Savvy luxury marketing professionals are capitalizing on this connection, partnering with artists and galleries to use fine art in staging homes and enhancing real estate soirées.  

So where does one start in using art to stage a home?  First, staging is not the same as decorating.  Barb Schwarz, who originated the staging concept in 1972, explains:  “Decorating means personalizing your space—staging is about depersonalizing it.”  The trick is to highlight the home’s attributes and create the right atmosphere, while retaining a broad appeal that will resonate with buyers across genres.   

But there is an art to selecting and placing the appropriate art to enhance your listing.  For guidelines, we spoke with Lucille Blair, a New York City-based international art buyer and consultant, who began her career working at Christie’s in New York and London.  “The idea,” she advises, “is to present art that enhances a theme or interior, but does not necessarily limit the visitor’s ability to envision other possibilities for the home.”

Factors to Consider

The type of art you choose—and where and how you place it—will have a great impact on the mood you create.  The size of the rooms, the wall space, and when and where natural light falls all have a profound effect on the choice of art.  Art can create an element of drama in a nondescript room, giving height to a low ceiling space, or help expand a narrow one. 

Enhance a Neutral Color Scheme

Certain types of art naturally lend themselves to neutral color schemes and environments.  Simply framed black-and-white photographs, abstract paintings in candy-box pastels, ochre, Earth tones, and shades of grey are all soothing and inoffensive.  Botanical prints, architectural drawings, and lush landscapes also work well.

Other ideas include strategically-placed Chinese Export china (blue and white complements a variety of interiors), abstract sculptures in bronze or marble, framed children’s drawings in a child’s room, and large photographs of landscapes such as seascapes or wide vistas—images that stretch the eye.  All are works that make a statement without conflicting with the décor.

Framed black-and-white photography works in both contemporary and traditional settings.  “Oddly enough,” Blair advises, “abstract work is probably one of the most successful genres when it comes to adding a finishing touch to a room because it is capable of enhancing a wide range of interiors.”

Enhance the Character or Period

Art can be an effective means of enhancing a particular style or period of a home.  Botanical prints or Victorian genre paintings look fabulous in an English Country or Manor home, while architectural prints are a natural fit for Neo-Classic residences.  Traditional hunting scenes or portraits of horses work well in English Country or Tudor style homes, as do watercolors and simple landscapes.  Hunting and sporting pictures are great in a lodge.  Period portraits enhance a Colonial home.  Mediterranean-style or Spanish Mission homes can be enhanced by Picasso prints, by rich, Matisse-like colors, or by charcoal drawings arranged in a group.

The dramatic features of a Contemporary home will be highlighted by both medium and large scale Contemporary art, including Calder-like mobiles, abstracts, black and white photographs, Warhol prints, and works similar to those of Hockney, Wayne Thiebaud, and Diebenkorn.  A canvas of just one color—such as a deep Yves Klein blue or burnt yellow—can offer serene pools of color to a beach house.

“There is something to be said about taking a risk with good contemporary art,” Blair counsels, and she encourages both agents and clients to explore the opportunities that Contemporary art—and Abstract art, in particular—can offer in a traditional space.  “Abstract art accommodates a wide variety of environments, and can lend excitement and drama to an otherwise predictable interior.  It is surprisingly calming, and can be very generic and ‘safe.’” 

To create a particular ambiance, Blair recommends focusing on one genre.  Figurative work—such as certain Warhol images, Gerhard Richter, or Hockney—can be very effective, and can work in both traditional and contemporary homes.  And while it might be easier to place portraits or lush 19^th century landscapes in more traditional homes, it would be equally appropriate to hang abstract art.

With Minimalist homes, however, Blair offers a word of caution:  “One must be especially judicious in placement of art, as it becomes an integral part of the space and interacts with the architecture, as well as with the decorative side.”

Enhance the Architecture

Art can be used to enhance specific features and architectural elements of a home.  You can use it to highlight a home’s individuality by pulling out architectural details that may go unnoticed, such as texture, space, fixtures, or colors.  This can be especially important when working with an unoccupied home, Blair suggests, as “vacant homes lack energy.”  Art breathes life into a room, adding a sense of value and importance.  It decorates without being fussy, implies a personal touch—and collecting art is perceived as a luxury!

Art can accentuate fabulous wall space, brighten up a non-descript corridor (by placing art work along one wall), or highlight the possibilities of a curiously-shaped room.  It can pull together varying architectural elements, such as a sweeping staircase and a vast foyer.  Art can be used to draw together a wide range of furnishings, to strengthen interesting details, and to conceal mistakes. 

A room with large, oversized windows or glass doors can be dramatically supported by a sculpture or one large, monochrome abstract work hung on the wall between the windows.  While the view should be the focal point, placing art in such a scene can serve to pull the visitor back into the realm of the room.  Blair recommends only using abstract art in such an environment, as it can echo the colors of the landscape, and bring harmony to a room which is undoubtedly dominated by the drama of the view.

Challenging spaces–such as large rooms that lack intimacy, rooms that appear small or narrow, or instances in which the furnishings lack character—provide an opportunity to be creative with art placement, working to minimize the problems and enhance the strong features of the home or room.

The amount of light, the theme and existing décor of the house, and key architectural elements are all important considerations, as is working within the confines of an existing color palette—“although an occasional splash of color in a neutral environment is a sophisticated touch.”

Steer Clear

As the goal is to appeal to a broad cross-section of the market, Blair cautions against the use of certain genres when staging a home.  While ethnic or folk art is fabulous in the many settings, it may not have broad appeal.  Sculptures of nudes may be offensive.  Likewise, paintings of nudes, icons, and religious works should all be avoided, unless the works are Old Masters.

Stay away from neon-bright abstract paintings, very large photographs, unframed canvases, framed cartoons and/or posters, and portraits of family members, unless the latter date from a prior era.  The same goes for art that makes a political statement, and military or battle scenes—unless they are portraits of Generals hung in a home large enough to support large 19^th c. paintings.

Western art has a niche appeal, but should only be hung to stage a ranch, lodge, or luxury cabin.  And, while traditional hunting and sporting scenes can work well in an English Country or Tudor-style home, paintings of dogs and cats generally just don’t work.

Installation art—the type with swirling limbs, bits of string and wire, etc.—is off-putting to many people, and may contribute little to the overall ambiance of the room.

Finally, be wary of art which is too big, does not fit the décor, clashes with the color scheme, or is simply bad art!  The art should bring the various elements of a room together, rather than shout and consume or define a space. 

Sculpture v. Painting

With its age-old, timeless quality, Blair says that “sculpture definitely makes a different statement than a painting,” and marries well with both contemporary and traditional homes.  While paintings can play a more versatile role than sculpture, they are not necessarily as dramatic. 

A simple abstract sculpture invites the visitor to view the room from varying focal points, engaging them in an unexpected dialogue with the space.  Sculpture can alter the dynamic of a room, either devouring the space if the work is too large or, alternately, enhancing an important aspect of the space with its ability to draw attention to a dramatic alcove, or to a wall between two very large windows.

Sculpture can work wonderfully if you have a lack of wall space or a small room.  Even a very large room can benefit from the presence of an abstract piece in bronze, glass, marble or wood.  Asian sculpture can be successful in almost any interior, while Chinese Export ceramics provide an interesting juxtaposition with furniture and other art.   Tribal art is truly exciting but does not have universal appeal, whereas Asian art is more familiar and integrates easily with a number of interiors.

Lighting and space are particularly important when considering sculpture.  Oversized sculpture can dwarf even a good sized room, yet it may also enhance the perception of a room’s vastness.  While paintings have the capacity to pull together a room, sculpture—if one is not careful—can be the entire focus of a room.

Framing the Issue:  Match the House or the Art?

While there is much debate on the issue, Blair believes the most consistent approach lies in focusing on the work of art, itself.  “The frame should simply enhance the picture,” she advises, complementing both the style and period of the work. 

Particularly when working with art of a given style or school, priority must be given to honoring the school or period, rather than matching the frame to the color scheme or décor of the home.  For example, when selecting a frame for an abstract painting destined to be hung over an oversized, stuffed sofa in a traditional home, the frame should enhance the painting, rather than the match the sofa. 

Matting is also an important element in the overall look and feel of a piece of art, and should generally be muted, in shades of pale browns, beige, and cream.

Framed drawings complement each other when grouped together.  While groupings are typically made of like-framed pieces, Blair says that an occasional use of miss-matched frames can also work in the right setting, creating a more whimsical style.

Location, location, location!

The choice and placement of art depend on the atmosphere you are working to create, Blair says.  Although art can function as the only decorative element, one needs to be cautious to avoid creating a gallery or museum atmosphere, as the objective in staging the home with fine art is to help visitors envision themselves living in the space.

Art tends to look best when it appears to extend the lines of furniture, windows, or doorways.  Foyers are ideal for both paintings and sculpture.  Other great locations are in a dining room, a library, arranged along a stairway, or hanging over a sofa anywhere in a house.  The general rule on hanging art over a sofa is that it should be hung no more than 3 to 6 inches higher than the sofa back. 

Lush abstract paintings enhance entry ways and hang nicely over fireplaces (although valuable art should not be hung over a fireplace if the client intends to use it!). Several small pieces grouped together also work.  A sultry black and white photograph can enhance a bedroom (for example, jazz singers, misty sunsets or dawns, or orchids). An abstract painting can be stunning in an entry hall, as can a sculpture or ceramic vase on a pedestal in an empty room.

A contemplative work will be harmonious hung over an armchair in a reading corner.  A whimsical abstract painting can contribute to the lightness of a family room.  Kitchens and bathrooms are made more personal hung with sets of prints and small watercolors.  While symmetrical groupings are simultaneously both soothing and formal, asymmetrical arrangements create a light-hearted and casual feel to a room. 

Wrong Art, Bad Effect

It is extremely important to achieve a sense of balance between the art and furnishings.  The art should bring together the various elements of a room, rather than shout and consume or define a space. 

Art that is too large for a small space, which does not fit the décor, which clashes with the color scheme or has loud colors that distract the viewer, and provocative art—whether in terms of subject matter or screaming colors—can all impact the way a room is viewed when the visitor first enters. 

Blair cautions that placing too many abstract works in one room is confusing and looks muddled, and will interfere with the visitor’s understanding or appreciation of the space.  Amateur watercolors can look misplaced, yet too much fabulous art can be a distraction for the potential buyer.  Dark, abstract paintings rarely work unless they complement some feature of the furnishings, and oversized realistic photographs can pull all the energy out of a room.  Framed posters can minimize the importance of a wall space. 

Too many pictures in a room will take away the visitor’s ability to view the room quietly.  On the other hand, a lone picture in the center of each wall does not work, either.  Small pictures on a large wall will simply make the room seem untidy and unfinished.  Badly framed and badly-positioned art (art which has been hung too high) will not enhance a space.  Unframed works should never be used, unless in a studio, or stacked in a library or den.

The wrong piece of art can play havoc with the serene, harmonious feeling of a room.  For example, a gloomy landscape can interrupt the pristine line of a contemporary dwelling.  Likewise, the wrong abstract painting can clash with a 19^th century French gilded sofa upholstered in pink silk—making both the art and the sofa look pointless.  However, that same abstract painting might work beautifully in the same house if placed in the dining room where its lines are echoed by the furniture or the shape of the room, or where the painting’s colors are reflected in the carpet or wood floors.

Particular areas you should avoid placing art are: near televisions, around large mirrors, and in minimalist settings which may feature numerous glass windows, doors, and white walls.  “Sometimes the stark simplicity of such an interior should be left unadorned,” Blair says, “yet art also has the ability to humor such a home, add points of interest, and an additional element of sophistication!” 

Blair’s passion for her work and belief in the power of art are persuasive.  She finds it difficult to pinpoint an area which could not be enhanced by art, claiming that almost any corner, wall, space, or room can accommodate some art form.  Her arguments are compelling, her clients convinced.  We are grateful to this consummate professional for having so generously shared her time and expertise.

Lucille Blair Art Advisory

Lucille Blair has over 18 years of fine art and business experience.  She offers her clientele entry into the high-end art and antiques market, through both auction houses and dealers.  Recently, she has offered advice to the luxury industry with regard to identifying and targeting the ever-growing affluent African American market.  By developing strong alliances and relationships with this community, Blair provides access that has become increasingly important for both buyers and sellers.  Though based in New York City, Lucille travels around the globe advising high-end clientele on important art acquisitions.

Lucille can be reached at lucillecblair@yahoo.com or at 917-399-0668.  We thank her immensely for her generosity and for the wonderful content.