Become a trusted source to raise the concept of wall art from an accessory to an asset.
Featured artwork: Aegean and Aegean III, acrylic on canvas. Ships from Michigan.
Fine art in design matters. A lot. Designers know just how important art is to their project – how it elevates the other major assets like furniture, flooring and wall coverings. They know that adding wall art is a chance to tell parts of their client’s story and showcase their personality. From color, to scale, to texture, a carefully considered laying of original wall art and art objects elevates homes and office spaces.
Interior designers can absolutely elevate the art buying experience for their clients! It takes work but you do not have to become a professional at advisor to do it.
Okay, so YOU know that wall art matters, but how do you get your clients to understand that art is NOT an accessory? Start with confidence. It’s really important that when you’re working with your clients on the fine art portion of the project that you exude the same confidence you do when working with them on the design side of the project.
1. Educate yourself on the different art styles and local artists.
Start local. Get to know the artists in your community because a majority of your clients will want to support creatives in their own backyard.
And when you’re researching the artists, get to know the art they produce. That way, when you introduce your clients to the thought of wall art you’ll be armed with a plethora of information to both build interest and educate!
Interior designers can also educate their customers on the value of artwork, why certain pieces may be worth more than others, and how to properly care for their art so it remains in perfect condition for years to come.
A Morning Crush
20″H X 20″W X 1″D
Printed with pigment inks on museum quality, matte fine art paper
Ships from California
Rik, Your Ears Look Great
14″H × 14″W × .5″D
Giclee print on archival watercolor paper
Ships from New York
2. Go beyond paintings on walls – excite and innovate thru art!
We all love wall art, right? Of course we do – they’re easy to find and cover a large swath of blank wall, easily. In fact, paintings are the most purchased fine art category but when working with your clients, especially those with a contemporary bent, think about art being used to activate the space. What about using a handmade textile panel as a room divider? Need something fabulous between two sconces? If your client is adventurous what about discussing a digital art projection?
Imaginative art placement is something that art advisors do best. In fact, I pride myself on expanding the idea of what art can be and offer innovative ideas – bringing people out of their flat, “painting-first” mindset. Being this innovative may be too much for you at the start, and you may only need simple abstract or floral, and that’s fine. Innovation means different things to different people and it’s most important to understand your client’s threshold for expanded creativity.
I’m Close enough to Touch You
54″H × 23.5″W × 0.25″D
Digital image printed on crushed velour, thread, felt, hand sewn
Ships from Michigan
SN 045.28.11.9pm
15″H × 20″W × 14″D
Acrylic, ink, pencil, and spray-paint on canvas with acrylic yarn and enamel
Ships from New York
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3. Source artworks that coordinate directly with your designs.
Remember, the artwork has to fit both your design scope and your client’s aesthetics. When it comes to art, never assume that your client’s tastes will match the type of product you installed in their space.
Just because you reinvented their living room into a modern haven doesn’t mean they prefer modern wall art and if they don’t, that’s fine. There are many different art styles that will coordinate with the other major assets in the room. Show them samples of art style you feel would work and let them choose.
I had a client who’s residential client threw them a curve ball when they asked for botanical illustrations when they were SURE that abstract wall art was on the agenda. But after we found the right wall art, the designer was pleasantly surprised with how well it rounded out their more contemporary designs.
You know how important wall art and objects are to uplifting your design projects. Don’t rely on stale, overused local options or mass produced prints without personality or human connections.
With hard work and (fun & beautiful) research, interior designers can become knowledgeable on a variety of art styles crafted by local artists and, in turn educate their clients on not only the IMPORTANCE of art to their design projects but also increase the excitement and engagement to art and objects.
Need help sourcing the right artwork for your residential and commercial projects? Contact Embrace Creatives for our trustworthy, reliable and thoughtful art advising services!
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This article was written by Andrea Bogart, founder and lead art advisor of Embrace Creatives.
For help finding the right artwork for your home or office, reach out to Andrea here. Interior professionals can request white glove, art consulting or custom pieces, easily.