Artwork is an important part of decorating your home. We use it to set a mood, add an accent or simply because we like it. Artwork can add a finishing touch to a space or it can be the inspiration for a design but it is important to know how to find the perfect piece of art for your room. In this case, we will be looking at canvas wall art and how to look for the perfect piece for any space in your home. Canvas wall art has become popular over the last few years and more and more people are taking the plunge and purchasing some truly amazing pieces for their home.

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What makes canvas wall art so great is that they can be fairly inexpensive but give the appearance of an authentic piece since they are usually prints on canvas of an original. Using a print cuts down the initial cost, although you can purchase some that are very expensive, while it allows you to have some excellent artwork for your home. Choosing the right canvas wall art can be difficult at times but it only takes a few simple steps to find the perfect piece for your room.

Match the color scheme

The first step in choosing your canvas wall art is to really know your color scheme. The basic rule of thumb is to choose an art piece that will match your room without detracting from any of the design elements that are in it. If you find that your design style is filled with cool sleek lines and neutral colors, then a canvas wall art that adds a touch of color to a room is the perfect selection. If your room is filled with color, such as with a Middle Eastern styled room, then a simple canvas wall art that has minimal color will provide a nice break in the room.

When you go to purchase your canvas art, it is important to bring some swatches of the colors that are in your room. This allows you to find the perfect color and to ensure that the colors do not clash.

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Match the artwork

Although you may think that I already covered this, I still want to mention a few things on the actual artwork. As with all other pieces of art, there is a range of styles that you can choose from. There are landscapes, flowers, abstract and many other prints that can be found in canvas artwork so you really need to make sure that the theme in the picture does not clash with the theme in your room.

For instance, a lighthouse landscape is not going to work in a room that has been decorated with an Asian feel and an oriental floral canvas art is not going to work in a room that was decorated with a nautical feel.
No matter how much you like a piece, if it doesn’t match your decor, then it shouldn’t be purchased.

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Match the wall

The area where you will be hanging the artwork is an important part to choosing your canvas wall art. First, take a tape measure and get the dimension of the space that needs the artwork. Once you have those dimensions, you will have a better idea of what you would like in a piece.

Make sure that the canvas wall art matches the size of the wall. One of the worst things that can happen is going to the store and purchasing a piece that is too big or even too small. For the former, it may not fit, and for the latter, it may appear out of place in the room, as though the wall art is just floating there in the middle of lost wall space. When you go to the store to purchase your canvas wall art, make sure you bring the tape measure and the measurements to get the best match.

Choose the style

Okay, style differs depending on the room, the design and the individual but before you go out and purchase a canvas wall art, you should be aware of the style that you want. A large piece of canvas can really be a statement piece in an area with a large open wall but it doesn’t have to be the only way that you go. Panels are a great way to fill a room and it breaks up the pattern just enough to bring the eye to the artwork. If you produce a piece of art in panels, it is important to use the proper artwork.

First, most landscapes don’t work well in panels but if you do choose a landscaped piece, make sure that you use canvases side to side and not top to bottom. Second, larger pieces of canvas panels use the rule of three, especially if you are decorating a large wall space but it is perfectly okay to use more than three. Look at the art and decide on the best way to showcase it.

Make your own

The last thing that I am going to mention about choosing the right canvas wall art for your room is to make your own if you can’t find something you like. It can be very easy to make canvas wall art and if you don’t mind abstract art, most people can create some very interesting and one of a kind pieces with very little effort. Remember that canvas wall art should reflect your design and character so there is no need to stay with the norm. Branch out, explore and don’t hesitate when you find that perfect piece of canvas art for your wall.

Have you ever walked down a busy street and counted the number of fashion faux paus that you see? I know I have and, sadly, there are a lot when you actually stop and take count. The same thing can be said about home decorating. There are hundreds of mistakes that you can make when you are decorating and it can be embarrassing when you try to show off your beautifully decorated spaces only to be told that maybe the space just isn’t that great.

Thankfully, fixing a decorating mistake can be pretty easy and it only takes a little bit of planning to avoid it completely. Although everyone has their own sense of style, you may be surprised over what are considered the top ten biggest decorating mistakes of all time.

Mistake Number 1: Too much is…well…too much!

The first decorating mistake that everyone has made at least once in their life time is when they use too much of any accessory. Accessories are a great way to add depth and character to a space but occasionally people will go overboard. This means anything that you use, by the way, from pillows on couches and beds to ornaments or frames on a shelf.

Too many things can look cluttered and messy and really, if you can’t sit on the couch or lay on the bed without a thousand pillows pushing you off, then maybe you should tone down the number of pillows that you use. The best rule of thumb is to keep items to a minimum so that you get the character but you don’t get the clutter along with it.

Mistake Number 2: Show room ready can be the death of style

Who doesn’t love wandering through furniture stores and seeing the beautiful displays set up. Each display look like exquisite rooms that anyone would be happy to have in their home. The only problem is that they tend to be too exquisite and don’t really translate well into a real home. Generally, once you get your room in a box unpacked, it looks forced, and lacks real character, namely yours.

Instead of copying the design from the store to a tee, make your own changes to it so that it reflects your personality. Borrow some of the ideas and leave the rest the only place they would look good; at the store.

Mistake Number 3: Pee Catchers

Okay, maybe they aren’t officially called pee catchers but a toilet rug might as well be. Those things are just disgusting for obvious reasons and they offer no sense of style or design to a space. Instead, what they offer is a carpet where you wonder how many little accidents occurred on them. If it was up to me, I would toss it out and put that matching seat cover in the trash can while I was at it. If you want a rug in the bathroom, go for one that is not shaped to fit snugly around the toilet and one that encompasses most of the bathroom.

Mistake Number 4: Too many prints

It can be difficult when you are decorating a room to choose between certain prints. There are thousands of truly beautiful prints available and with a little creativity; you could probably make them all match. The problem is that too many prints can look very busy and it detracts from the style that you are trying to achieve. A room that would normally be very inviting leaves people feeling ill at ease simply because there are just too many prints to be enjoyed.

Mistake Number 5: Enjoying a Fad

Now, I’m not saying that it isn’t okay to enjoy a fad or two when they come out but it is important not to go over board and buy something that you will regret later on. You know what I’m talking about. The beaded curtains, the lava lamps, the faux finish wall paper. Just put them down and walk away because as wonderful as they look for a short time, they will quickly fade into memories of style mistakes past and you will be left with something that you can never seem to get rid of. If you do purchase a fad item, make sure you get rid of it when the fad is gone.

Mistake Number 6: Only boats should float

This is often a common decorating mistake and there really doesn’t need to be a reason for it. When you are using an area rug, it is important that you anchor it to something whether it is a dining room table or the living room furniture. Don’t place a rug in the center of the floor and then allow the furniture to float around it like a sea of flotsam. Instead, make sure the carpet is big enough so the chairs and couches in the room can easily rest their front legs on the rug.

Mistake Number 7: Matching is not always the safe choice

Want to ruin an excellent decorating idea quickly? All you need to do is make everything in the room match. Same color, same shade, same lines, same, same, same. It might look great on paper but in a room it can be boring and just a little bit creepy looking if you chose a strange color. Having a base for color, shade and lines is perfect but you will want to punch it up a little with accent colors and accent pieces. Eclectic may be a style in itself but it can do wonders in saving you from a huge decorating mistake.

Mistake Number 8: Forgetting about the lighting

When it comes to lighting, there can be a lot of mistakes. First there can be too much, then there can be too little or maybe the lighting is in the wrong spot. It is important to really pay attention to the lighting and find something that not only provides illumination but also adds depth to your decorating plans. And remember, lava lamps are just a fad.

Mistake Number 9: Throwing in the furniture

Another common mistake is in setting up your furniture. For one, make sure that the furniture fits in your room. If it is too big or you have too much of it, the room will not only look, but will be cluttered. Also, it is important to really pay attention to how it is laid out. Furniture should complement each other and they should not be cluttered together or grouped into threes.

Mistake Number 10: Design would be so much better if everything was cable less

The last mistake that we are going to look at is exposed cables. One of the rooms that really offer a problem to decorators is the room with the television in it. For one, most electronics are full of cables and you can’t really get away from them and for the other, it can be difficult hiding all the cables if you need to get to an outlet but you should really try. Cables left out in the open can really destroy the style of the room so try to hide them. You can do this by covering them with matching cable covers or by hiding them under the baseboard.

Now that you are aware of some of the top decorating mistakes around, it may be easier to realize when you are making them.