Art is a crazy thing to work with. It comes in all shapes and sizes, so trying to incorporate it into your decorating scheme can be tricky. It's even harder when you have larger spaces that lack something special, but you're not sure how to make everything work. Read on for a beginner’s guide to decorating with sculptures.
Does It Have Character?
One of the first and most important considerations when decorating with sculptures is if the piece works with you. You don't want to decorate with a statue that, down the line, you realize you never even liked in the first place. For this reason, it's important to consider your own personal taste and art critic instincts when looking for a sculpture. Any decoration, whether in a home, office, or business space, should elicit some positive emotions when you look at it.
Rather than art that simply takes up space, you want a sculpture that inspires you and has a little bit of character. You should also consider how others will react to the piece: Will they like it, talk about it, or talk about how much they dislike it and think it sits very obtusely and gets in their way? Consider all of these things to ensure you decorate your space with a suitable sculpture.
Think About Function
In addition to liking the sculpture, you could also consider making it more functional. Many sculptures serve no purpose other than contributing to the look and feel of a space. They're important and bring a lot of interest to these spaces, but there are also utilitarian sculptures to consider. Some sculptures resemble everyday functional objects like lighting, furniture, or even simple clocks. Functional art can imbue a space with great importance and put these sculptures front and center since everyone will be using/working with them.
Remember Textures and Mediums
Another critical consideration you must make when decorating with sculptures is their medium and texture. Of course, you have to think about color when decorating since you don't want things to clash, but you also don't want a room oversaturated with one specific color. Apply the same thought to texture as well. Artists make sculptures in all kinds of mediums, like ceramic, wood, metal, glass, and plastic, and each of these mediums comes with a specific texture.
Some of these textures can clash and hurt the cohesion of the space you're decorating. Similarly, a room full of analogous things can overwhelm you, so you should avoid this at all costs. Instead, try to keep things light and never go too heavy with a specific texture; instead, use complementary textures to break up a room. For example, a plastic sculpture will clash with a room full of natural materials. Alternatively, a ceramic or glass sculpture would thrive in an environment like this.
Don’t Forget Color
As mentioned previously, color is an essential mood-setter you can add to your space, and you can easily hurt it with your sculpture. A sculpture can either contrast or blend in with the other decorations in a room, and it all depends on what you're trying to emphasize. If you want to highlight the space's color and bring attention to your sculpture, make them contrast. For example, put a dark sculpture against a yellow or tan wall. Make the colors work for you and your vision for the space.
Match Styles
Your sculpture should fit thematically with your space, at least somewhat. Many decorative sculptures can look great in different contexts, but there are others where sculptures feel unnatural. For example, you can place a small sculpture of an elephant almost anywhere, as they're a popular animal and not necessarily making a statement of some sort. A Greek-inspired statue depicting the naked human form, however, would look odd in any context that is not an art collection or museum. Remember to go with what feels natural in your room.
Remember Size
When decorating with sculptures, you have to consider their size. Many sculptures are small, and you can place them almost anywhere, but big sculptures can dominate any room. Take this into consideration when shopping for sculptures to decorate your space. Do you want something that contributes to the atmosphere of a space or something that commands attention and minimizes everything else?
Think About Lighting
In addition to space, style, size, and color, you must also consider where in the room you are placing the sculpture and if the lights illuminate it properly. A sculpture brings a lot to any space, but only if people can actually see it and appreciate its different details. For example, a sculpture next to a lamp or light fixture will draw everyone's attention, but one in a corner with little to no lighting can go unnoticed and forgotten. A great sculpture requires proper lighting to contribute to the room it's in.
Space It Correctly
Above all else, you must know how to properly space your sculpture for the best impact on your space. Is the sculpture close to good lighting elements? Can people see it while sitting or standing? You should also remember that some sculptures have a specific orientation. For example, people would look at animal sculptures head-on, so you must place the sculpture in that proper position so that it is possible and easy to actually look at it.
A great way to display your sculptures is to place them on a pedestal or raised surface, and you may even want to add some other decorative objects around them. Doing this can bring it some more attention, but you can also easily overcrowd it, so be careful.
With this guide to decorating with sculptures, you'll be able to make your space cohesive while giving it some visual flair here and there. If you're uncertain about where to get some high-quality sculptures, look no further than Jesse Nusbaum Art. I have all kinds of pieces you can choose from, including a bronze German Shepherd statue that would look beautiful in any room!
