Buying Original Art: The Ultimate Art Buying Guide

Buying Original Art: The Ultimate Art Buying Guide

Buying Original Art: The Ultimate Art Buying Guide

Buying original art for your home can feel like a tiring task. Art is an investment. Adding a new work of art to a room can either uplift its atmosphere or destroy the prevailing aesthetic and aura. Of course, you also want to buy a work that you can hold dear to your heart for years to come. And, when buying art as a gift, you want to be sure that the selection matches the taste and style of the recipient. With so many details to consider, one should not blindly go about their next art purchase. In this guide we give you some advice on how to choose the right piece of art for you.

Buying Original Art: The Essential Base.

To help you simplify your selection process, here are a few basic things to consider: What is your budget? Where do you want to hang the artwork? What art movements and styles are you or your clients interested in? And last but not least: when do you need the artwork in your home? By answering these simple questions before you start looking for a piece of art for your home, you will find it much easier to exclude works that do not meet your criteria.

Buying Original Art: The Ultimate Art Buying Guide

Buy original art on a budget



When you invest in art, you want to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Inexpensive works of art, like any other inexpensive product, are usually not made to last. But how do you know how much to spend? All of this depends on a few important factors.

First of all, you need to consider the quality of the materials used by the artist. Of course, the better the quality of paint, canvas and brush used by the artist, the higher the price of the work. Secondly, you have to be aware that the artist’s reputation also influences the price of the artwork. If the artist has a respectable reputation and has already established himself on the art market, his work exudes a certain prestige. While artworks by recognized artists are typically more expensive, they are also more likely to appreciate in value over time, making them a safer investment.

If you want a quality piece of art for your home, it is advisable to set an approximate budget of 2,500 – 5,000 USD. For this price you can expect an outstanding work of art created by a talented and established artist. For sculptures, prices vary more in terms of size and material. A sculpture can therefore cost between 300 and 10,000. Similar to paintings, it is also best to invest in sculptures that are stable in value. Quality materials such as stone or bronze are recommended as they do not easily damage, fade, rust or deteriorate over time.

How to find the right piece of art for a room

Buying original fine art photography is also an excellent option if you want to buy a beautiful work of art for less money. It’s comparatively easy to find a stunning, large format photograph for your home for less than $200. This discrepancy in price stems from the fact that photographs are generally considered to be a less creative domain than paintings, although photographs require just as much artistic understanding.

How to find the right piece of art for a room

Once you’ve set your budget, you can delve deeper into the aesthetics of the work. When purchasing original art for your home, you should ensure that the work will look just as fascinating in your home as it does in the gallery. There are basic guides to color theory to follow.

There are basically two ways you can decide on the colors you want to add to a room. You can either look for an artwork that harmonises with the colors of the room or one that contrasts with the surroundings. If your space already has a variety of colors present, it is best to look for an artwork that matches the color scheme you have already established in the space. However, that doesn’t mean you have to choose a piece of art that’s the exact same color as your couch or bedding. Likewise, there are always ways to achieve contrast without taking up too much space or ruining the prevailing aura of the room.

Complementary color schemes

As you can see in the images above, the paintings contain colors that can already be found in the room. By identifying two to three colors that are prevalent in the room, you can determine which colors work best in that room.

Take a look at the first color combination. The three defining colors of the room are dark blue, silver gray and white. The selected artworks in this image enhance these colors. The color tones of the room reflect the paintings and create a coherent color concept in the room.

In the second color scheme, the room is far more colorful. You see shades of green, blue, and pink mixing with white. This space already contains numerous colors that are in communication with each other. Therefore, it is best to choose an artwork that does not starkly contrast or compete with the existing color palette. The selected artworks in the color scheme are subtle in color and only enhance one or two tones that are present in the room. This keeps the existing scheme.

Competing color schemes

Competing color schemes

Provoking a contrast with a work of art works best if the room is kept in neutral colors. In these examples, the artwork becomes the focal point of the space, adding bright colors and a dominant tone to the space.

Furthermore, styles give more information about the way in which this subject is painted, such as abstract, figurative, pop art and impressionistic. Take the time to familiarize yourself with these categories. You can do this, for example, in our breakdown by “Painting Themes” and by “Styles”. A basic knowledge of general art terms will give you the opportunity to search more specifically for what you have in mind.

Logistical information regarding the purchase of art

Buying an original work of art, either online or in person at a gallery, can be a complex process. Paintings, sculptures and photographs must be treated with the utmost care. Therefore, they must be packed very carefully before shipping can take place. Like other goods, works of art have to go through customs if they are imported. Depending on the size and price of the artwork, this can be a cumbersome process. Therefore, shipping an artwork across national borders can sometimes take anywhere from two weeks to a month, sometimes even longer.

To avoid potential shipping issues, we recommend that you ensure that the gallery you are purchasing from has a good reputation. It is always important to familiarize yourself with the gallery’s shipping policy before purchasing an artwork from them. At we pride ourselves on offering free shipping and returns to all our customers worldwide. Our customer service takes care of you personally during the entire shipping process and keeps you informed. We also make sure that shipping runs as smoothly as possible.

We hope this article has been helpful to you and answered some of your questions regarding art acquisition. Are there any other things you would like to know about buying art? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer your questions.

We wish you a successful next art purchase!