The art work you hang on your walls shouts your personality. It tells you and others about your style, what you like, where you’ve been, what is important to you. It adds colour, fun, memories and delight to walls that could otherwise be bland and uninteresting. So over the summer, when the kids, parents or friends come to stay, is a great time to revisit your art work.
Read on for my story..
Its that time of year again but this year its just a bit more special. Our two sons, wives and granddaughters are migrating from Melbourne up to us on the coast for a family celebration for the Christmas season. Yay…..Rex and I are pretty excited as it will be the first time in 4 years we’ve had Christmas up here on the coast.
With that of course comes the excitement of cleaning up the apartment, renovating what we can and swapping, de cluttering and ditching what we deem ‘junk’. Then we can do a few Christmassy things to make the place look like we mean business.
I was thinking that once upon a time, as newly marrieds, we did the same when our parents came to visit. We’d make sure things were in order as we aimed to prove that we were on top of things in the domestic arena.
Now this practice has flipped, and its when our own grown up toddlers and “no care” teenagers come to visit with their gorgeous wives and kids, that we continue the natural desire to have our home looking its best. Our parents are now too old to care.
But in the fun of it, we do realise, that at the end of the day, its not what the place looks like but rather the warmth, the feeling, the connection to place and space and the love that oozes from when the family step into our home. And it’s your art work that can help achieve this.
Here’s a few tips on how to get it all happening…
I was talking with the famous photographer, Ken Duncan recently and he was saying, quite prophetically, that changing your art work around should be like changing the sheets on your bed. I took that as just do it regularly…Here’s what we do.
First things first: Stand back and look – really LOOK at all of your art work and other collections you have on your walls. How long have you had it in the same place?
Like my aged mothers said when her washing machine broke down recently. …”I just bought that machine.. It’s not that old.” And then the date, written on a band aid on the side of the machine recording the year of purchase, 1994!! Good one Dad!
So back to the art work – Take ALL of the art work off the walls from your entire home, apartment, and place it in one space so you can see it. YES! ALL of it.
Next wipe away the dead, and live spiders, the webs and gecko bits from the walls behind the art work. Check the backs of the art to ensure tapes are secure and while you’re at it, clean the art work with glass cleaner and a soft cloth or paper towel. Don’t spray directly on the art work but onto the cloth, then buff.
Now, look carefully at your collection and HIDE anything you don’t actually like.
Be Brave!! Less is More. Go on, set it aside so its OUT, at least for now. You may consider re-vamping it later with new mat boards, a new up to date frame and new glass. A January project!!
Now here’s the fun bit. Swap your art work around. Have a PLAY. Its about putting the love back into your walls. Just try placing it in different settings. Place the art on the floor, hold it up, take a phone photo, just play for a while.
Zoom down to Bunnings for those few extra hooks. WallMates are the bests for gyprock walls or you may consider the kit form, ArtiTeq gallery system that we stock. This Arti Teq system is easy to install and will allow you to change your art frequently, adding in and replacing without hooks or holes in the wall. Its ideal for a rental property.
Then there’s the ultimate: Consider leaving a spot for one or two new pieces of art work.
Here’s what I’m doing to add the love.
I’m printing off 8 family photos that I’ve taken over the past year and popping them into ready made, off the shelf frames from Coastal Framing and placing them on a shelf in the spare bedroom.
The kids will love this. The photos are not in their face on a large wall but something to start a conversation with in the guest room.
I’m printing two of Rex’ favourite and quirky USA photos as 400mm x 600mm to add to the wall in the family area, and framed in oak. I was thinking of a photo wall but have run out of time for now. That will be a January project for us.
And because I can, I’m printing a large 1400mm x 500mm of my favourite beach photo collection from Casuarina, to frame with Perspex to hang over the bed as a ‘bed head’ in our newly painted bedroom. I think I’ll print it in black and white. And I’ll probably sneak two of my ‘Beach Shack” photos from my collection that are hanging in the Gallery from the Bubble and Browse exhibition. (If they don’t sell).
So with our existing art and a few new pieces, the whole place looks fresh and inviting.
If you would like to add original, local art to your walls, or a print ready to purchase off the wall ready for Christmas, visit our showroom and Gallery for a selection of art work for your home. Our recent Bubble and Browse exhibition has had additions, ready for you to buy for Christmas.
Now to find the Christmas tree, the lights and the Nativity scene that we’ve had in storage somewhere over the last 4 years.
Rex and I wish you a Happy Christmas Season and whatever you believe and whatever you do, be grateful for what you have. Feel the love of friends and family and enjoy this annual celebration time given to us via the first Christmas from ancient times, so long ago.
Enjoy the season, get your art talking and celebrate with happiness.
Rex and Jen.