Wall decor question

[House Cat]

My bedroom walls are completely blank. I’ve lived in this house for four years. My therapist has given me the assignment to put some things on the walls without giving in to perfectionism. He gave examples for what is on his walls. Everything was sentimental. I usually don’t go for sentimental, I go for the perfect piece of art for that particular space. Unfortunately, this is what I’m trying to avoid. I’m lost.

How do you pick your art/objects for your walls? How do you know it will look good?

 

[Polabowla]

Sounds like a recipe for anxiety & living with something you dislike/won't find relaxing?

My bedroom walls are blank except for one wedding photo done in Sepia tones.

I don't find it restful to have much on bedroom walls.


What types of things do you like or find enjoyable to look at?

Maybe an enlarged photo of a place you traveled to?

 

[House Cat]

Sounds like a recipe for anxiety & living with something you dislike/won't find relaxing?

My bedroom walls are blank except for one wedding photo done in Sepia tones.

I don't find it restful to have much on bedroom walls.


What types of things do you like or find enjoyable to look at?

Maybe an enlarged photo of a place you traveled to?

Now that you’ve said it, I like my bedroom to be serene and for me, that means i don’t want a lot on my walls. Maybe I need to voice that to my therapist. I don’t want to seem oppositional though...

 

[OdetteOdile]

@House Cat I like my bedroom walls pretty serene as well. Can you pick a different room?

My art is a collection of very special oil paintings done by my husband's great aunt, and beautiful photographs of my children. It takes me a while to commit to what I am going to put where. I wanted a gallery wall of photos of my kids in my hallway. To do that, I mocked it all up with cardboard, bought frames, found photos. My husband had the task of hanging the pictures. It was a lot of work. For the oil paintings, we held them up for each other in various rooms and places. Wall size matters when figuring out what will look good. To this day I have very little hanging in my living room and dining room because I can't commit.

I recommend looking on etsy for some inspiration for art. For a gallery wall, do a google search and see if that appeals to you.

 

[Tekate]

ha! my decorator picked everything, BUT she picked posters of the places we had been to, I loved that.

If you have places you have enjoyed maybe pix of that?

 

[marymm]

One bedroom wall has a 20x14" marble-framed mirror my DH made for me, and a smaller framed needlepoint my grandmother did. The opposite wall has a black-metal-framed 11" round mirror, and the wall behind our bed has a window to one side and an original oil painting we both find restful on the other side ... that's it.

Have you considered a tapestry or fabric hanging? It could be in tones similar to your wall color, which would be very subtle but add some texture to your environment?

 

[123ducklings]

Maybe look into getting some prints? Search around Etsy or something like https://juniperprintshop.com and just play around with what strikes you instead of the pressure of finding the PERFECT thing.

I think the best way to hone your taste and get a sense of what will “look good” for you/your space is just to try things out. Buy what you love and if you don’t end up loving it in your bedroom you might find you enjoy it somewhere else (an office?). We’ve moved several times so my most beloved pieces that have made the moves with us have found life in different rooms/arrangements over time.

 

[lyra]

My MIL always has inspirational walls, but she's a highly sentimental person. I love her things generally speaking. But this confounded house, with it's complete lack of wall space means no room to hang much. I have a print I love and that's it. Maybe just choosing a print you love would be enough for this exercise?

 

[MMtwo]

Year 2 of living in our house. Wedding picture and print sitting on the floor to be hung - BUT, we haven't really "fixed up" our bedroom yet. Next project. Without the armoire I intend to but, hanging pictures is premature.

 

[stracci2000]

I am a collector, and I have a wide range of art on my walls.
All of it must be something special or unique. None of this crappy no-name junk from TJ Maxx or Target.
I have Japanese prints and masks, assorted original oil paintings, signed lithographs, antique mirrors, etc.
I don't stop to wonder if something will look good on the wall.
If I love it, I hang it and enjoy it.

 

[Tartansparkles]

I have a 'wall of happiness' in the kitchen. I bought some cheap frames from IKEA (same style, different sizes) and put the kids art work in them. I have pictures from primary 1 (age 5) through to p7 (age 12). When a better picture comes along I add it to the frame, keeping the older pictures at the back. It challenges my need for perfection because a) the pictures aren't the best and b)it's very difficult to get the different sized frames to line up (and not have any blue tac showing at the edge of the frames). Other than that I tend to buy prints from local artists of the places we visit on holiday and choose them purely on the basis of a picture I like (here I should add that I have 4 years worth of prints that I still haven't framed)

 

[oodlesofpoodles]

It is very hard to make a suggestion without knowing your personal style, colors, and budget but I find lots of things I really like at Ballard online. I lean towards organic art that features florals, birds, coastal scenes. I find light colors soothing - creams, blues and greens. They have a large art selection and a wide variety of styles from modern art to traditional. Not wildly expensive like true originals would be but far nicer than Target. These are two pieces I have in my home. I think it would be a good online place to browse and see if something speaks to you.

 

[missy]

I prefer no wall decor in the bedroom. Like you @House Cat and @Polabowla I like the bedroom calm and peaceful with no clutter including wall space. Ask your therapist if you could choose a different room to decorate like the living room or the home office.

One of my favorite pieces of art is on our living room wall in Brooklyn. It is by our favorite artist (Robert Cardinal) and it brings me joy every time I see it.

Here is a picture of the painting. Sorry it's the only pic I have and for some reason it is tiny. Anyway it is a pleasure for us to see this painting and I wish we had it with us at the beach house. Since we are here more than Brooklyn I think we need to bring it here.




Good luck with your decor assignment and don't let it stress you. Pick another room that is easier for you to have something on the walls and have fun with it. If you don't like it you can take it off the walls. Nothing is in stone.

 

[Elizabeth35]

I agree with others—only you know if you want anything on your bedroom walls.
Maybe pick another room. A bathroom or powder room is smaller and may be less daunting.
I don’t do mass produced art from Michaels, TJMaxx, etc.
I buy original art from eBay, 1stdibs, and art auction sites.
Maybe spend some time perusing and see what speaks to you?

I also have some vintage framed maps from places we have visited that have fond memories.
What makes you happy? Find some art that brings you happy memories, whether a place, animals,whatever.

 

[Elizabeth35]

And f the goal is doing the bedroom—what do you find soothing and reassuring?
Enlarged photos of happy memories? A landscape that reminds you of someplace special? An abstract that you love?

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

My bedroom is all function. The only "art" are family photo collages. I do display my perfume and cosmetics "artfully" on a shelf.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Put up whatever makes you happy or leave it blank if you don't want anything up. It will add to more stress if you have to think about it and treat it like a task that needs to be done.

Can you find a piece that you like without the stress? Can you do casual online browsing or will you start to stress?

My walls have our wedding pictures and the rest of the space will be reserved for any dogs we have that have passed away. My idea (if I'm fortunate enough to have lots of Goldens in this life) is to have pictures of all the babies scattered on random walls.

I don't care if things look good objectively. If it looks good to me then it looks good!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

How about wallpaper that has a raised pattern? Something visually soothing in a pattern/texture and if you were to touch it, it would be pleasant. Like fine lace or velvet like a petal. Doesn't need to be a particular color.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Why don't you paint your walls - or a wall
not necessary a feature wall - just a lighter or darker shade of what you have already ?
Or wallpaper one wall

I like stuff on my walls but our walls are in bad nick and need a fair bit of work
Meanwhile i got sick of Gary not putting any of my pictures up so ive started doing it myself
they are our walls and ill put as many holes in them that i want !

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

My bedroom walls are completely blank. I’ve lived in this house for four years. My therapist has given me the assignment to put some things on the walls without giving in to perfectionism. He gave examples for what is on his walls. Everything was sentimental. I usually don’t go for sentimental, I go for the perfect piece of art for that particular space. Unfortunately, this is what I’m trying to avoid. I’m lost.

How do you pick your art/objects for your walls? How do you know it will look good?

In answer to your question you don't know what looks good till you try it
if it doesn't look good you just do something else
its a process
It can be fun
remember when you were a kid and you had stuff on your bedroom walls
its kind of like that but you have a whole house and you can do what ever you want without having to ask your parents
I was not allowed posters on my bedroom walls - not that im advising putting posters on your grown up bedroom wall
but have some fun with it

 

[Elizabeth35]

HI:

How about wallpaper that has a raised pattern? Something visually soothing in a pattern/texture and if you were to touch it, it would be pleasant. Like fine lace or velvet like a petal. Doesn't need to be a particular color.

cheers--Sharon

This is a great idea—what about something fairly dramatic but only on one wall? I’m thinking the headboard wall.

 

[PintoBean]

I dont put anything on my walls. I paid to have those walls patched and painted during renovations. I cant bear to mar them lololol.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I have a picture of the ballet Giselle mum got either for her 21st or their engagement
It hung on mum and dad's bedroom wall for ever
after i have painted and wallpapered im going to hang it back up on our bedroom wall

 

[mrs-b]

Wow. I've spent a lifetime putting together my art collection! I actually think it's pretty presumptuous of a therapist to tell you when or how to decorate your home! If YOU want to - great! But if not...your choice!

My whole home is restful. I don't do junk and I have no clutter. But I definitely have things on my walls. I dont think for one second that art on walls has to equal clutter, but it's a slow process and very specific if you want to do it right. In my bedroom, I have a pair of antique, hand colored lithographs - with hand detailing on the mats around the pictures - above my bed, and one large, beautiful oil painting of a nude - painted in France in 1920. I paid an arm and a leg just to frame it and it's stunning. I bought it in an antique store when I lived in England the first time, and it always reminds me of the happiest aspects of that time of my life. But how one is supposed to just 'go out and get something' is beyond me.

For years, my husband has played a computer game called Civ 4. The music on that game was written by a man called Christopher Tin, who won a Grammy for the game's theme music. For his latest album, he did a kick-starter campaign and we contributed quite a lot. Part of what we received was a hand written (by him) piece of sheet music of that theme music. It's being framed in a really special way, and the frame alone is costing me $1400. It will ultimately hang in our living room, above my cello.

My point is - these things, done right, are memories, and hugely personal. And nice art - print, original, or otherwise - is never cheap. So I'd say - take your time, have what you want, and do it when you feel like it.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

We have grey walls
i hate grey
its so impersonal
The only thing stopping me hanging my nice stuff is we have had so many earthquakes latelly

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

My old bedroom had a lot of windows and mirror, so between that and my furniture I didn’t really have a lot of space on my walls to hang anything. So I had painted one wall a contrast color.

Currently, my bedroom has some space on the walls, so I have some pop art prints (I’m a huge fan of Andy Warhol) framed in thick black frames, interspersed with pictures of family and friends and “memories”, all individually framed in pop color frames, as an “installation” on one wall with the rest bare.

 

[december-fire]

@House Cat

The assignment has nothing to do with art.

 

[Slickk]

Lately, I prefer a less-is-more attitude to decorating. (Less to clean , less to leave the kids when we go). Agree with @PintoBean about keeping the newly painted walls unmarred.
I love to use large beautifully framed mirrors because they make a space look larger and airier. I also use big pretty clocks because we love them. The remainder of my wall artwork have yet to be rehung since the painters left...and may stay that way.

 

[kgizo]

I like the idea of a mirror. Perhaps you can find one with a pretty frame. Does it have to be mounted on the wall? Would frames/ornaments/candles on a side table be doable?
An interior decorator once helped me. He had me go into my closet and pull together the clothes that are my favorites and most worn. He said that those are the colors I enjoy and respond to, and look at if there is a lot of texture or lack thereof; and look for that in home decoration. Seems obvious but that never occurred to me and I would feel so overwhelmed when shopping, but now I just go in and focus on color and texture and it’s much easier.

 

[stracci2000]

I have some pop art prints (I’m a huge fan of Andy Warhol)

Yes!!!