Let’s talk about tiny art and where to display it so that it packs a big punch.
By tiny art, I mean art that is a few inches in size or smaller.
I’m not a designer, but I do pay attention when they all say something to the effect that art needs to have the right scale for a space. Same thing for furniture, lighting, etc.
Scale, scale, scale.
Got it.
Then you find the cutest tiny painting at the thrift store.
Did someone say something about scale?
I tried stepping on one of those once. Didn’t like it.
But I do like finding tiny art. Love it, actually.
I especially like finding tiny paintings because I imagine it must be really hard to edit yourself as an artist on a tiny canvas. You have less space to highlight details, convey mood, and evoke emotion.
It would be like me trying to write a blog post that’s only a few sentences long. That’s a lot of bad puns to cram into a short amount of space. Talk about a punishment.
Jokes aside, generally speaking, it seems like the rule of scale still applies to tiny art.
For instance, I might not put one piece of tiny art on a large wall, but I will group it with a gallery wall of other art of varying sizes.
The surrounding art on a gallery wall anchors the tiny art and, oddly enough, helps it stand out because it is differently sized.
Sometimes tiny art is impactful when it is layered on top of something larger.
In my son’s room, he has a picture of our cat in a tiny 1.5-inch frame. It’s hanging on top of a wood checkerboard.
The combination of materials, an ornate gold frame against a rustic wood checkerboard next to a hat that needs to be dusted, makes you pause and realize there is something special going on here.
It really is special how long it has been since someone dusted that wall. Heaven help us.
Sometimes tiny art is the only art that will fit on a certain wall due to ceiling height and trim.
In that case, you don’t have to think too hard about scale. Finally!
Just hang it and enjoy.
Sometimes, tiny art is sentimental for reasons that make sense only to you.
No matter where you put that art, no matter how many decorating “rules” you break or don’t break, that sentimental art will always catch your eye because it is special to you.
That’s the whole point.
Decorate your home with what YOU love.
Surround yourself with art, no matter how big or small, that makes you feel good every time you look at it.
You’ll have zero regrets.
Do you enjoy tiny art as much as I do? Let me know. You can always comment on this blog post, email us here, or reach out via Instagram or Facebook.
Happy decorating!
Thanks for hanging out with me today. I hope you had fun. If you’d like another blog post to read, I’ve got you covered. Try one of these.
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