Wall Color, Wall Art and Decor:
Should They Match?

Should you match your artwork to the wall colors and decor or vice versa? That's an age-old, chicken and egg type of question...

Most people and especially color professionals have a very strong opinion about whether or not your artwork, wall color and the rest of your home decorating color scheme should match.

The opinions usually divide into 2 categories: "yes you should" and "never!".

But what if the real answer to this decorating dilemma lies somewhere in between?

When designer Maria Killam asked her blog readers to share their opinions, here's what she got in the comments:

Pro Matching:

• the right room color scheme can make your artwork look its best

• wall colors that don't relate to the artwork really don't do it justice

• by not giving your investment the very best showing, you de-value it

• you should always plan your wall and decor color to play up/enhance your artwork

• even the most beautiful artwork may not work in the room if the color of the walls does not support it

• using complementing colors on the walls will ensure the artwork doesn't stick out like a sore thumb

• artwork should relate to your decor and "belong" to the room

• most people are drawn to art because of the colors in it, so artwork should be treated no different than other colors in your decor

• artwork should serve the purpose of a "unifyer" in your decor

• when the art blends with the room, it becomes part of the texture and character of that room

• the space and the art should work together to create a cohesive whole

Against Matching:

• you should never buy artwork to match your sofa or any other element in your decor for that matter

• the art must always rule, take the center stage and be the main focal point in the room

• the art should enhance the room, not the other way around

• matching the colors of your decor to artwork (or vice versa) reduces it to an ordinary decoration piece

• good art is an investment, and it should stand on its own, even if you change wall color or move to another house

So what's the verdict? It depends.

You see, in decorating (like in many other things in life), beauty is really in the eye of the beholder. There is no one right way to go about it.

Besides, when you have a defined personal style, you will tend to like the same colors in art as the colors that you like to paint and decorate with. Chances are, you will be drawn to a certain piece of artwork that will contain the colors that are already present in your decor.

That way, it will be hard for things not to "go", and your investment will naturally fit in with the overall sense of your home's interior and wall colors.

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