Simplifying the Art on the Walls

May 13, 2016

Hello all! Hope you've had a great week and have a wonderful weekend planned! I'm back with a quick post about some changes I made to a couple walls in the house. I LOVE the new art so wanted to share it with you. :)

I've been busy purging the house (see my latest progress here) and along the way I can't help but see butterflies and switch gears to smaller projects around the house. It slows me down but I can't resist the pull of getting these easy projects done. 

A couple of them involve hanging some art I've purchased over the past few weeks. When we took a wall down in our family room a couple years ago there was one wall I wasn't sure what to do with by the end of the renovation. I ended up hanging some of our son's art to fill it:
White board and batten

I knew they wouldn't stay forever but I wanted to wait till I found exactly what felt right. 

It took a couple years but I found it while walking through Hobby Lobby a couple weeks ago: 
Board and batten family room

Watercolors really speak to me lately -- I just love them. This one made me smile as I walked by and I kept going back to it over and over.

But it had PINK. Could I add pink in our family room? Was it too girly? I don't have pink anywhere else in the room. Is that even allowed??

I couldn't resist it. I think it's so pretty and it makes me happy when I look at:
Analytical gray Sherwin Williams

So far the husband hasn't said anything so I'm allowing a little pink into our lives. ;) 

I'll find a new spot for the Bub's artwork because I love it too -- but lately I prefer something simpler like this art to a gallery wall. I used to love a wall of scattered frames but now I'm more drawn to symmetrical displays like in our living room: 

The other piece I found recently was at Target and I LOVE it. We have a small wall in our mud room where I hung a small gallery wall. I've known for some time now that I wanted to replace that with something simpler: 
Beadboard high on wall

When I saw this Target watercolor art weeks ago I knew it would be perfect: 
Watercolor art Target

The colors are so beautiful and the simple design is just what I wanted. 

It goes perfectly with the blue green trim in the room: 
Dark trim white walls

I knew that gallery wall was too much, especially after I hung the command center on the wall to the right. (It is working so well by the way!) That has enough going on and I needed to simplify things in here. 

The Target art isn't a canvas -- it's printed on a hard background. The floral print from HL is a canvas and was something like 75 percent off! I'm so glad I didn't pass it up. I found both within the past few weeks so I'm betting you could find them as well. I usually make most of the art on our walls but both of these spoke to me, love them. :) 

Are you a gallery wall fan or do you prefer something simpler like one piece of art? I think gallery walls are easier because you can find frames at Goodwill and transform them so inexpensively -- finding the right size and look for art is much more difficult. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! See you back here next week! 

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Comments

  1. Beautiful! Gallery walls are pretty nice, but it is easy for them to end up looking cluttered. This is a nice change!

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  2. Love both of those! Watercolors always get me, too! There's something so fresh and vibrant about a good watercolor. :)

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  3. I love the new purchases. The colors go beautifully in your home. I like both gallery walls and a single piece of art depending on the space. I sometimes struggle with putting up gallery walls though because I never get them straight and exactly the way I envision them...need to work on that. Enjoy your weekend!
    Shelley

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  4. I had a gallery wall in my living space until recently. I'm feeling the need for less clutter (like you) and am drawn more now to a simpler look. I adore what you found at HL! It looks great. I'm not a "pink" person, but I see it has darker colors.
    Brenda

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  5. Both of the new pieces you purchased look lovely! I'm actually headed out to pick up a couple frames to make a grid hanging in our hallway. I still love a gallery wall but sometimes they just don't fit the space.

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  6. I think I prefer a single piece of art over a gallery wall for one reason.....it would drive me out of my mind to have even one frame hanging crooked. Like, bonkers! Love your new art - and your home. Your beautiful home always screams 'cozy' to me!

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  7. Love both pieces. I love gallery walls for displaying family photos in a cohesive way, but prefer individual pieces to make a statement in a room. I tend to be in the less is more camp.

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  8. I just bought that same print from Target a few days ago and hung it in my stairway going upstairs.

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  9. Hi - LOVE that you added a bit of pink! I like both gallery walls and having one statement piece.

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  10. Love your pictures. I have been using some of my own photography in my place. They are very good on canvas and add a nice touch with the nature scenes. People have even asked to buy some of my work on canvas! Makes me feel good!

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  11. Sarah - this is off topic from the pictures (which look really nice btw), but could you tell me how tall the ladder is you have against the wall with the blankets on it? I want to get one for my great room, but keep going back and fourth between a 5ft and 6ft - hmmmmmm......maybe a 4 ft?? How do I decide? Thanks!

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  12. I have also renovated some of the parts of my place. replaced my old furniture with the new one I bought from woodlers.co.uk and was stuck at what to do with the walls. Can just use your idea to recreate mine. Don't mind and get copy-write warning issued against me :D
    Thanks!!!

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  13. Great choice for the single print in your mudroom! It seems to fit better next to the busier wall with your command center :)

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  14. Your new watercolors are so refreshing for Spring/Summer in your rooms. Amazing how much they lighten up feel of rooms. Do you use command strips to hang your art? You work so hard to keep your walls clean/painted, wouldn't think you'd litter walls with nail holes.
    I need to get some command strips to prevent too many holes on wall where gallery now hangs, think am ready to disassemble gallery wall for while. Have had it up for year or more. Have changed art on gallery but feel need to simplify myself. Just too much to deal with for now anyway. Too many pieces to dust, our house is dust magnet.
    Do you think simplifying has to do with the season? I have crowded feeling there's too much in room, including on tables. You've sure motivated me, lets get this done so we can be free for summer, yeahoo.
    Have wonderful weekend

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  15. Your simpler artwork looks great. I finally did a (one) gallery wall. All the same PB frames in the worn wood and filled them with Minted artwork. If you love watercolors check out Minted if you haven't! I have never considered myself a modern girl but some of the colorful watercolors I LOVE and plan on getting. One note--you can put them in your own frames but the photos don't bleed to the edges. They put a white border around everything.

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  16. The watercolor art looks fresh. Pink is fun, live a little!

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  17. Love the changes! Much more streamlined. Can you tell me where you got the Ikat lumbar pillow on the white armchair? A couple of those would go perfectly on my sectional. Or did you make it?

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  18. They look great! Where is that fantastic chair from, the white one with the wood spindle legs? Thanks!!

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If you have a specific question I will do my best to answer you back here!

You can find our paint colors and links to items at the "Our Home" tab at the top of my site.

THANKS so much for reading!