Posters As Art

I can feel my own hair being tossed by the wind and it is my face embracing the sun as I enjoy this vignette. The French poster from Phillip Williams Posters is perfect. It accomplishes the goal of creating a beautiful room through selective placement of decorative art, furniture and accessories.

Decorating a room with posters can be both cost-effective and an engaging way to create beauty. Posters come in all shapes and sizes, themes and styles; and be assured, they can be introduced in a room with original artworks, oil paintings, etc.

Here are some suggestions on turning your dull space into an instant gallery.

Think about a feel or a theme you want for your room.

Example: the room above conveys light and airiness - a magical moment - on a beautiful day.

Another Example: an earlier article I wrote Decorate A Dreamhouse In Beverly Hills (click here to read it) is another good example, perhaps you could call it a charming example.

In that article I wanted to contrast in a big way the elaborate and over-the-top Georgian architectural style exteriors of the house - symmetrical, conservative, orderly with its interiors.

This helped me establish my theme or feel. I wanted drama . . . fun - and I wanted to flaunt it.


So there it was and who best to help me than Ms. Audrey Hepburn, that is, one particular poster of her. Wearing a tiara, a formal gown and long, silk, black gloves, Ms. Hepburn flirts with a long-stem cigarette holder. This poster I chose to anchor my varied but engaging grouping of black- and-white photographs.

Reading the rest of the article and appreciating my selection of flamboyant furnishings - perhaps you'll agree: who else but Ms. Audrey Hepburn to welcome visitors to this particular home.

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Right, poster of
"Pablo Picasso's "Head Of A Woman," from Art.Com.

So, posters . . . . . Envision what you want your artwork and decor to do for your room.

* Posters can add color (coordinating or accent)
* Pull together a theme (marine life in a bathroom, sports in a den or child's room)
* Or stand in for a more expensive art collection (you too can own a Monet or a Picasso). Be creative.

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You can bring a magical ocean view to any room with a wide-angle photographic oceanscape, such as the one above, by Marine Hugonnier. (More of this art can be seen at MarineHugonnier.com).

Recipe posters can double as cookbooks in a tiny kitchen. Reproduction movie posters from classic films can turn your family room into a home theatre.

Browse. Shop for posters online, at craft supply and decorating stores, in museum gift shops and at flea markets. You may start looking with one idea in mind, and be captivated by something completely different.

Frame your posters once you've chosen them. You can also find simple, classic, inexpensive poster frames at art supply stores and discount department stores. But posters can be more classically framed also; again, it is all what is within your theme. If you are grouping posters on the same wall, choosing identical frames is a great look.

Using posters as art can be an adventure - enjoy!

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If decorating isn't easy for you or if you are in need of some particular interior design assistance, our designers at the Something Beautiful Shoppe will be happy to work with you - working with professional helps assure you get the look you deserve while helping eliminate costly mistakes.

If decorating isn't easy for you or if you are in need of some particular interior design assistance, our designers at the Something Beautiful Shoppe will be happy to work with you - working with professional helps assure you get the look you deserve while helping eliminate costly mistakes.

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How To Hang Art & Display Objects On Shelves.

Grouping items and displaying artwork well is a skill, but it is one that can be learned through practice, and a bit of guidance. The following tips can serve as a guide to get you practicing creating artwork displays.There is no right or wrong! Have fun!

On building a gallery of artwork and objects using shelves: Odd numbers of frames (i.e., three, five or seven frames) create the most pleasing effect in a display. Place central pieces at eye level or slightly above on the wall, then expand your display outward from there.
To add interest and character to a collection of similar art pieces, use frames in a variety of colors, textures and shapes. Interspersing the display with mirrors helps break up repetition, and creates the illusion of amplified natural light.
Hang several shelves to create a gallery of artwork and objects. Place framed or un-framed artwork on the shelves to lean against the wall, and . . .

Add eye-pleasing items (found river rocks,sculptural

vases, or vintage children's toys, for example) that

play off the shapes, colors and textures of the artwork.

Use wall ledges as a framework for an ever-evolving mix framed artwork. Aside from protecting your walls from misplaced holes, ledges also provide the freedom to layer artwork so that one frame slightly overlaps the other. This technique puts the focus on the display as a whole, rather than on any individual piece.

(A quick note as I look at this picture is that it has balance. If we draw a verticle line down the middle, both sides are visually equally balanced. A easy check to see if the picture is in fact balanced, is flip the picture around. If it is balanced, it will be balanced either way. Again, practice it. Imagine as you go about your day, as you pass pictures and artwork, look for balance, flip the pictures (in your mind, not really!)

Decorating With Pictures

Hung against knotty pine,

this collection of pictures (in a

small guest bathroom) makes

for a beautiful retreat.

All my life my way of thinking has been hugely affected by the things around me, especially in the display of picture collections. From uniquely framed poster art to musuem-quality still lifes, I have always absorbed an awareness of beautiful things, and particularly pictures.
Fabrics, imported china, rugs and all decorator items are fascinating and essential to our interiors. But to me, it is pictures that are the soul of the house. Artwork on display says a great deal about the character of the owner. A collection of pictures brings extraordinary sense of originality and uniqueness.
People are often nervous when starting a picture collection that it make a statement. If you are a bit reticent, consider the following ideas: Open your eyes. Look around you. Study picture collections of local museums, art galleries, antique shops, etc. As you browse the homes of top decorators and art collectors displayed in pages of design magazines, notice the artwork of a particular room. What sort of pictures do they collect? Is there a particular theme (such as nautical). Is it a mix of different media and different subject matter, such as in the photos above.
You will start to develop confidence in building your collection of pictures based on your personal tastes. Flirt with the concept of 'what would happen if ....' you made small changes to the vignette shown in a photo. What might occur if the framing were altered. Consider what might happen if a particular large piece were moved. Does that picture’s placement need to be there to ‘hold’ the grouping together. Don't worry about the aesthetic dictates of others. Pictures for your home collection should appeal to you.

~ Patricia Loya ~