Good morning, everyone. We’ve been thinking about art lately and thought it would be fun to go creative. The best way to add personality to your home is through art, and it can take on many forms. Art doesn’t have to just be a painting, print, or photo. In fact, if you do something a little different or outside the box, as they say, it will be more interesting and will say more about you and your tastes and interests. We have some great creative art for your walls, and maybe they will spark some creative ideas you can use in your own homes.
For instance, we love to bicycle. One of our favorite pieces of art, which also is a great conversation piece, is a pennyfarthing bicycle that was built in 1880. We treat it like a piece of sculpture and have it leaning against the wall rather than hanging on the wall. Everyone who comes to our home always stops, looks it over, and comments on it. It’s one of those things I would grab on the way out the door if we had to make an emergency exit.
Another one of our favorite pastimes is traveling. Jordan framed a world map that she ordered from Amazon. It is now hanging in her den, and every time they visit a new country, they mark it on the map with a tiny flag. If you prefer to stay closer to home, you could do the same thing with a map of the United States or your state, and just mark the places that you visit.
We have sheet music from songs written during World War I hanging on Mr. Right’s office walls. You can see them on the stacked on the right wall above. We found them in my grandfather’s barn when they had his estate sale. We aren’t particularly musical, but our family has a history in the military. My grandfather fought in World War I, and the framed music sheets pay homage to him. It is colorful, vintage, and the illustrations reflect those times. You can easily find old sheet music at flea markets, vintage shops, Amazon, and at online auction sites. It is usually inexpensive. We bet you can find sheet music based on your hobby, interests, or beliefs.
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Here’s another wall idea, if you are a music lover. Cover a wall with vintage album covers. You could pick your favorite artists, or you could just hang certain covers because you like the colors, the music genre, or the artwork. They, too, are available on Amazon. Just type in the musical artist or band you are looking for, and they’ll appear, just like this one from Nat King Cole. Our son (be sure to check out his music blog) loves music. He has a few album covers in his office, and they look amazing. Hanging them is a perfect way to personalize a space.
Another personal way to decorate your walls is to hang letters written by your children or by a relative. I framed these two post cards written during World World I by my grandparents. They were “courting,” and my grandfather sent a post card to his girlfriend asking her to wait for him until he returned home. She sent back a card to him that said “I will be waiting for you.” I love having this on our wall to show part of our family’s history. I was named after her.
Of course, plates and mirrors are an easy and popular way to adorn your walls. Mirrors create light, movement, and reflections, and if they are hung opposite a window, they’ll create the illusion of a larger space. Plates come in every style, color, and shape imaginable and will complement any décor style.
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And please don’t think that posters are just for college dorm walls. Posters that are reproductions of old posters are very colorful and affordable and often come in a variety of sizes. All colors, sizes, and categories can be found in online shops. The nice thing about buying a reproduction to frame is that you can find them in different sizes. All vintage-like posters don’t have to be huge.
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A few more ideas that are fun and easy are framed advertisements from vintage magazines and illustrations from children’s books like this one. Artists in the past often worked as ad and book illustrators to help pay their bills. You might get the work of a famous artist for just a few dollars in a reproduced book today.
You can see that wall art doesn’t always have to be traditional art. Just use your creativity and combine it with your tastes and interests and have fun decorating your walls.
Take care.
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mary crain says
this has inspired me! LOVE the bike!
kathy says
I love, love, love this post! That pennyfarthing bicycle is fabulous! I would grab it first in a fire too! I also love the postcard. How sweet is that! I do think a person’s art says so much about them…and can be so fun for conversation. I have framed labels from my great grandfather’s cannery in my kitchen.. I also have a place where I sell vintage items. Old posters and framed sheet music are good sellers. I have an old Dick and Jane teacher’s poster that I am waiting to frame and put in a children’s bathroom. I have parting issues with it.
Jordan says
Kathy,
Ohhh I bet the Dick and Jane teacher’s poster will look adorable in a children’s bathroom!
Janette says
Kathy, this all sounds wonderful – especially the Dick and Jane poster.
Missi Baker says
Oh, no! Bill Bennett book as a classic children’s book! Or is that your way of sneaking in your political affiliation! “Lub” you gals!
Janette says
Missi, I had to google William J. Bennett to see what you were referring to. I didn’t even make the connection. We avoid politics here on the blog, so it is definitely not a political statement.