Next time you ask someone up to see your etchings, make sure you’ll wow them. Vintage paintings and used art add personality and a certain je ne sais quois to every room in your home. A wall of vintage paintings and photographs in differently sized frames brings instant character, and a single used oil portrait not only adds gravitas but an instant, distant relative as well. The art of home decor: it’s all right here.
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR VINTAGE ART OPTIONS
Portraits, abstract paintings, wood sculptures, pencil sketches—when it comes to vintage art, there’s certainly no shortage of mediums to choose from. Nor is there any shortage of places to display them. In fact, even if you already have a piece of vintage art in mind, deciding on where to display it can be a straight-up puzzler.
To help with both quandaries, we’ve created a handy used art guide, which includes an outline of popular vintage art styles, along with tips on where to display them in your space!
Simple and sophisticated, drawings and other secondhand art pieces are inspired conversation starters. Unlike paintings which emphasize color and mass, vintage drawings focus on shape or form. Types of drawings include sketches, life drawings, emotive drawings, perspective drawings, analytic drawings, illustration drawings, diagrammatic drawings, and geometric drawings.
Where to Use Them
Instead of mounting drawings or other vintage art pieces to your wall, you may find it easier to arrange them on a ledge shelf. Not sure if you want to go so permanent? Washi tape (key word: tape) is a creative way to adhere a collection of unframed vintage drawings to a wall.
Like drawings, paintings are custom-made for kick-starting conversation. As a bonus, they also add elements of warmth and creativity to your home. Types of painting styles include Western Modernism, Impressionism, Abstract Style, Expressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism. Eastern Styles include the Chinese Painting Style, Japanese Painting Style, Indian Style, Mysore paintings, and Tanjore paintings.
Where to Use Them
Art is meant to be seen and enjoyed, so it’s wise to display paintings in high-traffic areas. If your kitchen doesn’t have an above-the-sink window, try displaying a collection of vintage paintings above the sink for a creative view when you do dishes. Sticking with their window-subbing abilities, we also love using vintage art to line a windowless hallway.
The earliest surviving photograph produced by a camera was taken between 1826 and 1827. Today, photography is the sidekick we can’t live without, whether it’s to capture weddings, family holidays, or school and family portraits. Yes, we all have those less-than-flattering photos of ourselves, but the majority of photography is meant to be seen--so get it out there!
When it comes to photography for the home, scenic and nature photography are go-to options, but what about HDR photography, time-lapse photography, underwater photography, macro photography, high-speed photography, and panoramic photography? Yes, when it comes to photography there’s a good deal to explore.
Where to Use Them
Create a gallery wall in your living room, dining room, or family room to display photography. Experiment with a combination of frames in different sizes and colors, or, if you have a collection of black-and-white photos to display, try opting for uniform black frames.
While some art lovers collect hand-carved African sculptures, others collect brass animals, or hand-blown glass figurines. Whatever your fix, sculpture is the perfect way to give your vintage art collection some major dimension.
Two popular types of sculptures include free-standing sculptures and relief sculptures. Free-standing sculptures are 3D art forms where all sides of the object are surrounded by space, while relief sculptures are objects that are attached to a background, such as wood or stone.
Where to Use Them
When it comes to displaying your sculptures, many unique options are available. Since sculptures are 3D, they should be visible from all angles and displayed at eye level. To ensure that your sculptures are earning max cred all the time, try placing them on open wall shelving. Likewise, eye-level placement on a bookcase works too.
The one exception is larger sculptures, which may be better fit for a sturdy pedestal, away from walkways, play areas, and high-traffic areas.
Related Collections
- Collage
- Prints
- Installation
- Chinoiserie Fine Art
- Persian Fine Art
- Japanese Fine Art
- Native American Fine Art
- Abstract Fine Art
- Danish Modern Fine Art
- Mediterranean Fine Art
- Scandinavian Fine Art
- Southwestern Fine Art
- French Fine Art
- Mid-Century Modern Fine Art
- Nautical Fine Art
- Brutalist Fine Art
- Traditional Fine Art
- Gothic Art
- Chinese Art
- Contemporary Fine Art
- Modern Fine Art
- Asian Fine Art
- Rustic Fine Art
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