Pottery BarnSo if your art is too small, you really love it and don't want to change it, what do you do? Well... you could use some of these tricks to make it feel larger than it really is. Give it presence, for lack of a better word. As with all of the ideas I present on this blog, I would encourage you to think past the exact replication of what's in the photo or the style, if it's not yours, and think about how you could modify the IDEA to suit your own decor.
Add molding. See how much more dramatic of a focal point this mirror becomes just by adding the simple molding around it?
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house and home We've talked about the color block idea, and as you know, I'm a fan for a variety of reasons. I'm not going to repeat this entire post (there are two more examples here and here), but two of the reasons are - it's an inexpensive way to make a big statement and there are a bajillion variations on the theme - limited only by your imagination.
Thrifty Decor Chick used the color block idea combined with molding above her sofa. Picture this as well with the color block and only the outer molding with a picture and two sconces centered in it OR three vertical pieces of art OR plates OR three vertical color blocks framed with molding OR... the list goes on.
Diyideas.com has this clever "constant canvas" for rotating children's art. This fabric covered plywood idea could be used for any type of art and could obviously be enlarged if you have a larger space to fill. Go to
their site to see how they do it and how they also add dimension with brackets.
DIYideas.comVery simple idea below that, again, could be modified to suit your needs. The larger one or both could just be paint or wallpaper too, wouldn't have to be covered canvas. You could also add a third dimension by hanging something on the smaller canvas (art, sconces, mirror, etc.)
BHG.com Photo Greg ScheidemannLove how this little chest below actually becomes part of the art with the addition of this fabric trimmed with molding. Again, think of the possibilities to suit your space and decorating style.
House and Home Photo Angus McRitchieCould you imitate this idea below and just hang a larger frame over your existing art?
DIYideas.comVariation on the idea above. Could you hang your art over a larger mirror? I just put this together in Power Point, but you get the idea.
Mirror - Pottery Barn Art - Ballard Design
Donna from Funky Junk Interiors wasn't trying to make this clock appear bigger, she wanted to hide the cord :-) (and it worked!), but this is a great example of adding some sort of structure behind your art to make it larger. This idea could work for any style from country to modern, depending on the items that you use.
Funky Junk InteriorsThink of ways that you could modify these ideas to suit your own decor. Let me know what you come up with! I would love to see it!
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In this green home that was featured in the March 2010 issue of Traditional Home, designer Barry Dixon subtly separated the living room and kitchen with this 10-foot-tall mesh panel made with recycled metal. Barry said: "It's a translucent divider that provides a visual separation without blocking views, light, or conversation." What a clever solution! 
Photos by Gordon Beall
