Freshen Up Your Home: Tips from Amy Amdur
January is the perfect time to take stock of the art in your home or office. Refreshing your space can be as simple as changing the art on your walls. Ask yourself: What do you truly love? What pieces do you walk past without noticing? Is the art a relic from a past chapter in your life? Is it faded, or are the colors and subject matter no longer inspiring you?
Quick Quiz: Keep or Toss?
Use this simple quiz to decide which art stays and which pieces might be ready for a change.
- I love this piece of art and smile when I see it.
- Yes = 3 points
- Sometimes = 2 points
- Never = 1 point
- This piece of art is in good condition: crisp, clean, and not faded.
- Yes = 3 points
- No = 1 point
- This piece of art makes a huge statement in my space.
- Yes = 3 points
- No = 1 point
Scoring:
- 9 points: Keep this art! Consider moving it to another location in your home for a fresh look.
- 6-8 points: Time to start thinking about replacing this piece. Art you no longer want can be donated to organizations like The Art Center in Highland Park, which sells contributed art at their annual Recycled Art Sale.
- 3-5 points: REPLACE, REPLACE, REPLACE! Call The Art Center and arrange to drop off your old art.
Plan Ahead for New Art Purchases
We’re just five months away from summer art fairs, which is the perfect time to discover new pieces for your collection. Start planning now! Consider exploring:
- Large-scale photos printed on aluminum
- Mixed media works with rich textures
- Luxurious landscape paintings
- Unique 3D pieces made from glass
Monthly Artist Previews
Every month, we’ll introduce you to up-and-coming artists you’ll want to check out at festivals. Next month, we’ll dive into the art of commissioning: how to do it and why it’s worth considering.