We moved into our house 5 years ago and I still have empty walls awaiting the perfect artwork (anyone feel me on that?). Committing to art can be tough – I don’t want to buy pieces from big box stores that lack authenticity, but I have a hard time springing for the artist originals that I usually fall head-over-heels for.
Enter: Minted.
Minted is a great resource for curated artist originals that have been duplicated through high-quality printing, giving you the one of a kind nature of an artist original without the big investment up front. I’ve used Minted for a few client projects in the past as well as smaller pieces for my own home & have always been happy with the print quality and framing options – so I was thrilled to be a part of their latest campaign showcasing framed artwork!
First, let’s talk about choosing artwork. I think art should invoke a feeling, remind us of a memory or inspire us in one way or another. My own home is filled with framed pictures of my family, kids, framed items we found at our last farmhouse, abstract acrylic pieces and vintage artwork I’ve picked up over the years. All of the art in our home inspires me in one way or another and I will be happy to carry them with me from home to home. Choose what you’re drawn to – resist going with what is “in” at the moment or the latest art to drop on Target shelves. Art is so special and can really tell a story about yourself and your home, bringing you joy everyday.
Next up: Choosing the right frame. I believe choosing the correct framing option for your artwork is as important as the artwork itself, especially when buying duplicated originals. You want the piece to look as close to the original and authentic as possible. I always as myself, “what materials was this piece originally created with? Canvas? Charcoal? Acrylics? Watercolors?” and follow the direction of the original artwork when choosing my framing and mounting options.
In our bedroom, I chose this beach print that I was immediately drawn to. The beach is one of my favorite places on earth. I love the hazy sky blending into the sea and how the faint silhouette of people in and out of the water brings a feeling of movement and life to the piece.
I always like an oversized landscape piece that allows you to be drawn into the location where the photo was taken. When framing this artwork I knew it would hang opposite the windows in our room, so I went with a canvas print to avoid glare, and framed it out in this beautiful Ash Wood Frame that brings just enough warmth to the cool tone of the artwork.
In the dining room I hung this beautiful charcoal sketch artwork over our little vintage secretary. I am typically drawn to a sketch – whether it be landscape, form or portraits; I love how they feel abstract yet can convey the most intimate details.
I chose the Classic Black Frame to compliment the charcoal in the artwork and had it float mounted, which is probably my favorite way to frame a piece of artwork. Float mounting allows all edges of the artwork to be shown and is highlighted by standing off of the mat to create a floating effect.
I think float mounting this piece makes the artwork feel so special – as though the sketch was originally done on this exact piece of paper.
One of my favorite places to showcase artwork is layered in our bookshelves. I love pairing different pieces together, layering found pottery, books and other meaningful objects with the artwork to create depth and personality. You can see here that I have most of my favorite art forms layered together: abstract, acrylic, sketch and vintage.
This abstract botanical print felt like a fresh addition to my collected antique pieces, so I chose the White Wood Frame to keep the streamlined juxtaposition I was going for.
I also layered in this tiny canvas that I just love. Tiny canvas originals from artists are some of my favorite pieces – there’s something about a small artist original that feels really special and unexpected. These are typically acrylic or watercolor pieces, so to recreate the look of a tiny artist original I chose this simple acrylic piece and had it sized down to a 5×7 canvas, framed in an Ash Wood frame.
To get started on your own meaningful art collection – or add to the pieces you already love – head to Minted.com and use HOMETHEOLOGYFRAMES for 20% off Framed Art + Free Shipping! Have questions about choosing art for your space or how to pick the right frame? Leave me a comment below and we can get to work on picking your perfect artwork.
XO —
Lauren