Do you know what style of artwork you are drawn to? Do you have pieces in your home that sing to your heart? If so, I suggest finding other pieces by the same artist. It does not have to be matchy-matchy for it to look great with your rug. It also does not have to be something that costs a fortune. It could be something your kids have created or a textile or something you come across at a second hand store. When you find it you will know.

Drawn to more simple, transitional pieces. No idea where to look online though

It’s not the driving force, persay but I would like something that is tied togethe. so sure, I guess I dig the “cheap hotel room” look 🤷‍♀️

When I am looking for art I do a Google image search for the style I want to focus on and then see where it leads me. Here is a search for transitional artwork. I also love to find pieces on Ebay.

sm712 -"Cheap hotel room" is a look. Art is expensive. The best resource for abstract art is small children. Have them create a masterpiece in the size you need. Kids around the age of 1-4yo are fantastic abstract artists and their work is usually far superior to most pieces you find that are mass produced imo.

I agree kids art is awesome and you can choose the colors.

I personally love Etsy for artwork, but sounds like you want something curated for you. I would check target and search "abstract art" for some great pieces:

16x20

20x20

47x24

18x36

Multiple sizes

Or you could search "classic art collections" on this site...

Hope this helps!

try art.com You can search for styles that you like (e.g. floral, landscape, abstract) and also by size and color.

I have a mix of wall art in my home. The more expensive pieces are originals purchased from artists at the annual Toronto Outdoor Art Fair and One of a Kind show, and at studio tours which usually take place here in September. But I also have pieces that I've bought very inexpensively from thrift stores (Value Village mostly), even a large original silkscreen print that I'm admiring right now.

I recently purchased a reproduction at art.com to replace an existing reproduction. The frame was the perfect size and shape for over my sofa. We chose a work by an artist that we'd seen and loved in a gallery. Framing can be quite expensive and one budget-friendly approach is to buy a frame that you like inexpensively e.g. thrift store and find a print you love to go in it.

I guess I'm saying that you can get art that you like within your budget.

I love browsing unsplash.com for beautiful photography. Many generous photographers sharing their talent. You can download and use any of the high resolution images free of charge. You could print and have it framed for a custom piece that speaks to you.

@Mila Rose

I had never heard of upslash.com. OMG, I think I will be browsing there all day!

@ilikefriday it’s addictive! I found it last year and have since downloaded the app.

Wait. There is an app too? Ok. Searching for it now!

Unsplash.com is a great resource for artists, as well, whether they are professional or hobbyists. Because you don't need to worry about copyright issues (thanks to the generosity of the photographers), we can use a photo as inspiration to create an 'original' painting, using any medium (oil, acrylic, watercolor) in any style that that suits your taste. If you have any inclination, you can even do it yourself, if you are adventurous and like abstract paintings!

I’m a full time artist. Never buy art to match the sofa or rug. If you buy art you LOVE it will work with your room.

GreatBigCanvas.com

Also to find art, try art and craft shows in your area where you can buy original art from actual artists at reasonable prices and you’re supporting the artists too

Wtf is transitional art????? You could just print out good family photos, that isn’t too costly. If you have any museums or galleries they usually have print shops to purchase reproductions, you can buy prints online. If all you want is decor winners, homesense et al sell the starving artist paintings you might be after.

Someone asked what my style was and I said transitional. not sure the issue

I don’t believe that is an art term, that is a interior decorators term.

I’m a full time artist. Never buy art to match the sofa or rug. If you buy art you LOVE it will work with your room.

Exactly. When you choose artwork based on matching it to your furniture, you create a VERY uninspired, unpersonalized space. And what's the point of decorating a home if it's not to create something that is uniquely you?

Some people aren’t interested in stuff like that, that is what mass produced decor paintings are for. They used to have booths at malls and areas in dept. stores with this stuff, now you get it at home dec stores or online. If you are interested in supporting the community you live in, there are artists who are entry level struggling to make an income or people who make art on a large scale with a consistent style trying to support a family, more like crafts then art.

Wow. Ok, so I never once said I wanted something matching...just looking for something to complement the style of rug, as the majority of our living room works great with it. and I’m fine with mass produced art, some of it looks great and suits me just fine. No idea how that means I’m not a supporter of the community.

I appreciate everyone’s feedback you have given

Well, I'm of the opinion that artwork shouldn't even necessarily complement the furniture, because to me, choosing on the basis of love and love alone is key. But hey, it's your home and your decision, and at the end of the day, these are ALL just opinions ... and you know what they say about those.

My point is simply, that not everyone wants to invest in fine art, they want something to use as decor, but there are other options besides the made in factory/china paintings that are out there, if they are interested.

I rarely shop in B&M stores however last night I found myself in Home Goods. I was really surprised. They had a huge assortment of art. Some of the abstract pieces looked very nice. I was also shocked by the size of some of the pieces. They had a handful of pieces around 5'x5' in the price range of around $200. Honestly, I would consider those pieces in a heartbeat if actual paintings were not available. The piece that I was most drawn to looked like actual paint from afar but up close it was more like a plastic overlay with ridges and grooves. Over a fireplace mantel, it would have been just fine.

As for artwork that is matchy-matchy, I somewhat like art that has a sprinkle of color that compliments the space but does not match completely. It's fine for me if it is even an exact match in tiny doses. As I think about the art in my own home, I have at least a tiny bit of matching going on in all of it. In a couple of cases, it is more than a tiny dose.

Given all that, I stand by my statement that it does not need to be all matchy-matchy to look great. In most cases, matching is a complete turn-off. I think complimenting and coordinating artwork is just fine. I think the best way to go is to find artwork that makes your heart throb no matter where it was purchased or how it was produced. If heart-throbbing were not available, I would still have art in my home, maybe even from Home Goods.

ilikefriday, you used to be able to find original art at Home Goods about 20 years ago and many nice prints with decent frames. These days all the "art" they sell are mass produced plastic looking canvases from China.

I would look for art at local art colleges, etsy, ebay, craft shows, art shows, prints in art galleries, antique shops, etc.

Someone posted this site before. It is the calendar for the art shows/fairs around the country:

https://www.artfaircalendar.com/

@chispa

Ebay is one of my favorite places to look. I have never actually purchased art from there but I have seen some pieces that really appeal to me. Just to be clear, I don't happen to actually own any art from Home Goods or the like though I did purchase a fabulous cutting board from there last night that looks like a piece of art. In fact, I will display it on my countertop as art ;-)

I am more of a diy kind of gal. I am much more likely to try and create my own art than to go out and buy it. I do have a couple of pieces of original art created by local artists. I think I will do as @decorpatti mentioned above and find some things on upsplash.com for inspiration.

I like to switch my art work around in a room, and between rooms. I like to "see" it and find that after awhile I stop looking at it. A change of position makes it visible to me again. My rooms have enough different colors in them that switching works. If you have a monochromatic color scheme then I can see how something might clash. I've accumulated my pieces over the years. In the early years it was posters.

Yeah, I can relate to owning artwork that is related in aspects like color and content. My big, main love is Native American art, and the coloration of my pieces tend to be in the same ballpark due to subject matter. Actually, I was just going to say that I don't have any N.A. artwork that's pink, but that isn't true. I think in the case of collecting what you love, though, the colors will more often than not be, if not matchy, at least cohesive. I dunno -- it's hard to explain. I wouldn't expect to find that my artwork worked well if, for example, I had my large canvas paintings of Lakota warriors in the same space as delicate ballerina prints. But I don't, and I wouldn't, so that's what leads me to believe that discovering what you really love and being selective about what you buy will inevitably translate into an art-filled home that just WORKS.

Also, I've seen large canvas works at Home Goods that I wouldn't hesitate to buy. It's not like there were 37 of them on the floor -- just one of these particular pieces -- and they looked every bit as good as paintings I've seen in galleries. That said, they weren't particularly inexpensive. I remember admiring one very pretty, huge abstract that was $500. (Just try finding gallery pieces that are comparable in that price range. And good luck.)

I agree, that I, without even trying, keep buying stuff that is the exact same colour. I do have styles I gravitate towards and stuff I would never buy. But even so it can be a bit hodge podgey. If you have no idea of where your tastes lie, look at a lot of images, make a scrapbook if it helps. The next time you see something that fits those parameters you will feel more sure. I do that with clothes as I shop thrift stores, I “shop” fashion magazines and in new stores so when I see a gem that is used, it is easier for me to feel more sure. I even used to bring my sons pants and shirts and way back in time, an outline of his feet, with me to make sure the fit would work. You can do the same with pictures, measurements, colour samples etc.

Hi sm - I have purchased original art and reproductions on Etsy. Here is one I saw yesterday that caught my eye.

Mountain Art Print Mid Century Modern Wall Art Landscape | Etsy · More Info