Posted by Lauren Jaques - Senior Buyer, Frames and Furniture on 29th Jun 2023
The Benefits of Bedroom Wall Art
Styling your bedroom is about more than just the furniture you put into it. Yes, the ideal bed is key – and we at Bensons for Beds can help with that – but the right décor is a must too. And the best way to add that personal touch? Bedroom wall art. Whether it’s a pretty bedroom canvas print or two or bold murals on your bedroom walls, art is the finishing touch your bedroom needs to help it feel complete.
Not only does bedroom art look great, it’ll also help to create a mood, uplifting you for those get up and go mornings, or evoking a sense of peace for restful nights. Whatever your style and however you want your bedroom to work for you, our quick guide to all things bedroom art will help you to find the perfect piece for your walls.
Bedroom Wall Prints: Why You Should Bring Art Into The Bedroom
People have displayed artworks in their homes for centuries, from cave paintings to the mosaics and sculptures of the Ancient Greeks and Romans and the tapestries of Medieval and Renaissance eras. While our tastes might’ve changed over the years, our walls remain our preferred place to display meaningful images, show off our style and give rooms personality.
The bedroom, in particular, is a great spot for displaying art. More private than the rest of your home, the boudoir is a spot where you can really indulge your creative side without worrying about what judgemental guests think. It’s here that many people choose to display personal pieces like family photos, prints picked up on memorable trips or paintings created by friends or family.
Since your surroundings can have a real effect on your state of mind, it’s important to pick just the right artworks to display in your bedroom, a place where, perhaps more than anywhere else in the home, it’s important to set just the right tone. Colour, as most of us know, can influence our moods, encouraging productivity or restfulness, cheering us up or helping to calm a hectic mind (1). Likewise different imagery can evoke different feelings. Research shows that looking at old photos, for example, can induce feelings of happiness or relaxation (2). Meanwhile, pictures of the sky can inspire and comfort (3), and nature images help improve moods and promote relaxation (4).
Different Types of Bedroom Wall Décor
While you really can’t go wrong with a colourful abstract canvas, there’s so many different types of artwork out there to choose from it’s a shame not to experiment. Mixing up styles and types can also add texture and interest – just be sure to unite your pieces through a colour or a theme to keep things from looking too busy or clashing unpleasantly.
If you’re not sure quite where to start, bedroom prints are a safe bet. From fab photography to pleasant paintings and from stunning seascapes to flirty florals, there’s a print out there to suit you. It doesn’t have to be a well-worn Picasso or Monet either. Plenty of online and high street retailers promote the work of lesser known artists, helping you to find something unique for your space.
Moving away from art prints and photos, there’s an ever-growing market for alternative wall arts. Murals can be commissioned or painted by a willing pal. Macrame wall hangings and string art are increasingly popular among younger homeowners looking for that retro vibe, while wood art panels are a good choice for Japanese and Scandinavian inspired bedroom designs and tin or metal pieces are ideal as industrial-chic finishing touches. In addition, statement wallpapers can stand in for artwork, creating the impression of an enormous wall painting for bedroom personality at a fraction of the cost of a ‘real’ art piece.
Bedroom Artwork on a Budget
Long gone are the days when art for the home meant commissioning an expensive portrait or waving a paddle at Christies. Nowadays, art is affordable for all, and with a little imagination personalised pieces can be created for pence:
- Pop into gallery shops for big artworks at a small price: exit through the gift shop for prints that cost just pounds or postcards that can be framed for an inspirational gallery wall. In addition to big galleries like the Tate and V&A, smaller local galleries also have in-person and online shops where you can purchase versions of your favourite works as well as exhibition posters and work by lesser known artists
- Scour car boots and antiques fairs: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure so dig deep at second hand events for unexpected gems. Remember that unattractive frames can be removed and replaced, completely changing the look of a piece
- Add texture and colour with the unexpected: anything can be turned into a work of art. Frame a vintage magazine cover for a quirky design feature or collect a display of woven bowls for that holiday-at-home feel. For a truly personal finishing touch, why not put your child’s first onesie into a box frame or display favourite necklaces or scarves on an empty wall?
- Make it removable: living in rented? Save yourself the expense of repairing nail holes by choosing temporary picture hooks, available at most large DIY stores, or picking peelable mural wallpaper.
Making Bedroom Wall Art Work For You and Your Home
Accessorising is hard. If you haven’t got the knack here are some tips that may help:
Stick with a colour theme
Knowing your colour story can help you to choose art, accessories and furniture that won’t stick out like a sore thumb. This doesn’t have to mean a single colour – pairing deep blue with mustard yellow or pale pink with rich green, for example, gives you more flexibility than a single tone. Unsure where to start? Be inspired by an artwork, building your scheme around a favourite piece.
Consider the placement of artworks
The spots you choose for artworks can make or break your scheme. Employ a partner to help test out placements or use tape to mark where your frame will go before banging nails in. Break with convention by hanging complementary artworks of the same size lower over bedside tables or creating a gallery wall of mismatched but tonally or thematically linked images around your dressing table.
Match, but not too much
Matchy-matchy isn’t it, but having a cohesive scheme helps keep things sleek. In addition to ensuring artworks and accessories are well-matched be sure that furniture fits with your scheme. We’re not talking pairing blue paintings for bedroom walls with all-blue furniture, but checking that wood frames don’t clash with wooden dressers, for example.
Own your style
If you love clashing colours, go for it! If taxidermy birds are your thing, bring ‘em in! And if that neon pink wallpaper isn’t keeping you awake at night we’re all for it! Your bedroom should be all about you and the things you love.
Style Your Bedroom With Bensons For Beds
We’re no artists but when it comes to decking out your bedroom the Bensons for Beds team really knows its stuff. Helping you prepare your room for those all-important finishing touches, we’ll guide you through choosing a bed and furnishing your room with wardrobes, dressing tables and more. We’ll even help with the practicalities like delivery, removing old furniture and interest free credit, so you can spread the cost of new items, leaving enough in the budget for those finishing touches.
To talk bedrooms or place an order visit a Bensons for Beds showroom or call us on 0808 144 6160.
Sources:
- https://www.colorpsychology.org/
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/rediscovering-joys-old-photos-lockdown/
- https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-sky-clouds-mental-health_uk_6007f4cfc5b62c0057c1925b
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8161053/
