Some Inexpensive Ideas for Artwork When You are Selling Your Home

I am always looking for inexpensive ideas for home staging - especially for artwork.  I've stencilled canvases, used hats as artwork - you name it...I've done it to improve the look of a home that I'm staging.  I'm thinking of creating a weekly column on this blog dedicated to creating artwork for home staging (and, of course, for home re-design).  Let me know if you think this is a great idea - should I make it a column?  Let me know!

First up...Using Vinyl Appliques for Artwork. You can order all kinds of these vinyl designs via Etsy, Blik and many other sources.  But - look around in HomeGoods, Target and Marshalls because they sometimes have them - deeply discounted. 

For the room above that I staged in Muttontown NY (a $3.5 Million home that sold in 3 1/2 weeks), I found a chandelier vinyl applique in Target for $10.  In the same store, I found the silhouette plates, which were $3.99 a piece. So, for very little money, I had a nice little vignette in this girl's room.

In the same home, I staged another bedroom that had a French theme.  At the same Target, I found the Eiffel Tower applique for $12.  It was a pretty large applique.  I had 3 discounted canvases that I had had in my studio forever...so I painted and antiqued them.  Then I applied the applique.  I added the wording (I should of painted it - but I ordered the script from a printer - cost me $15).  So, for those times when I have to fill a large blank wall - this is a great piece that potential buyers always remember.

And finally, here's an idea that anyone can do...inexpensively and quickly - framing a free fine art photograph.

Carolyn's home Via Apartment Therapy

Here's a resource that I love - I found it on Carolyn Miller's House Tour on Apartment Therapy.  Everyone would love to have a lot of money to spend on art and fine art photography, but if you don't have the money...don't despair.  What Carolyn did was to download free photographs from the Farm Security Administration's site. She then would print them on German Etching paper, which is acid free.  You can locate it in lots of places on the web - I found it on Dick Blick's.  Then she would frame them very simply.

Carolyn's Living Room

This repository of photos was created during World War II.  The FSA hired many photographers to go out and document what was going on in various cities and towns around the country at the time.  Among some of the photographers were people who became very famous later in life, like Dorothea Lange. Carolyn used mostly photos from Dorothea and Walker Evans.

I always advise sellers that they should remove their family photos when selling their home.  These types of photographs are different than family ones.  There are truly pieces of art, rather than mundane family snapshots. They are historical, creatively done - and since they are in black and white or sepia they have a wonderful graphic quality to them.

I found some incredible photos...I 'd like to share some of them.

Photo by Dorothea Lange

Threshing, by Dorothea Lange

An Eagle in CA by Dorothea Lange

I love her farm pictures of threshing, the corn fields and of the farm workers. Putting some of these working photos can look great in a home office too - it can remind you how lucky you are that you don't have to do that kind of heavy work in order to make a living.

But, you can also find some pictures of famous people as well in this collection.  Look at some that I found.

Jose Ferrar playing softball in Central Park

  Paul Robeson as Othello and Uta Hagen as Desdimona

Jose Ferrar and Paul Robeson in Central Park

So, take advantage of this free resource.  You'll have to do some searching, but you'll get some wonderful images that will look great in your home. People will think you spent a lot of money on these photographs...and they may think that you knew some of these famous people!!

Happy Staging!  I hope you enjoyed these two ideas for some inexpensive artwork. Let me know if I can be of any assistance to you, as you begin your home selling (or home re-designing) process. I can be reached at 631 793-1315

I am sharing these great ideas here:

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