A well-chosen piece of art can transform a good-looking living space into a perfect one, bringing bare walls to life and injecting personality.
From iconic masterpieces to abstract designs and classic photography, it is now easier than ever to find affordable artwork to suit your taste and budget from the comfort of your couch. But with so much choice out there, selecting the right piece can be bewildering.
How to pick art for your home
There is no right or wrong when it comes to picking art prints for your home.
“Art has the ability to make your home feel unique and selecting the right print should be personal,” says Alice St Clair, Assistant Director of the London Original Print Fair.
“You are going to live with it, so you have to love it and be drawn to it. You should hopefully feel something when you look at it, just as you might when you watch a good film or read a good book,” she adds.
While art does not have to match your paint colour and furniture, picking pieces that complement the overall design of your space can give your room a more cohesive look.
Try mixing artwork from different styles and periods. “Contemporary pieces can look brilliant in a traditional building with period features, while a modern space could be interesting with some classic art,” adds St Clair.
How to arrange art on your wall
Once you’ve chosen that all important piece, you just need to figure out where to place it.
“Hanging artwork as a pair or in a group can look great,” continues St Clair. “That is one of the advantages of buying prints, as they are more affordable, so sets can be an option.”
A curated gallery wall displaying clusters of photography, posters and prints can transform bland walls and create a focal point in your home.
“Gallery walls allow flexibility with artwork sizes, themes and the way they are framed. It can be carefree, which is less intimidating for new art collectors as you really can’t go wrong,” shares St Clair. “Art lining the wall of a staircase can look fantastic too, while one large, bold piece placed in one of the busier spots in your home – like the dining room or hallway can make an impact.”
How to hang art
When it comes to placement don’t hang pictures too high. Follow the museum and gallery model and hang it at eye level – around 57 inches from the floor. If it’s going over a dining table or sofa it should be around 30cm over the top. Hanging several pieces? Lay your artwork on the floor first to see how they work together, starting with the largest piece at the centre.
If you don’t want to drill holes in your wall, prop your pieces on a picture shelf, floor or counter or use Command Strips. These less permanent options are a good solution for those who might like to swap or update their artwork.
Whether you’re looking to expand your gallery wall collection, add an affordable classic from an established artist or grace your wall with a piece from an emerging talent, there’s plenty of unique and affordable art to be found online. We’ve rounded up some artwork to suit all budgets, tastes and interiors.
Here are our top picks.
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A Little bit of London ii by Jayson Lilley
Best for: urban landscape lovers
Fans of the Big Smoke will be drawn to this print by Jayson Lilley. The British contemporary artist has a passion for urban landscapes and many of his pieces feature iconic architecture and familiar landmarks from famous cities. His work is on show in several London and New York hotels.
We’ve been swooning over this hand finished screen print from Lilley’s London Collection featuring landmarks such as The Shard and The Gherkin against a shimmering gold leaf sky – viewed from One Tree Hill in South London.
Prints are hand finished, with paint, pen and ink, which makes each piece slightly different to the other adding texture and bringing it to life.
This affordable print is part of a variable edition of 50 – it comes signed, numbered and printed on high-quality archival museum board. At under £200, from a creative of this calibre, the print is a steal. Framing is also available at an extra cost.
Measures 24 x 51cm.
Buy now £195.00, Enter Gallery
Slim Aarons Hotel Du Cap Eden-Roc from Enter Gallery
Best for: Photography fans
If you’re a fan of 20th Century celebrity chic, the Slim Aarons photography collection offers just that.
Aarons was an army photographer who vowed to capture ‘attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places,’ after returning from the Second World War.
He travelled the world photographing the rich and famous, providing a glimpse into their glamorous lives.
This captivating shot of guests by the pool at Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc in the French Riviera, was taken in 1976 by the legendary lensman.
The image of a bygone world instantly adds a classic retro vibe to your living space. Place it on its own or as part of a gallery wall. It’s available from Brighton’s Enter Gallery who stock it in eight different sizes in addition to 300 other affordable prints from Aarons. If your budget allows, you can also have it framed. Go for a white frame, which really brings out the vibrant colours of the print.
Measures 20 x 25cm.
Buy now £100.00, Enter Gallery
The Kiss 1908 Framed Art Print by Gustav Klimt
Best for: Classic art enthusiasts
Painted between 1907-1908 during the height of what scholars dubbed Gustav Klimt’s ‘golden period’ in which a number of his artworks were inspired by Byzantine mosaics, ‘The Kiss’ is a truly iconic creation. This summer, as Klimt: The Immersive Experience arrives in the Capital the work of the Viennese painter is destined to have a revival. Described as sensual and romantic, the painting depicts a couple embracing, their bodies entwined in elaborately decorated robes against a stunning gold leaf background. This high-quality art print is sure to hold a powerful presence on your wall. Available from Exact-Art.com, it comes printed on museum fine art paper, which emphasises the tones in the print. It’s available in four sizes and comes framed and mounted in an excellent quality wooden frame - all at an impressively affordable price point.
Measures 30 x 40cm.
Also available unframed at Etsy (£19.89)
Buy now £61.99, Exact-Art.com
Ramen Print by Violet Studio
Best for: Foodies
Upgrade bare kitchen walls with this contemporary print inspired by Japanese Ramen bars. Violet Studio’s work is focused on classic graphic design and fun poster art.
This versatile red-on-beige design will work with all backdrops without dominating the space. The print, published by Brick Lane-based East End Prints, is available in A2, you can opt for a ready-to-hang frame made from high obeche wood and an acrylic glaze, which is optically the same as glass, but lighter in weight and safer to hang.
Buy now £65.55, La Redoute
Little Pearl by Ästhet from Paper Collective
Best for: Minimalism
The clean simplicity of line art has made it one of the biggest interior design trends of the year - seen on everything from vases to cushion covers to artwork.
This delicate print by German artist and designer Ästhet interplays fine lines and a muted colour palette. A single line of string wraps around and over the central pearl – this line acting as a journey from the ocean to jewel that highlights the beauty found in nature. Produced in Sweden and printed on matt, high quality paper the print is available in four sizes. It’s unobtrusive, but intriguing, bringing a sense of calm to your space. It’s the perfect art piece for those who favour minimalism.
Measures 30 x 40cm.
Buy now £41.65, Amara
The Golden Bough Vintage Archive Poster Print from Print Sisters
Best for: A vintage look
Floral and nature-inspired pieces are timeless and you can usually find hues to suit your interior colourway. The Print Sisters specialise in vintage archive prints that date back to the 1800s. Designed in 1925, The Golden Bough is an enchanting, whimsical print of the Willow Tree, which features in Greek, Celtic and Roman mythology.
We love the subtle colour palette, which will sit beautifully in any home. It comes printed on environmentally-friendly bamboo paper, which gives the piece a textured look. It also comes numbered - there are only 500 prints available, so a great way to add a unique piece to your collection. The print comes unframed and is offered in an assortment of sizes depending on your wall size.
Measures 30 x 40cm.
Buy now £50.00, Print Sisters
Shot Blue Marilyn, 1964 Framed Art Print by Andy Warhol from King & McGaw
Best for: Adding a splash of colour
Andy Warhol’s vibrant reproduction of Marilyn Monroe’s portrait is predicted to become the most expensive artwork ever to sell at auction. The iconic ‘Shot Sage Blue Marilyn’ goes on the block in New York next month, and auctioneer Christie’s is expecting bids in the region of $200m. Pick up this pop art print for your own home at a fraction of the price from King & McGaw who are licensees for producing Andy Warhol prints in Europe, which means that their prints are created with approval of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
This generous sized print is the only blue Marilyn you can buy and it will infuse vibrancy into neutral interiors. It comes framed and ready to hang. Frames are available in five colours and they are beautifully handmade in Sussex. With a crisp print quality this is probably the best you will find at this price point.
Measures 78 x 78cm.
Buy now £175.00, King & McGaw
Colour Block Painting No2 by Desenio
Best for: Those on budget / Gallery walls
On a tight budget? Head to Desenio – a Swedish online brand that stock over 9,000 purse-friendly art prints and posters in a range of sizes. With prices starting from £6, this is a great place for those looking to stock up on multiple prints to create a feature wall. Pastel shades are making a comeback this season and the brand’s latest Candy Shop collection includes a host of prints with this playful colour theme. This graphic colour block print boasts sugary shades of earthy pink, lilac and mint green to add an on-trend finish to your walls. While this print is bold enough to work on its own, it will look equally fabulous teamed with a retro typography print in a similar colour palette. Measures 30 x 40cm.
Buy now £8.42, Desenio
Petrel’s Rest by Emma Tweedie Art
Best for: Nature-inspired art
Shopping independent allows you to communicate directly with an artist and learn more about their pieces. Working between London and her native Northern Ireland, Emma Tweedie describes her work as semi-abstract impressionist paintings that provide an escape.
Her latest collection ‘The Mind’s Eye’ is based around calm and relaxing ‘mindscapes’ to help people destress and unwind. Petrel’s Rest is an atmospheric piece inspired by the wild Atlantic coastline. The layers of acrylic, claypaint, watercolour and pastels in a soft, muted colour palette gives it a soothing and almost ethereal feel, making it perfect for adding a sense of tranquility to a bedroom or living room space. Professionally photographed, each print is hand signed and numbered, plus limited to only 50 prints, maintaining an aspect of exclusivity. Measures 60 x 60cm.
Buy now £190.00, Emma Tweedie Art
Seas the Day Framed Canvas by Green Lili
Best for: Making a statement
A favourite of the Instagram interior set, Green Lili specialise in modern framed canvas artwork with a nature-inspired colour palette. Designed to work in Bohemian, Scandi and Industrial-rustic interiors, all pieces are created by Sheffield-based artist Michelle Collins.
With prices starting from £23 and 250 pieces to pick from, including 40 canvases – there’s something to suit all tastes. If your room doesn’t have a natural focal point, an oversized piece like ‘Seas The Day’ can make a real impact. This Japandi style (Japanese meets Scandi) abstract canvas features large blocks of black and white against a neutral background to bring a bold yet minimal representation of a coastal outcrop. If you want to go big, this 75 x 105cm canvas is the perfect statement piece. It comes beautifully framed, plus it can be flipped around and hung in any orientation you like adding to its versatility.
Buy now £185.00, Green Lilli
Verdict
When it comes to quality the King & McGaw prints are crisp and bold with high standard framing, that doesn’t cost a bomb. With almost 10,000 prints to pick from you are certain to find something appealing. Those looking for something more unique and limited, can’t go wrong with Jayson Lilley’s A Little Bit of London ii - a truly striking, high-end print for your home. It will sit well solo or accompanied by other pieces.
