10 Steps to Make Your Home Look Like a Million Bucks

A room filled with interesting objects d’art by Roughan Interiors

Why is it important to include art in your home?

Art helps us validate and recognize our emotions, our history and our life story.

It can provide comfort that we are not the only ones feeling a certain way. Art provides a reflection back to us that enables us to chew on our own reactions, emotion, and thoughts.Searching for a new home recently, our predilections about original art in the home was really confirmed. Upscale homes look so attractive in part by the way they are decorated. We have a soft spot for older homes with tons of character and in our search we came across some beauties and the art just made them over the top.

We believe in using original art to make your home feel like the kind of environment that makes you the happiest and expresses your personality. You don’t have to spend a fortune. It’s all in how you decorate. Filling your home with original art is a fantastic way to elevate its aesthetic and make it feel luxurious without breaking the bank. We feel like art instantly adds adventure combined with authenticity. Guests can’t help but start wandering around instantly captivated by artwork. Here are some pointers to help you use original art to make your home look like a million bucks:

1. Invest in Original Pieces: While original art can sometimes be pricey, it doesn't always have to break the bank. Look for emerging artists or local art fairs or in the Juniper Rag Art Market where you can find unique pieces at more affordable prices. Investing in original artwork adds a sense of exclusivity and sophistication to your space. Using your children’s framed artwork is a way to add an infinite amount of character as well as making your child feel very important. You can also purchase prints from artists online instead of original pieces. Remember to also pick up pieces of art while traveling. These are some of our most prizes additions to our own space, as they conjure memories of your experiences.

2. Create a Focal Point: Choose one or two standout pieces of art to serve as focal points in your rooms. These pieces should be eye-catching and draw attention, anchoring the room's design and setting the tone for the space. Have fun and remember not everything has to “match”. In fact, we discourage matching everything, because then the space starts to look like a catalog or a hotel. Sometimes subtracting objects can increase visibility of the important ones that need more attention as well.

3. Mix and Match Styles: Don't be afraid to mix different styles of art within your home. Eclectic combinations can add visual interest and personality to your space. Experiment with mixing modern, abstract, and traditional pieces to create a dynamic and visually stimulating environment. Never underestimate the power of old posters, flea market finds and nostalgic pieces that can really tell your story. Take a chance, be whacky, let go of what “should be” or “what the neighbors will think” and indulge.

Art gallery wall from ORIGIN at JMAC Worcester.

4. Consider Scale, Proportion and Impact: When selecting artwork for your home, consider the scale and proportion of the pieces in relation to the size of the room and other furnishings. Larger rooms may require larger pieces of art to fill the space and make an impact, while smaller rooms may benefit from smaller, more intimate artworks. A piece of art can impact an entry or a main sitting room and be a constant source of conversation as well.

5. Frame it Right: The right frame can elevate the look of a piece of art and tie it in with the rest of your decor. Try to choose high-quality frames that complement the style and colors of the artwork while also enhancing its presentation. While heading to your local frame shop is ideal, there are many sources for inexpensive frames online that won’t break the bank.

6. Use Art to Add Color and Texture: Artwork can be a great way to introduce color and texture into your home environment. Choose pieces that feature bold colors or interesting textures to add depth and dimension to your space. Do not be afraid to add a showstopper or splurge a little. Art is an investment and can be handed down. Remember to include your artist’s information or a note about why you purchased it with a receipt of provenance to the back or in your files. You’ll want to keep a record.

7. Curate a Gallery Wall: Create a gallery wall by arranging multiple pieces of art together in a cohesive layout. We recommend columns of salon style collections. Mix and match different sizes and styles of artwork in relation to each other to create visual interest and tell a story through your collection. It is a great way to show a lot of eclectic art in one space while maintaining a sense of order.

Gala attendees at New Art’s annual fundraiser discussing work by John Pagano.

8. Illuminate Your Art: Proper lighting is essential for showcasing your artwork effectively. If you want to go the extra mile, install adjustable track lighting or picture lights to highlight your pieces and create a focal point in the room. Lights add a lot of fun drama as well as elevating any room, especially with main lights turned down low.

9. Rotate Your Collection: Keep your space feeling fresh by rotating your art collection periodically. Switch out pieces or rearrange your gallery wall to keep things interesting and prevent your decor from feeling stagnant. As you pick up pieces from here and there, rotating them brings a great feeling to your space seasonally or annually.

10. Personalize Your Home: Choose artwork that speaks to you personally and reflects your interests, humor, passions, and personality. Your home should be a reflection of who you are, so don't be afraid to incorporate pieces that have sentimental value or evoke happy memories or are a little out of your comfort zone. Guest bathrooms are a fun place to add some humor or unexpected personality. We encourage whimsy and fun, knowing your guests will leave the room with a little less serious business than they walked in with.

By following these tips and investing a small amount or splurging on something a big, piece of original art that speaks to you, adding them to your home can create a place that looks and feels like a million bucks, regardless of your budget. Ever since we can remember we have always noticed our surroundings. We can walk into a room and immediately notice the vibe, colors, the art, furniture and how everything relates to each other and the people. We start rearranging it all in our heads and adding artwork from artists we know. By seeing the possibilities and the relationships of everything in the room, we begin in our imagination to rearrange the furniture, to consider wall colors and art that would make the space incredible. We just learned that only 10% of the population can enter into a room and redesign it in their imagination. It is impossible not to be inspired when you see possibilities and work with amazing artists that you know others will value too. There are so many little things you can do to elevate your space immediately.

With our network of hundreds of artists, we surely can help you find artwork for your home within your budget. Consider Juniper Rag if you are interested in elevating your space and filling it with artistic works that can last several lifetimes. Fun, original art changes everything.

A home for sale in The Hamptons filled with art via Zillow.

“To engage with art, we have to be willing to be wrong,

venture outside our psychic comfort zones, suspend disbelief,

and remember that art explores and alters consciousness simultaneously.”

—Jerry Saltz, Art Critic for New York Magazine and Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2018.