Artwork hacks to help you work from home

A new normal that’s settled in with 2020 is letting the outside world take a good, long peek inside our homes. Whether working or attending Zoom events from the living room, bedroom, kitchen or home office; the line between public and private is forever blurred, leaving many of us dazed & confused, know what we mean? One great way to snap out of it is with an art update – more than just to look at; inspiring art lets us define our atmosphere, think more clearly, feel fitter and recenter ourselves when lost. We recently put together the neurological proof that confirms these benefits & more.

Convinced, but not sure where to start? Here are some curatorial hacks to help you get the most out of bringing art in to your private (& public) home space.

1. When all this began, Zoom backgrounds were the rage. A tropical beach, the oval office, a sea of psychedelic monkeys floating in outer space…you could be everywhere and nowhere at once. But as time went on and we realized this was more than a phase – many switched to showing the interiors of their messy lives, or more often, a corner of a blank white wall. To give yourself a refresh – start by considering the area your camera usually points towards. If there’s a lot of space behind you, think about a larger abstract or graphic artwork that can be appreciated even if the connection quality is low – and nowadays there are plenty of artworks that cast illusions when changing the light or moving your camera, if your going for a bit of fun.

2. If your wall is right behind you – place a small but impactful artwork that you would normally have to lean into to appreciate. Smaller artworks say a lot more about the person who bought them than larger works, but are often overlooked. Let that little artwork you love finally get the audience it deserves!

3. Consider how the light moves around your house, and let that determine how your office moves throughout the day – because sitting in the same seat everyday will eat into your quality of life & health. With that said, not all of us have the privilege of multiple work spaces, so for those in small homes try to establish at most two separate spaces for office work – and be creative with defining those spaces through art and wall color. For example, a serious client facing corner and a playful internal meeting corner. Getting into the habit of switching spots throughout the day will help you feel better at the end of it.

4. New art buyers often shy away from sculpture – and that’s understandable. But one great advantage of owning sculpture is that even the smallest change in angle or position can make you feel like you’re looking at a brand new piece of art. That’s also true for those on the other side of the Zoom screen. If you can’t afford multiple artworks for different spaces, think about going for a sculpture that you can move around every time you feel the need for change.

5. Lastly, with all the mental and health benefits you gain by surrounding yourself with inspiring art – it might not be effective once you’re too used to seeing the same thing day in, day out. But there’s a hack for that! More galleries than ever before offer memberships that accessibly let you to pay monthly – and more importantly – switch your artwork for a new one every once in a while. This won’t work for the die hard art collector, but is a fantastic way to keep livening your atmosphere without breaking the bank. For those new to the art world – it’s also a great way to help you discover your taste by living with multiple genres of art over time. And one thing we have a lot of these days is time spent at home.