How Art Rescued a Room

This post is not about a new painting, but it is about art, sort of.  It's about what a small change on an art wall can do for the mood and look of a room and the mood of the resident thereof.

My interior art-scape is constantly changing with the rotation of art.  My apartment doubles as art storage facility and gallery.   As pieces sell and new pieces rotate in to replace them,  my walls and the look of my interior space also change.

Recently this created some consternation for me with one of my living room walls.  This wall is not neutral and the tones are warm. Naturally this poses a challenge for the art that hangs on it.  The wall itself is a type of an art piece, created by the former owners of my apartment.  Since I like the wall I have been unable to part with it for the sake of art-display, even though certain paintings look positively dead when displayed on it, as was the case with a recent art-rotation.

Without realizing it consciously, the dismal effect was causing me to dislike my entire living room and the art and my (albeit old) furniture and ultimately the look of my entire apartment.  I found myself thinking about painting or wallpapering my opinionated wall, covering my old furniture and even MOVING!  But after making a few simple changes I fell back in love with the apartment.   And best of all,  it was free! 

I pulled an unused black frame out of storage and framed my favorite Beach painting in it.   I removed Olives (a favorite, but whose tones clashed with the outspoken wall)  and replaced it with the large Beach painting, added another, smaller, framed Beach painting and a Royal Food Mart, mounted print.  Instantly the room came to life again.  And the art that was removed now enhances the neutrally painted hallway.

This small change had a great effect on my mood and inspired me to make other small changes.  Moving a plant here, an accessory there and soon, for no money at all, I had a new, pleasing and harmonious look again.  The "life-giving" transformation has inspired me to keep everything sparkling inside and out.  I will think twice before I dress a bold wall in an "outfit" of paintings that does not look good with its coloring!