Buying Art in Swindon 

 

You've found the perfect house or flat in Swindon. You've bought the comfiest sofa, sorted out the lushest of carpets and added furniture to make your friends drool with envy.

But those white walls are staring back at you! What do you do? How do you add that finishing touch that can really turn your new house into a real home - a place to live in, not just look at!

Well, Swindon is the place to be and SwindonWeb is the site you need to guide you to all the inspiring galleries in the town that offer a superb selection of art for all tastes - and budgets. And they aren't staffed by the pretentious arty bunch you might find in the Kings Road.

From advice on layout, colour schemes and framing to knowing which local artists are up-and-coming, you can be sure to find people who really know their stuff - and who will go that extra mile to make your space picture perfect.

But before you start, here are a few tips on choosing:

1. Budget

Budget is always a consideration when choosing art. And it raises an important question - original or reproduction?

Think very carefully about what you are paying for and how much you've got to spend. We can all stretch the money when it's a picture we particularly love, but blowing all your budget on one picture is probably not a good idea - especially if you've got more than one wall to fill!

Good advice is the key here and this is where asking for it can really help. Gallery staff in Swindon are a friendly and knowledgable lot and will be only too pleased to guide you in picture selection. They might well have a print similiar to what you're looking for at a fraction of the cost of an original.

What they have in stock is probably only a small selection of what they can get hold of, so it always pays to ask questions.

It also pays to take into account the extra cost that may ne incurred in framing and matting your picture. In some cases it can almost double the price of an image.

2. What Size?

A big wall doesn't always need hanging a big picture on it.

For a long wall, consider arranging a mumber of smaller pictures along its length with minimal spacing. For shorter walls, a mixture of larger and smaller images can look particularly attractive.

One useful tip is to take a picture of the room you plan to add art to, and take it with you when visiting a gallery. Not only will it remind you of the colurs and textures you need, but it will also give the gallery staff a far better idea of what you need and what's suitable.

3. Framing

Now, this is where good advice can really make or break a good picture!

How many times have you seen a good picture ruined by a ill-matching frame? Plenty of times, we're sure. Equally, the right frame and mounting can bring out the best in a very average picture, and the very best out of a great one.

Framing options in a good gallery will be almost endless, and vary greatly in price. For inspiration, take a look around at other pictures on display in similiar colours to give you an idea of what goes best with what.

We recommend starting the process by choosing a neutral frame in wood or metal. Good choices include black, brown, silver or natural wood. Very often a simple black frame will suffice inorder to best match your art and decor, but, what ever you do, don't rush into deciding too soon!

Framing doesn't just include the border, either. Nearly all pictures should be mounted as well - and not just in one colour. Once again, good advice from the framer is the key.

At that's about it! Just remember, there's no accounting for taste and you should buy what you like and what you feel comfortable with.

 

Who knows, you might even start collecting!

 

 Art galleries in Swindon