In a world in which traditional collecting can feel exclusionary or aloof, decorative art offers something gentler: a way to celebrate what we find beautiful, without pretence or pedigree. These aren’t our grand acquisitions, but our humble treasures, such as a row of antique plates, a framed textile or some travel sketches. They may be modest in value, but they are rich in meaning, speaking to lived experience, and bring a deeply personal rhythm to our interiors.
One of the joys of decorative art is that you can display the most ordinary items in a way that makes them extraordinary. In my mother-in-law’s kitchen, a colourful 1920s men’s bathing suit once worn by her grandfather has been cleverly framed. It’s personal to her and the starting point for conversations in a way that more formal artworks rarely would be. But it’s important not to get carried away: there’s a fine line before things feel gimmicky – and a sort of delirium that comes from realising you can frame anything – so approach with restraint.
If, like me, you’ve been rearranging rooms since you were a child, experimenting with decorative art is a great way to regularly change up the look of your home. We often hang plates from Etsy in an interesting layout, or add plaster casts around a doorway. I’ve a collection of antique hand-held face screens, collected on family holidays, hanging above the off-centre fireplace in my bedroom. Their irregular form is so much more forgiving than the rigidity of a rectangular piece of art or a mirror.
Using a picture rail can aid with flexibility and makes hanging a disparate group of pieces so much easier – and more intentional. In my drawing room, I have a grid of antique architectural prints (bought mainly because I liked the frames) surrounding a mid-century Spanish landscape from an antique dealer (my husband loves Spain and I loved the colours used). There are also some contemporary en plein air landscapes and Swedish interior oils – all united and given a sense of intention by the fact that they hang from the same brass rail.
