how to find affordable art for your home
This post is written without sponsorship, links are affiliated where possible meaning I earn an incremental amount (typically 1-3%) when a purchase is made.
This post is written entirely selfishly, as a means of research. We moved into our new home almost a year ago and in some areas of the house we’ve reached the lovely stage of putting up art. But its created a problem; we’re low on stuff to hang. We’ve been quite good at picking stuff up as we go and I’ve done a little bit of exploration but I asked my Instagram followers who came up with some amazing answers - I’ve included them below alongside my own findings. Hope it’s helpful!
Art is a difficult thing to purchase.. Firstly it requires having some clue about it all, which I am very much lacking. It shapes the look of a room and you have to look at it every, single day in most cases so its an important thing to get right. Those “in the know” are often really snobby about it which makes it very intimidating… It’s ultimately a very personal thing - something one person likes, another won’t etc. I think I’m a bit fussy, I don’t like quote prints, I don’t like anything twee and once I’ve seen something in more than three homes I don’t want it anymore (which happens a lot when you scroll Instagram as much as I do).
In an ideal world I’d love to invest in art, but we just don’t have the funds available. Affordable means different things to different people; I’ve written this from the perspective that you have hundreds rather than thousands to spend on key pieces - and then small change for the rest. This has been our own approach… Over the years we’ve collected menus, postcards, tour posters, invitations - all kinds of inexpensive pieces and then had them framed (if you live near me then we use Artscape in Harpenden for most things, or I use Easy Frame online which is great as long as you really check the quality of the frame itself as some of them are quite flimsy).
I’ve made an effort to get to know a bit about what to look for when buying an original - but the reality is most the stuff on our walls are reproduction prints. We have found a few beautiful Picasso pencils sketches on eBay, but think we just got lucky as have never seen them again (they were £150!). A few times I’ve been thrifty and where I can’t afford a full size print I’ve bought postcards and framed them - I have friends who have done the same with tea towels and other bits artists have made.
There are some obvious haunts for art and I sway between liking and loathing them; Ikea’s offering can be really good (even if just for the frames), Desenio do have a few diamonds in the rough, John Lewis have a nice offering (our Matisse print in our living room is from there, here) and Hotel Magique is fast becoming the place to get your quaint, boho art prints. But here are some other options:
boat canvas, Slim Aarons / doodle, Keith Haring via eBay / Hotel menu, from a trip
art fairs, charity shops and exhibitions
Some of my best purchases have been unexpected finds, which are my favourite kind. Just last week I picked up a lovely Muybridge cat print from the Royal Academy for £10 when visiting the gallery. Most reputable galleries will have some form of shop and they often do a good selection of inexpensive prints. The Tate is also good here. I’ve bought postcards for 50p before from galleries and then framed 3 or 4 together as a series (I did this for the Harland Miller exhibition before I found my print) and it cost me £20 with framing.
Charity shops are also great, in particular I’ve found the Emmaus stores very good near me. If you aren’t local they regularly use their eBay account here to sell items from house clearances and I’ve got all sorts of things for a really good price.
Sunbury Market and Ardingley markets are both very good for those in the south of the UK, large artwork is particularly well priced as it tends to have a lower interest as they’re harder for customers to transport. We’ve also found both of these markets great for large mirrors and fireplaces for the same reason.
Other options that were recommended by Instagram included:
The Affordable Art Fair - held around the corner from my old flat in Battersea (which drove me crazy as people camped for hours before). Personally I’d take the “affordable” description loosely - It’s not where you can pick lots of things but cheaply - but more about starting an art collection at a reasonable price. It’s a lovely experience, lots of very knowledgable people around to help guide you, and a great way to get something unique on your walls.
The Other Art Fair - Held in London a week or so after Affordable, this Saatchi run exhibition/gallery/store aims to highlight independent artists with some brilliant new talent shining through. My friends have some amazing pieces in their home and they’ve got them all from here - they weren’t Ikea prices, but equally neither should they be as they’re from an actual person rather than a printer.
movie quote postcards, Babak Ganjei (frame from IKEA)
reprint sites and galleries
I’m sure I’m not using the right terminology here, but what I mean are websites that offer a collective of artists or options - either original works or reproductions. I could have trebled this list as there are so many, but here is a severely edited selection of favourites:
Artfully Walls - has to be one of my favourite websites for original art, prints and photography as a collective. The website is unintimidating, easy to use and sells artwork in groups if you are trying to create a wall feature. Prices start around £50 per piece and then steadily rise, but you get the sense you’re buying something worthwhile. If you sign up to their newsletter you get 10% off (15% if you’re in the US).
Affordable Art - a true one stop shop for new artists (paint, print and design) and you don’t need a load of cash to get started. I did a partnership with them and was given £500 to spend with them as part of it. I got 5 or 6 pieces which I absolutely love in my kitchen. Seriously worth a look.
Prince and Pilgrim - Richmond based art gallery P&P are a brilliant starting point for anyone looking for mid priced original paintings. They’re how I discovered Holly Razavi, who’s London Park pieces are absolutely incredible and worth the gentle investment. She reminds me of Lowry a lot, sort of a modern take (get me and my cultural references, eh).
Joy Fantastic - if giving back is a high priority, this site is a must for you. They have a host of my favourite artists, from Keith Haring to David Shrigley (also love Karl Bailey’s Brighton Pier here).
House of Spoils - A recent find (and if you sign up to their newsletter they email you a lot) that has some excellent photography. If you ultimately like what everyone else does, but want something slightly different with a story behind it, these guys are great. Particularly good for automotive shots.
Petri Prints - a gorgeous, family run business selling reprints (often in collections) focussed food, science and children. All works include framing, and you can ask for a bespoke commission on request. I love the celestial charts and wild flower gallery collections, but they’re all really rather special.
leaf prints (set of 6), Musee Home (frames are IKEA)
re-print websites and galleries cont.
Musee Home - I absolutely love Jo’s stuff, and her story. She and her husband are photographers and collectors who started selling high quality reprints of things they found themselves in brocantes and fairs. The leaf prints in my living room are from them, having searched high and low for good ones (I framed mine with standard size IKEA frames).
Sonic Editions - If you’re after a music related print or photograph, Sonic will have it. I don’t know what more to say than that - their collection is the best the quality is fantastic. Do remember that if you’re not framing through them a lot of their prints are custom sized.
Print Club London - I could spend days on this website. Their prints are all a brilliant quality (screen prints) and some of their artists are just gorgeous. Have a look at everything here but do make sure you see Claud, Rose Stallard and Benjamin Taylor.
King and McGaw - This came up the most in my recommendations, and I will never forget the day I lost out on a John Lennon piece - I still dream about it. Although this website feels more expensive, remember most of the quotes include framing which makes it much more reasonable. I really like the curation - a mix of artists you’ve heard of (so you don’t feel like a total clueless idiot) alongside new and original prints. NB - they’re very good for Penguin book prints and National Railway Museum posters, the best selection I’ve found.
Chelsea Prints - These guys are really great if you’re after fashion-style prints. Personally I try and stay away from the over-done Chanel, Hepburn prints, etc but they do have some great alternatives that I hadn’t seen before. If quote prints are your thing, they have those too. I’m going to buy this YSL print when we do the hallway properly, and they have some lovely Matisse exhibition posters.
re-print websites and galleries cont.
Postery - From the perspective of an untrained eye (mine) Postery appears to be one up from the Iamfy and Desenios of this world in terms of selection and quality. You can either shop renown artists’ prints or explore their collaborations with new talent, like this one with Elin PK (I really want her aperol one).
Fine Little Day - A Swedish website, everything here is exactly what you imagine Scandis have in their homes. A real mix of styles but all paired back, neutral palettes, intelligent and original, check them out here.
North Prints - A different way of doing things, North Prints is a beautiful collection of muted-toned prints available as digital downloads from Etsy, here. If you’re looking for a cost efficient way to build out a gallery wall this would be a really good place to start as you could download to the exact size you need to fill a space.
Enter Gallery - Brighton based contemporary art gallery, Enter, offers a great selection of established and emerging artists (both prints and some smalls batches of originals). Big fan of Paul Fuentos’ stuff in case you were wondering, here.
Whistlefish - Canvas and art prints beautifully curated, particularly if you are looking for coastal-like stuff. Absolutely love the Victoria Hall prints they have and really want her “lemon and sardines” one here.
Ebay - Unsurprisingly to any of my followers, I use ebay a lot (for how I go about it, have a look at my post here) to buy slightly less run of the mill or rare art. A napkin scribbled on by Damien Hirst for £45 (at the time of writing this similar postcard is auction), a brilliant Harland Miller Penguin book cover (I hunted for months for one of these, here is the search link I was using).
independent artists
The list really was endless when it comes to recommending independent artists. The reality is if you scour the listed online galleries they’ll give you a really good sense of who’s good, and also help you familiarise with the styles you like. I then searched the internet via key words to find people I liked. Here is my list:
Sarah Lewis - I found Sarah via Instagram (her website is here but you’ll get more of a sense of her work from her IG) she uses oil paints and watercolours to do lovely still life portraits. I love my candelabra (pictured above) and am pining after one of her snowdrops.
Nina Brooke - Travel seascape artist, I discovered Nina in my twenties and the piece I bought from her was the first time I’d ever bought an original art piece. If you like photographers like Grey Malin they try Nina as her oil paintings have that satellite vibe but have so much more life behind it. I’m saving for a bigger piece at the moment.
Emma Howell - Lord, I love Instagram as it found me Emma. Cotswolds based, she’s currently going through a Matisse-like travel poster phase and I am into it. Linked her website, but for a better sense of her work look on her Instagram here.
Lola Donaghue - Abstract oil-paint artist, Lola has a gorgeous selection of prints available sent from her studio in Galway. She also has very limited drops of original work across the year. Her art is very of the moment and sadly the style is often duplicated by the mass-market places - Don’t be that guy, buy the real thing. My god, will you see the quality in this girl’s work. My neighbour has one of hers and they’re absolutely stunning.
Lucy Laucht - Lucy is a lovely old work friend of mine who has a real talent for travel and lifestyle photography. She’s got lots of Cornwall, Amalfi and other European beaches. I love her stuff.
David Shrigley - I pine over an original of David’s. I love his sense of humour and bold, block colours. Our friends have one that was commissioned for them and I’ve never been more jealous of anything in my life. In his Shrig Shop you can buy posters for £40, an absolute bargain and most are a standard A3 size. Enjoy chucking to yourself as you perrouse his work.
Babak Ganjei - The only artist I follow on Instagram as he’s just so funny. His “I’m in the bush and I really love you” print was what got me, you may have seen his “Not my first rodeo” one too. Until I can afford it, I bought three postcards of his and framed them. I have a little saving pot going for an original.
illustrations are menus and invitations from a press trip in 2018
5. miscellaneous
A few things we found particularly good that might not be interesting to all as they’re niche, see below:
Pembrokeshire Travel Posters - I get asked a lot about mine. I did buy them direct from the council website but they stopped doing them. Best alternative I’ve found is here.
Le Gun Cat Print - our cat print in our music room is a magazine cover from Le Gun, we hang it the wrong way on purpose (the cat should be upside down).
Keith Haring David Bowie Print - our large orange Bowie print is from a record that we had blown up by a local printers and framed.
