Nothing brings a room to life like art. Wall hangings are the finishing touches on a room’s decor, and great art can evoke feelings and emotions that change the room profoundly and for the better. Art – whether it’s an oil painting, a photograph, or a poster – is beautiful and meaningful, and it belongs in every room in your home.
TVs? Well, they’re not so beautiful and meaningful. Maybe what is on them is, but when they’re turned off, they’re just an appliance. And tight spaces, while they can be beautiful, rarely give you the comfort that great art does. But here is some good news: with the creative use of art, you can save space in your home and hide unsightly installations. Here’s how.
Hiding your room’s blemishes with art
Hanging art is an art in and of itself – it is generally hung at eye level (not necessarily yours, depending on how short or tall you are), but you can break the rules to hang art creatively between windows, above furniture, or around other art in a gallery style that fits lots of great art on your wall.
But this doesn’t mean that hanging art can’t be practical. Those of us who stuck a poster over a hole or a stain on their dorm room’s wall understand that art is capable of serving a sneaky practical purpose: hiding ugliness.
Of course, you should always keep up with your home’s painting and maintenance needs, and you shouldn’t hide anything significant behind a painting. You also shouldn’t put a painting just anywhere to hide a blemish – while that crayon on your wall doesn’t look great, hanging a painting a foot above the ground will look pretty silly, too. But if you use your art wisely, you’ll find you can get away with a lot. Here are just a few things to consider covering.
- Blemishes, stains, and other marks. Again, this isn’t an excuse for poor home maintenance. But if a greasy spot on your paint is covered up by a framed painting, who is going to know?
- Yes, televisions. Some creative folks mount their televisions in a recessed part of the wall. Since the TV doesn’t protrude from the wall in this set-up, you can hang a painting larger than the recessed part of the wall right over the whole works. For a next-level solution, speak to contractors about installing a system for raising and lowering the painting with the push of a button.
- Wires and electrical systems. Speak to an electrician before you do anything extreme, and keep in mind that you may want to open your fuse box in the dark, which isn’t the best time to pull a family heirloom off the wall. But if your circuit breaker or fuse box is a little too out in the open for your tastes, you can hang art over it and make it disappear. Other electrical installations may also be covered this way – but remember to be safe.
- Space-saving measures. In small apartments, it’s often best to save space by building things into the wall. Ironing boards, tables, and even beds can be built this way. And, if they’re small enough (or your art is large enough) you may be able to cover the whole apparatus up while it’s not in use.
