How to Choose Art for Your Home
Having art in your home enhances the ambiance in a very special way. And the great thing is, given the sheer range in art styles and genres, even the most finicky buyers can find something or the other to their liking and budget. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars, consult an art adviser, or restrict yourself to high-brow art. What you like is the main thing, it is after all your home and the art in it ought to be the sort that gives you joy. So follow your intuition and choose works that you find inspiring or those that evoke wonderful memories. Enjoy the process of finding, choosing and buying art for your home.
Let’s take a look at some of the things you need to consider:
Have an idea about your style: Usually, your overall sense of style will influence your choice in art as well. For example, if you have a very modernistic slant in clothes, furniture and home decor, you might find abstract or modernistic paintings and sculptures interesting. Consider also the mood you'd like to create: peaceful, restful, soothing, inviting, vibrant, and so on.
Acquaint yourself with different art forms, genres and styles: It always helps to know what you’re getting into, what’s out there and how to differentiate between priceless, good, or plain chaff. Familiarity with art history as well as the current art scene is a plus. Refer to art books, art magazines and online art sources. Visit art galleries, museums and art shows. Talk to artists, art dealers and art curators. The more you know, the easier it will be for you to zero onto your choice.
Know where to buy and how to buy art: You can buy art directly from the artist, at art galleries, art shows, art dealer stores, art fairs, flea markets, roadside stalls, antique shops and auctions. Attend art auctions to know how they work. Selling and buying art online has made life easier for everyone, but do exercise caution.
Inquire about artwork provenance (provenance documents help establish authenticity and come handy if you decide to resell later) and artwork condition. Request detailed photos of front and back, and ask about payment and shipping procedures Research current art prices and do have a definite budget.
Decide if you want original art or reproductions: Original artworks are more expensive than reproductions. Reproductions prints or exact copies in actual materials (not made by the original artist) are great if you have a limited budget, or if the art you absolutely want is absolutely beyond your reach (like in a well-guarded museum ).
Decide if you are going to buy art by artist, genre, theme or media: Bear in mind that most artists produce quite an uneven body of work. In short, every work won’t be a masterpiece. Buy on strength of the work not because the artist is happening. Similarly, when it comes to genre (Impressionism, Expressionism, Realism, etc), theme (landscapes, seascapes, still-lifes, figural, etc), or media (water-color, oil, acrylic, pastel, charcoal, etching, lithography, etc), let it boil down down to personal choice, not the current trend; unless you intend to keep changing the art with the changing scenario.
Consider what suits your home and your lifestyle: If you have a rambunctious household filled with kids and pets, there might be safety issues with displaying glass figurines or sharp-edged bronze sculptures
Decide if you’re going to buy for personal pleasure or investment: Get the best original art you can afford, if buying for investment; only original art has serious resale value. For personal pleasure, both original art and reproductions can do. In either case, buy art you can live with. That way, even if the work doesn’t appreciate in the future, you’ll still have a winner.
Take your home design into account: Do you plan on displaying art throughout the house or in specific rooms? What kind of space do you have? Large or small? Choose art according to area size. Large canvases or sculptures stand out spectacularly in large areas and small artworks are more effective in small areas. Go for art that is appropriate to the purpose of the room - you don't have to hang still-life works of food in the kitchen, but you'd be surprised how well they work there!
When deciding on art for your home, the most important thing is to choose .
The style you choose will depend on what kind of you want in the room.
It will be easier for you to choose if you with forms, genres and styles of art.
You should be particularly careful when dealing in art .
Reproductions are a good option if you have .
Before deciding you need to take accoount of as well as what fits with the style of your home.
If you're buying for investment or pleasure, go for something you can .
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: Main idea - choosing art based on personal preference
Correct Answer: what you like
Why this is correct: The passage clearly says that what you like is the main thing when choosing art. The summary sentence paraphrases this as 'the most important thing', so the words what you like fit perfectly.
Passage Reference: You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars, consult an art adviser, or restrict yourself to high-brow art. What you like is the main thing, it is after all your home and the art in it ought to be the sort that gives you joy.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes write your intuition or gives you joy. These ideas appear in the passage, but they are not what the summary asks for. This is a partial truth trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'What you like is the main thing' = Summary: 'the most important thing is to choose [GAP]'
Tips: When a summary says 'the most important thing', look for strong phrases like 'the main thing' in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- intuition = natural feeling
- finicky = very picky
Question Focus: Specific detail - atmosphere in a room
Correct Answer: mood
Passage Reference: Consider also the mood you'd like to create: peaceful, restful, soothing, inviting, vibrant, and so on.
Why this is correct: The passage says you should consider the mood you'd like to create in a room. The summary paraphrases this as 'what kind of ___ you want in the room', so mood is the exact word to copy.
Common Mistake: Some students write style or atmosphere. These are similar in meaning but not the exact word from the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'the mood you'd like to create' = Summary: 'what kind of [GAP] you want in the room'
Tips: Always copy the exact word from the passage, even if a synonym also makes sense.
Key Vocabulary:
- vibrant = full of energy
- soothing = calming
Question Focus: Advice - becoming familiar with art
Correct Answer: acquaint yourself
Passage Reference: Acquaint yourself with different art forms, genres and styles: It always helps to know what you're getting into, what's out there and how to differentiate between priceless, good, or plain chaff. Familiarity with art history as well as the current art scene is a plus. Refer to art books, art magazines and online art sources. Visit art galleries, museums and art shows. Talk to artists, art dealers and art curators. The more you know, the easier it will be for you to zero onto your choice.
Why this is correct: The passage directly advises readers to acquaint yourself with different art forms, genres and styles. The summary shortens this idea, so acquaint yourself is the correct phrase.
Common Mistake: Students may write know about or learn about. These change the wording and are not copied from the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'Acquaint yourself with different art forms' = Summary: 'if you [GAP] with forms, genres and styles of art'
Tips: If the passage uses an instruction starting with a verb, the summary often copies that verb phrase.
Key Vocabulary:
- acquaint = become familiar
- chaff = low quality
Question Focus: Warning - buying art
Correct Answer: online
Passage Reference: Selling and buying art online has made life easier for everyone, but do exercise caution.
Why this is correct: The passage warns that when buying art online, you should be careful. The summary paraphrases this as 'be particularly careful when dealing in art', so online completes the idea.
Common Mistake: Some students write auctions or art fairs. These places are mentioned, but no warning is given about them. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'buying art online has made life easier ... but do exercise caution' = Summary: 'be particularly careful when dealing in art [GAP]'
Tips: Look for warning words like 'caution' or 'be careful'. They often signal a summary answer.
Key Vocabulary:
- caution = care
- dealer = seller
Question Focus: Reason - choosing reproductions
Correct Answer: a limited budget
Passage Reference: Reproductions prints or exact copies in actual materials (not made by the original artist) are great if you have a limited budget, or if the art you absolutely want is absolutely beyond your reac
Why this is correct: The passage says reproductions are great if you have a limited budget. The summary keeps the same meaning, so this phrase fits exactly.
Common Mistake: Students may write less money or small budget. These are not the exact words from the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'if you have a limited budget' = Summary: 'if you have [GAP]'
Tips: Articles like 'a' can be included if they appear in the passage and fit the grammar.
Key Vocabulary:
- reproduction = copy
- original = first, real version
Question Focus: Consideration - home and living situation
Correct Answer: your lifestyle
Passage Reference: Consider what suits your home and your lifestyle: If you have a rambunctious household filled with kids and pets, there might be safety issues with displaying glass figurines or sharp-edged bronze sculpture
Why this is correct: The passage advises you to think about your lifestyle when choosing art. The summary repeats this idea directly.
Common Mistake: Some students write your home. That idea is already mentioned later in the sentence, so repeating it is wrong. This is a partial truth trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'what suits your home and your lifestyle' = Summary: 'take account of [GAP] as well as what fits with the style of your home'
Tips: If the summary says 'as well as', one idea is already given. Look for the second idea in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- rambunctious = noisy and energetic
- figurines = small statues
Question Focus: Advice - final choice of art
Correct Answer: live with
Passage Reference: In either case, buy art you can live with. That way, even if the work doesn't appreciate in the future, you'll still have a winner.
Why this is correct: The passage concludes by advising readers to buy art you can live with. The summary copies this phrase exactly, so live with is correct.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes write afford because money is discussed earlier. This changes the meaning. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'buy art you can live with' = Summary: 'go for something you can [GAP]'
Tips: The final sentence of a passage is often summarised in the last gap. Pay close attention there.
Key Vocabulary:
- investment = something bought to make money later
- appreciate = increase in value
General Tips:
- Summary completion questions follow passage order. Find the answer to gap 1, then keep reading forward.
- Always copy the exact words from the passage. Do not use your own synonyms.
- Check the grammar around the gap. Words like 'you can' or 'you have' tell you what form is needed.
- Watch the word limit. Even one extra word makes the answer wrong.
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