The Power of Small Paintings

There are so many benefits and uses for small paintings; most of my own collection are on the smaller side for ‘largely’ practical reasons - funds available for adding to my collection, and wall space!

I love what fellow artist Janet Taylor says about the beauty of small paintings:

“Everyone loves a big painting--they make a big statement and can be the focal point of a room, but small paintings are a hugely important part of any interior design as well.

They add variety and polish, filling out the visual texture of your home, and they can be used in places large paintings can't. Small paintings can be moved around more easily than larger paintings when you want to re-arrange your art, and because a smaller size comes with a smaller price point, they're a great way to build your art collection.”

Really, what’s not to love?!

Here are some display ideas featuring some of my smaller paintings, to help you build your own collection.

Intimate corner

This painting, fittingly titled ‘Ode’, brings an extra layer of creativity to a musical corner of the home.

The palette ties in beautifully here, which is a great tip for creating a particular feel to an area, although there’s a difference between tying in and getting too rigid about having everything matching.

Your art collection, like your home, is a reflection of your uniqueness. We don’t live in perfect show homes, and to me, the best criteria for buying art is always because you love it. It will all work together because the common denominator is you and what you love.

Gallery Wall

A gallery wall can be any combination of paintings, prints, and other wall hanging art. Varying sizes and types brings visual interest and can become a beautiful feature and talking point in a room. Common places for gallery walls include above a sofa, on a large kitchen or hallway wall, or going up the stairs.

In this case, three small paintings have been grouped together in my kitchen. I like to lean paintings because sometimes I have commitment issues. 😉

They work beautifully with the soft white walls, coastal cushions, and wood tones of the room, and tie in with the branch I found in the woods that hangs in the porch behind.

Find out more about each painting from left to right:

Shelf

I love a shelf arrangement with art. It’s so easy to change up, and fun to move things around and play with your home accessories to find different configurations.

Here, Running Tide fits in beautifully with coastal finds and natural elements. {It’s not framed here but this can easily be arranged for you.}