Every home looks amazing with a select few pieces of art to make the area seem more personal. For many, shopping for art is incredibly frightening as it seems prices for most pieces are designed for millionaire budgets. You don’t have to shy away from art prices though because there are actually many different ways you can pick up your signature pieces for a lot less than you would think. There are a few simple ways to transform your art budget into money that will stretch far enough to buy art for every room in the home. Now, you can take all of those bare white walls and transform them into a gallery that shows off your household’s unique personality. So, take a deep breath and prepare to hang up all of your favorite art work without having to stress about the money you lost from the transactions.
1. Buy Prints
One of the biggest mistakes many people make when they’re looking for artwork is they tend to look at original art prices first. This can be pretty frightening for first time buyers as many pieces are in the six figure range. The best thing you can do is look through the original art but refrain from buying the pieces unless you are looking for a major investment. If you find a work of art that you love then write down the name and artist and take the information to a store that sells prints. You should be able to find just about any art in print form for a fraction of the price of the original. One of the best places to look for prints is online as many stores will sell you just what you’re looking for for under $10. Of course, you can always find a print locally, especially if you’re looking for a piece that is iconic. Prints are great because you can get them in many different sizes and they can often be ordered in canvas form.
2. Smaller Scale Artist
Some people love to have original art in their home, but don’t want to spend a fortune. If this is your case then you might want to look around for a smaller scale artist. Most areas have local galleries or list of artist who want to sell their work to the public. One of the best things you can do is look around in these areas to see if there is something that will suit your home and taste in art. Another great place to look is fairs and other local based events. Typically artist will bring a small stock of their work for people to choose from, so act fast. If you are still having trouble finding work then you might want to look online as there as numerous websites dedicated to artist who might have something just for you. When you do choose to buy from a small scale artist you are certainly getting a piece that no one else in town will have. You are also making a great investment as you never know how much something will be worth in the future!
3. Negotiate Prices
Many people catch a glimpse of the prices on artwork in galleries and slowly back away from the area. When you’re visiting a gallery don’t forget that all of the prices aren’t exactly set in stone. If you happen to fall in love with a particular piece then you might want to try to haggle down the price to suit your budget a bit better. Sometimes when you deal with art dealers you might not have as much luck unless they are looking to move in a new artist or exhibition soon. So, try to plan your shopping for a period in which you know something new will be coming in soon. If you’re buying from the artist then you might have a lot easier of a time. Often enough, many artists will allow you to walk away with a pretty good discount if your negotiating skills are up to par. As with art dealers, many artist are also looking to move their work and sometimes they simply need to purchase more supplies, so you could benefit greatly from just asking about a price reduction.
4. Frame Art Yourself
One of the priciest aspects of buying art can be purchasing a frame. You should try to avoid buying art work that is already framed as this could quadruple the price of the art work and leave you with a frame that just doesn’t suit your style. So, if you find work you like make sure to ask for it without the frame so you can save a lot of money. When you do decide to look for a frame for the art then wait for a sale at your favorite craft store. Usually you can find something simple that won’t cost you more than $20! Of course, if you are looking for something fancy then try to wait for a sale and have the work custom framed. You could also take the framing into your own hands if you are accustomed with how to do it. If you do choose to have the art framed then try to choose cheaper options, like using acrylics or glass substitutes.
5. Watch for Sales
Art work is one of the best things to wait on until there is a sale on the item. Many stores online will sell a different set of prints at a lower price each week, so make sure to keep an eye on the work you’re looking to by. If you have a favorite gallery then make sure to talk with the people who work there. A lot of the time when work is moved from one area to the next, or is about to go into storage, then the gallery will try to sell it at a reduced price. This is especially great if you don’t like negotiating as you will get the lowered price just for being patient. Of course, if it is a piece you think you have to have you might not want to wait as a lot of the time the art might sell and you will miss out. Of course, if it is a piece you’re interested in, but aren’t ready to buy, then you might inquire as to how long the sale will be going on. Usually the longer the sales the more the price will drop before the gallery decides to get rid of the piece.
6. Visit Auctions
If you’re just looking around for something to showcase in your home then an auction might be just the place to look. An auction can be a breath of fresh air from someone who doesn’t yet know what they want to place in the home. This is because many auctions have such a wide variety of work that there is a high chance you’ll find something you find interesting. When you go to an auction it is very important to know your spending limits and stick to them. If you feel like you’re going to have a hard time following a budget then pull out the money you can spend and leave your credit cards and bank cards at home. This will ensure that you’re not going to go over budget no matter how much you want to. When bidding try to keep the piece low as you don’t want to over spend on something. You should also always go to the viewing prior to the auction so you will know for sure if you are actually interested in a piece. If you end up losing out on something you actually loved then make sure you take down the name of the art so you can possibly find a copy elsewhere.
7. Second Hand
Buying art work second hand can be one of the most rewarding purchased you can make. Whenever you go to a thrift store make sure to have a look at the art section as you never know what masterpiece you might find in the store. Sometimes you might end up with a cool print, while other times you might actually find an original piece that makes you smile. Either way, the thrift store will sell you art work at a more than fair price. You might also want to consider buying frames from this area as they will be much cheaper than a hobby store and you might even find something that looks incredibly vintage. Yard sales are also another amazing place to work’s of art. Usually you will find some of the more classic pieces, but every now and then you could run into a real treasure that’s looking for a good home. The best thing about yard sales is the price is always negotiable and if the seller sees you really love the piece they might allow you to haggle down the price a lot more than you’d expect.
8. Buy Online
In the digital age it is no wonder that there is a large selection of art work at a reasonable price to choose from. Rather than paying expensive rental fees for a gallery many artist are putting their work online so the world can see and purchase their art. This benefits you greatly as there is no need to raise prices as many of the gallery fees are not applied. It also means you get to choose from a wider variety of art that will suit your home well. Before you end up buying a piece you might want to look around a lot. This will help you from feeling buyers remorse or from ordering a whole lot of art you don’t have room for. Usually when you shop online you will also be able to buy a print instantly so you won’t even have to calculate the price for an original piece.
9. Swap with Friends
One of the best things about having friends who also love art is the two of you can swap out pieces to freshen up the home. This can be touchy for some people so you might want to work out a system that allows you to get the work back when you want it. You can manage the switch much like museums do, so everyone still has rights to their work even though it is in another home. Make sure you swap with someone you trust though as you will want to make sure you art isn’t going to lose value when it is in someone else’s home. Swapping can be a cheap way to keep new art in the home, or it can be a way of sampling some artists’ works to see if you would like their work in the home.
10. Make Your Own
One of the cheapest and funnest ways to keep an art filled home is to make your own. It doesn’t matter what your talents are as there are multiple ways to make art you’ll be proud to show off in your home. You can even get the kids in on the task which will help give the artwork more meaning while also creating memories you’ll share forever. When you go to make some art for the home try to consider your home’s theme, or things that represent your household and work from there. This will give you a piece that not only looks great but holds meaning that you can explain to your guests.
Art work can really make a home stand out, but you shouldn’t have to give up your budget because of it. With these tips you will be celebrating your home’s gallery which will really open up conversations and entertain your guests. Finally, you will be have the home décor you’ve dreamed of, without the price you’ve had nightmares about.
