.
Choose neutral couch or furniture coverings like solid linen, nubby cotton, or cozy chenille to keep grounds calm. Accessorize later based on the art’s cue with artful objects, layered rugs, pillows and throws.
Play with Scale
People often shy away from oversized art, fearing it will overpower. But nothing could be further from the truth. Generous art balanced by clean lines and plenty of open space feels cohesive instead of overwhelming.
Clever tricks like repeating shapes, colors and textures throughout a thoughtfully curated space keeps eyes moving fluidly over details. This guides attention naturally back to the focal epic art.
Hang supplemental pieces in similar hues or themes near showstoppers. Clustered gallery walls mixing minute and mid-sized art orbiting around your much-larger moon reimbues rooms with gained character.
Consider the Mechanics
Once design decisions are set, consider practical installation. Very large pieces require specialized hardware and reinforcement to hang soundly. Use wide-set sawtooth hangers, reinforced cleats, or D-ring fasteners designed for heavyweight works.
Utilize piano wire, braided picture hanging cable or steel aircraft cables with screw-eye hooks rated for substantial weight. Before hanging, determine if additional wall support like blocking is required.
For supersized canvases, acrylic glazing reduces overall weight while protecting the art just as well as glass. Its lightweight, shatterproof durability makes handling, cleaning and potential bumps less stressful. Discreet braces on the verso provide added support, preventing potential sagging over time.
Play with Shape
While the rectangular canvas remains the norm, don’t shy away from unconventional silhouettes. Circular, oval, even cloud-like freeform shapes bring fresh whimsy to walls. These fluid forms work especially well juxtaposed against orderly architecture.
Let oddly-contoured pieces inform layouts. Slice round art into sections to frame a window or niche. Float circles over a console anchoring its edges to the wall. Build round groupings mixing same-sized orbital works into celestial installations.
Make small rooms feel grander by spanning wall to wall with an elongated panoramic piece. Cinematic scale landscapes immerse viewers with layered depth perspective.
Guide the Eye
Once your XL artwork makes its commanding statement, consider supplementary techniques leading the eye back to the focal epicenter.
In open concept spaces, paint a bold stripe in a complementary tone from the art circumscribing the room. These circular bands intuitively funnel focus back.
Alternatively, run decorative wall trim or crown architectural molding in a matching hue. Contrasting frames also recalibrate attention.
Sconces or adjustable illumination painting pictures with focused light introduces alluring interplay between light and shadow. Sculptural furnishings underneath like a statement table also serve as quintessential accent lighting.
The world may never have enough grand, gorgeous art. For art lovers ready to make a seriously stunning statement – dream big! Thoughtful incorporation of plus-sized pieces personalizes spaces with peerless panache.
Follow fundamental guidelines regarding appropriate proportions, supplements and light sources suited to underscore such statement works and suddenly that once intimidating monumental art piece feels correctly at home in any space. The trick lies not in avoiding the scale, but rather embracing it through smart, simplistic design decisions.