Why Does Picking Art for Your Home Feel Way Harder Than It Should?
- May 9, 2025
- 3 min read
We’ve all been there. You want your home to feel stylish, personal, you - but choosing art suddenly feels like taking an exam you never studied for. You scroll, you compare, you overthink… and before long, your blank wall starts to feel like it’s judging you.
I’ll let you into a secret: that’s kind of how Privileged Prints came to be. I could make the set… but I couldn’t choose. So I kept creating, and suddenly I had hundreds of options. Privileged Prints exists because I couldn’t choose just one - and that’s your permission slip to relax. There isn’t a single “right” answer. There’s just what feels right for you.
Because blank walls are basic and options are endless.
The internet gave us a million brilliant choices - and decision fatigue with it. The fix? Stop treating art like a perfection test and start treating it like an adventure.
Rebel move: pick one piece that makes you feel something - even if it’s a little outrageous. Especially if it’s a little outrageous.
Because you’re worrying about the sofa.
You want bold, rebellious art… then the panic sets in: “But will it match my sofa?” Here’s the truth - great art doesn’t need to match; it needs to move you. It should feel like you, not your furniture. Besides, who wants matchy-matchy?
Low-pressure tip: if hanging feels too permanent, don’t. Try a picture shelf or lean a framed print on a sideboard. Live with it. Switch it when your mood changes.
Because we treat it like a test, not a feeling.
Somewhere along the way, buying art became a personality quiz. Spoiler: no single print can “sum you up.” But it can reflect what you love and who you’re becoming. Start small, start bold, and let your space evolve.
Personal proof: the pink that shouldn’t work (but does)
In my own living room, the only pink thing is my sofa (I didn't buy it because I wanted it to match... I just wanted a pink sofa) - and it still works. Why? Because it’s me. If you love a piece, it’s already your vibe. Your room will make space for it.
Size anxiety? Here’s the calm, non-salesy advice.
If you’re torn between two sizes and you’re not sure what will feel right: go smaller. I know, you've been told art must be at least 2/3 of the furniture it is above, bigger is better, etc... but, you can always add a mount (mat) to increase the visual footprint or pair it with a larger frame. Plus, personally, I think a larger or oversized mount adds a certain panache to art. But, you can’t cut a print down if it overwhelms the space. Keep your nerve, size with confidence, and build up from there.
6. The easiest way to begin.
Start with one piece you love. That’s it. Hang it, lean it, let it breathe. Then echo one or two colours from it in a cushion, throw, or vase... I added a pink lampshade, at one point, because of the pink sofa (not that it made any difference and I do love lots of lights... except the big light). Suddenly the room feels intentional - without a paint roller in sight.
Want help anchoring a gallery wall.
If you haven’t read it yet, I’ve got a simple guide on choosing the anchor piece that makes a gallery wall click. Click here to read it and make layout decisions.
We've also got a a foolproof guide to gallery wall layouts. Click here to read it.
Final thought.
Art isn’t about matching your furniture - it’s about matching your energy. Forget “getting it right.” Start with what makes you smile every time you walk past it, and let the rest of the room catch up.
Mix, match, or go all-in - the rebellion’s yours.
