How to choose artwork for your home
Our interior designer leading the team Alysha Alli Rowlands has created a five- step guide to help you select wall art:
1. Consider the practical requirements for your artwork
Do you have a particular room or wall you’d like to adorn? How much space is available and how much of a bold statement would you like to make? You could opt for an oversized canvas, framed print or mount two complementary pieces side by side. Alternatively, consider creating a gallery effect interspersed with framed family photographs to add a personal element. Don’t be afraid to go off-centre and position pieces less conventionally, it’s all about having fun and experimenting.
2. Choose your frames carefully
Acquiring the right frame can be key to achieving your desired look. Metallic frames can bring a contemporary or traditional edge to the final design, depending on the finish, while black frames can help you achieve a sleek and streamlined look. If your artwork features botanical elements, consider following the organic theme through to your frame and opt for natural wood.
3. Clever use of colour
The tones in your artwork can enhance or contrast the chosen colours in the rest of the room. If you have opted for neutral décor overall then your artwork can continue this theme to create a more tranquil or minimalist effect or add a splash of confident colour to draw the eye, which can then be carried through to your soft furnishings or accessories and lighting.
4. Find the flow
The textures, shapes and forms in your chosen artwork should be echoed in the rest of your design for a unified look. This ensures that nothing in your room looks out of place, so, for example, if your furniture has retro mid century modern curves, look for artwork that reflects these forms or vice versa. We love using works that feature an element in relief to add even more impact and texture.
5. Art shouldn’t be an afterthought
Many of us struggle to find artwork we love that will suit our home because we leave it until last when designing a room. If you find a piece of artwork you love and know you will cherish for many years, then design the rest of your room around the piece . Art can provide the best inspiration for your colour palette, furniture forms and textures in the rest of your interior design.
Alysha said: “This guide can be adapted for any room. We love to place artwork in all areas of the home from our open plan kitchen and dining areas and lounges to bedrooms and more practical spaces like bathrooms, utility rooms and cloakrooms to instantly elevate the space. It can be overwhelming to know where to start with art, especially as most of us don’t consider ourselves connoisseurs, but following this guide and simply choosing artwork you love is a great place to start.”
In addition to the interior design trends for 2025, we’ve looked more closely at the trends and top artwork styles for the upcoming season, and picked out our top eight trends:
1. Bold abstract art
This is a big trend for 2025 and works if you have a large wall space. Alysha said: “We tend to use oversized abstract artwork in many of our show homes, particularly in lounges and dining areas where we have lots of space to play with. There are no rules when it comes to choosing abstract art. You can find pieces across the whole spectrum of colours and textures, so don’t be afraid to go bold with either. I like to choose tonal pieces that provide blocks of colour. This then informs the palette for the rest of the room.”
2. Fun and playful pop art
As you may expect, the focus of this trend is on vivid colours and vibrant designs. “It’s an extension of the dopamine décor trend we highlighted for spring and summer, which encourages the use of mood-boosting pigments,” explained Alysha. “Pop art takes its inspiration from popular cultural references including everything from comics, cartoons, packaging and advertising to feature films and album covers. We love using pop art in children’s rooms to add playfulness and within our open plan living areas to add personality.”
3. Sensorial surrealism
Wall art can add an otherworldly dimension to your space and surrealist art can work well in bedrooms and lounges where the focus is on slowing the pace of everyday life. Alysha said: “We love finding ethereal pieces, which you can look at everyday and still discover something new to appreciate. Optical illusions that play tricks on the eye are also trending, and we love the extra dimension this can bring to our show homes.”
4. Statement typography
You can make a statement with framed posters and prints that incorporate graphic design and these can be relatively low budget pieces of art. Alysha said: “Typography is an artform in itself and can be used in several ways if you find a style that appeals. You can convey a message or theme, for example, in a teenager’s bedroom this kind of artwork can reflect their interests and hobbies such as skating or music or, in a home office, it could be included to inspire productivity. You can create a really stylish look using different typefaces and experimenting with form.”
5. Flourishes of botanical
Botanical prints are still big news this season, reflecting the continuing trend for biophilic design and hyper nature, which was highlighted in our editorial on the spring / summer interior design trends. Alysha said: “Botanical can be taken in two directions; either as a calming presence in your interiors with softer tones and soothing forest scenes or you can take the look more maximalist with stylised depictions of nature and bright tropical influences that will bring your interior in line with the trendsetters’ predictions for the year ahead.”
6. Eco art
As the shift towards using more sustainable materials continues, this is mirrored in the new eco art movement. “We often commission bespoke pieces of art that are handcrafted, in a move away from mass production,” Alysha said. “This is one way we can stay sustainable and support local makers. However, you can take this a step further and ensure you chose artists who use sustainable paints, canvasses and other materials in the making of their work. Lots of artists are turning to recycled sources and creating art using waste materials like paper, glass and plastics, diverting them from landfill in the process. This can enhance their final product by providing new and interesting mixed media finishes in a range of textures.”
7. Clean and minimal line art
If you love minimalist style, influenced by traditional Scandinavian or Japanese design, then you may want your artwork to continue that theme. Alysha explained: “Hand-drawn illustrations and sketched portraits in black and white are seriously on-trend and can be just an effective in creating interest in your home. We love the simplicity of line drawings and use them often where there may be lots of elements of the design competing for attention. For example, if you’ve used a textured wallpaper in a darker, richer hue, a minimal piece of artwork in black ink on white can break up the space and provide balance.”
8. Aesthetic home décor
This is a style of décor that is focused on individuality and the importance of reflecting your own personality and taste. It’s less about following trends, and more about following your instincts and choosing pieces of art that speak to you directly. Alysha added: “Creating a room that’s aesthetically pleasing to the people who spend time in it is the cornerstone of good interior design. In doing so, we’re ensuring that the room décor has longevity and provides a comfortable living environment. Aesthetic home décor can cover a range of styles, from bohemian to minimalist, with a focus on understated luxury, cosiness and wellbeing. Artwork can be used as an extension of this, so choose what you love, and the rest will follow.”
For more on creating harmony at home, why not consider laying down some new house rules when you move? Or if you haven’t yet found your perfect new property, discover if we’re building in your chosen location.
