Artwork is one of the most powerful tools for creating a focal point within a room and one of the most effective ways to transform it. Focal point helps to orient a space and even organizes a room giving it a sense of the direction, a place where all your eyes are focused. Artwork can offer you that focal point within a space which directs focus and establishes the mood of the rest of the room, wherever you are working, whether it’s living room, dining area or your bedroom. Below are tips on using artwork to provide a great focal point in any room.
Choose a Statement Piece
Using artwork as a focal point is the most direct way to do so, picking a large, statement piece that demands focus is the best bet. One painting, one photograph or even one sculpture makes a great focus for a room. Whether a large canvas covered with vibrant colors, or an oversized photograph in black and white, the size and weight of the art will itself bounce the eye.
When you go to shop for a statement piece, bear in mind the kind of mood you’d like to create. For example, there’s that huge, abstract painting in bold colors that’s going to enliven a space, or the serene landscape or portrait that’s going to invite something more tranquil into it.
Use the Rule of Thirds
If you want to create balance with artwork and have it work well with your room the rule of thirds can come into play. This technique consists in setting up your artwork at the appropriate height and place in the room, so that it matches other elements in the room. A common way to hang artwork is to do it in a way that the centre of the piece is at eye level at around 57-60” from the floor.
Create a Gallery Wall
Multiple pieces of artwork can come together in a successful way to create a bold focal point on gallery walls. Carefully curated art pieces can create a room’s central visual element, adding depth, and character at the same time. The reason a gallery wall works well is that the theme can work in spaces such as living rooms, hallways or in dining areas where there is ample wall surface to work with.
Frame Your View
Framing what lies outside your windows is another unique way to make that art the focal point as well. If you already have a nice natural view – like a garden, mountain range, ocean – you can complement it via artwork to frame it. This idea is particularly suited for places such as dining rooms, living rooms or bedrooms, for which the view is a part of the room itself.
Play with Color to Add Drama
With artwork, color is definitely an important element for creating a focal area. Neutral colors can blend into the background while bright and bold colors will draw attention. If you want the artwork as the focal point, choose one that acts as a contrast among the surrounding decor by having a color that is more vibrant or contrasting, than the other colors around it. Relieve the room of being too plain with a colorful painting not only as its centerpiece, but set the mood for the room with its energy and visual interest.
Create Contrast with Framing
Just as the piece, framing artwork is important in making the picture a focal point. The frame determines whether an artwork stands out or blends in according to the effect you want to achieve. A heavy, ornate frame to a more classical piece, or a sleek, minimalist frame to a modern piece can provide a clean and polished or add vintage charm to modern artwork depending on the individual’s style choice.
Think How the Room Should Flow and What Its Purpose Is
If artwork is going to be your focal point, choose carefully so that the flow of the room and the room’s function are considered. If you have a living room or dining room, a large piece of art can be your focal point, creating a starting point for arranging the furniture around it. A focal point in bedroom could be a piece of art above the bed montaned with tranquility and personal style.
Layer Art with Lighting
Having an artwork as a focal point means good lighting is essential. You can add a touch of art to a room by placing a piece in the right place. You could also install directional lighting (like track or picture lighting) to highlight the artwork, call attention to its colors and textures and illuminate hard to reach places, like above a display cabinet. Spot lights give drama and highlight the art, but soft ambient lighting can be subtle and intimate.
Balance the Art with Other Design Elements
Of course, artwork can be the star of the room, but it’s important to pair it with other design elements to keep it in check. If you put a large painting on one wall, balance it out with other of your furniture or decor placed elsewhere in the room. Be careful not to overcrowd the space with too much art, for that will overpower the purpose.
Organize the use of art to complement the colors scheme, texture, and furniture in the room to have a cohesive design
Be Bold with Placement
Breaking the convention sometimes is the best way to have a focal point. Unlike most artwork that is displayed on walls, think about leaning or propping art against or on a wall. An unexpected, relaxed approach can give it a more dynamic, more personal feeling.
And if you have multiple pieces of art, think about periodically changing which have focus or which are in focus: placing some elsewhere, swapping one out. By using this approach, you can continually be refreshing the room and its focal point forever changing the look of the space.
Conclusion
Artwork is always a great idea to make any room a focal point. Artwork whether it’s a bold statement piece, a perfectly curated gallery wall or a smart placement can be such a great tool to frame a mood and set a room’s energy in motion. Size, color, placement, and framing are all factors to take into account when integrating your art into a home, and when done well, the beach artwork becomes the central element that truly ties the room together in the most cohesive, inviting, and personality filled way.
