Unexpected Displays that Will Make You Rethink Your Art Arrangements (2024)

• Design Ideas

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Does the thought of arranging art make you want to poke your eyeballs out? Or maybe you’ve already committed to a gallery wall, but something just doesn’t feel right? Perhaps you need a dose of inspiration to shake up your thinking on good art displays. Here are some creative ways to prop your Picassos, layer your Lichtensteins, and mount your Monets (or whatever less valuable pieces you may be working with).

When most people think of renovating a tiny rental kitchen, BOLD is not usually the first thought that comes to mind. Designer Brady Tolbert’s unconventional approach for sprucing up his petite West Hollywood kitchen above, however, couldn’t have been more perfect, in my opinion. A black and white palette, in both frames and art, is simple yet glamorous and the mixed-size grid layout is so chic. Head over to Emily Henderson Design to see more of this space.

Fussing with frames can be half the battle when hanging art. I say, why not ditch them all together? Black washi tape is an easy solution for displaying art and inspiration on a blank wall. This look, which is expertly executed here by Milk Decoration, is especially chic in the office.

Propped art has really taken hold of the design world in recent times. It takes a special skill to perfectly prop your art to give it that casual-yet-refined feeling, like the effortless bedroom above designed by Katherine Carter. Whether it’s on the floor, dresser, or a picture ledge, balance is key. Here, professional frames and matting keep this display from looking lazy and unintentional.

Multifunctional pieces are always a plus. Here, Alex van Berge‘s super simple wall-to-wall headboard doubles as an art ledge and is donned with black and white pieces that vary in size to create interest without feeling cluttered.

Sometimes the lack of art has more of an impact than the art itself. In the black and white room above, Coco Lapine has chosen just two very simple pieces to balance out the negative space on a stark white wall.

Gallery walls are a classic way to display art that always works. For gallery wall success, make sure to have a variety of sizes and shapes to play gallery wall Tetris with. Also, keeping within a loose color palette, like the blues and pinks seen here on Bolig Magasinet, helps tie everything together. Bonus tip: use your frames as ledges by topping them with fun small knick-knacks and figurines.

When you’ve hit a design rut, think floor-to-ceiling. Adding interest to all available space is something many of us don’t consider. Try taking your art to the top of the available wall space and let the pieces continue all the way to the floor, like this gorgeous gallery wall seen at Elle Decoration. Extending the gallery around the corner to two walls is unexpected and memorable.

With the recent popularity of gallery walls and casual layering and propping, don’t forget that perfect symmetry is also an option. I think the clean, calculated art display above designer Orlando Soria’s bed is refreshing. The pieces, which are from Hey Sosi in Barcelona, are fun and cute, which keep it from looking stuffy or too traditional. The full bedroom reveal can be found over at Emily Henderson Design.

So, what if your collection of art is non-existent? Print out some of your favorite photos, take some polaroids, or visit a photo booth and get those babies on display. Walls crave art, and these photo rings from Consort provide the perfect vessel for your memories.

Art makes us feel good, and isn’t that what we all want? Whether you’re a propper, percher, hanger, or washi-taper, get to it and fill your walls with some feel-goodness.

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