Where to buy affordable art for your home
If there’s one thing that’s sure to lift the spirits, and the ambience of a room, it’s an artwork.
Inexpensive prints are an accessible way to add a dash of colour to a room, but so too are original artworks, the kind that you won’t see all over Instagram in other people’s homes. And they don’t have to cost a fortune: original works can start from as little as £50 or so, a similar price to a print. Today’s lockdown inspired art collector is looking not necessarily for investment pieces, but for a special and unique artwork that is not only beautiful to look at, but comes with a story behind it that will add meaning and depth to the room in which it hangs.
‘There’s something wonderful about knowing the piece you have has been created by the artist and that they worked directly on that piece of paper or canvas,’ says Georgia Spray, the founder of online gallery Partnership Editions, where original works can cost from a few hundred pounds. ‘I also love knowing that no other identical piece exists, it makes it such a special purchase and part of your home.’
Spray has seen a steady increase in demand as customers seek to upgrade their homes. ‘In particular, supporting emerging artists has struck a chord with collectors,’ she says. The same is true for Sim Takhar of east London gallery The Old Bank Vault. ‘We saw a huge uptick when we reopened after the first lockdown,’ she says. ‘There were people who had been at home for three months, looking at their walls, and needed some kind of daily inspiration through their interiors and artworks.’
During the lockdowns of the past year, Takhar worked virtually with customers to find pieces to suit their space. Galleries such as hers pivoted to offer interior design and art-buying advice remotely, and continue to do so now that their doors are open again.
New companies sprang up during lockdown, such as Canopy Collections, which sells pieces by emerging artists, and helps customers to build a collection based around their own interior. Another is Murus Art, an online gallery founded last year, which aims to bring a more relatable view on art, by photographing artworks in home settings and offering an augmented-reality tool that allows customers to view artworks virtually in their own homes before they buy.
As Takhar says, ‘Original art is so accessible now, and when you have art at home, it’s so impactful on your mood.'
Go vintage
Another way to find affordable original art is to buy vintage: a stylist’s trick is to pick up an old portrait or still life at a junk shop or flea market and reframe it to create a one-off piece that will add character to a modern interior. The issue, while shops are closed, is where to find such pieces – which is what prompted Sara Allom to set up The Vintage Art Gallery last year. The paintings she sells may not come with a backstory, as the artist is usually unknown, but prices start from as little as £30 and, as she points out, ‘They can bring something unique to the home – whether that’s heritage paint tones or familiar beach landscapes reminiscent of childhood adventures.’
Think outside the box
Add to your collection with furnishings created by artists. Woolwich Contemporary Studio, a new art and interiors platform from gallerist Lizzie Glendinning, offers limited-edition fabrics and wallpapers, with patterns and motifs designed by emerging artists for a fully immersive contemporary art experience. Options range from colourful prints to a full-size mural inspired by the pool at Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, outside Rome, for the ultimate feature wall (see above). Commissioning a bespoke mural is another way to incorporate an original work: Diane Hill hand paints intricate chinoiserie-style wallpapers and abstract murals that turn a wall into a true work of art.
How to buy art online
Do your research before you start to browse: it’s important to ‘get your eye in’ and feel comfortable in your own taste before making a purchase. Take some time beforehand to look around online or in magazines so that you feel confident in your style.
I’d always suggest visiting galleries and museums and buying postcards of works you love to start building a picture of what you gravitate towards, but I find you can do the same thing with Instagram. All of our artists have Instagram accounts which show their work and process, and I also love following art schools such as @sladeschool, @royaldrawingschool and @thegreatwomenartists.
My main advice with buying online is not to be afraid to ask questions. We love chatting to clients about the artworks they are interested in and are always happy to share more information on the artist and the medium of the piece. We will often also send extra images or video to the client so they have the chance to really see the texture and detail in a piece before they purchase.
How to make your pictures pop
Once you’ve chosen a piece, put some thought into framing to show it to its full advantage. Georgia Spray suggests working with a framer rather than buying off-the-shelf: ‘It’s more expensive, but your artwork should be something you want to live with for ever so it’s worth investing in.’ Some framers are currently open for click-and-collect.
When hanging, consider whether you want a gallery arrangement or one or two pieces on the wall: ‘I like to hang artworks together at home as I like a lot of visual stimulation,’ says Sim Takhar, ‘but hanging one large piece on its own will give a calmer look.’
There is no set rule on the best height for hanging pictures, and much will depend on the height of your ceilings and the furniture in the room. Hanging at eye level is a good rule of thumb, but consider whether it’s a room you normally stand in, such as a hallway, or sit in, such as a living room.
‘I try not to get too fixated on the idea that once a work is hung up it has to stay there,’ says Spray. ‘Be open to moving things around; it can breathe new life into a room.’
If you do go for a gallery wall, Takhar advises not getting too set on completing it in one go. ‘You can rush into it and think you need to fill the wall with art, but then it can become stale quite quickly. Allow some gaps that you can fill in when you find the right pieces.’
