5 Reasons Why YOUR Art Collection SHOULD NOT Match Your Couch

I don't have anything against great interior design, it's a hobby of mine. What drives me crazy is art buyers who won't support an artist they like and a piece of art that speaks to them because it doesn't "go" with their house. Bah!

1. Great art can hold it's own.
I grew up in a very conservative town by parents who didn't think much about art... until I came along. The first time I had seen art in a home that didn't match the couch was at a friend's house in Albuquerque when I was in college. He has a beautiful home with a wide range of original art hanging. It was amazing!! I noticed each piece and I could appreciate it's uniqueness. I certainly did not think that my friend couldn't coordinate his furniture!

2. "Matchy match" gets lost.
I will just say it. Matching art/prints blend into the to walls and decor, never to be seen again. If you hang a piece of art in a room with all of the same colors and patterns as the furnishings, the money you spent on something to see on your walls is wasted. I don't know how many times I walk into a home and barely glance at their boring art. Note: boring art does not mean traditional or representational.

3. A piece that speaks to you has earned its spot on the wall.
The art I have on my walls has the ability to stop me and make me pause to contemplate it almost daily. I notice the art on my walls and it speaks to me. I have a range of styles that I like and some are not 'wild' at all. However, they are pieces I truly love. Please hang art that will talk to you and refresh you or challenge you!

4. Something different makes YOU interesting.
A piece of art that speaks to you but may be a little out of your comfort zone says something interesting about you. Hanging it on your wall becomes a conversation piece and tells your visitors something about you that they may not know!

5. Supporting an artist and challenging art is good for the soul.
Artists really do appreciate kind words and encouragement, but when you take a piece of art home, you take little of the artist with you. It's a great compliment to the artist and that piece will likely become a 'friend' to you, a friend who reminds you of a good memory or challenges your way of thinking or shows you something new everyday.

So, the next time you are at an art festival, see a piece online or at a gallery and it speaks to you, please don't let the fact that it "doesn't match" keep you from getting the benefits of something beautiful and meaningful in your home.

Please check out my website to see more of my work! http://www.artbysaradb.com
and pass this along if you have enjoyed it!