Choose art that you love and fits the room

When art fairs hit town, I often find people always rely too much on the opinion of others when it comes to what they are about to purchase. Needless to say, one should always buy art he or she "loves" or that is appealing or meaningful to him or her.

Everyone has an opinion about art, so don't buy it to please anyone or expect that people will be overly complimentary or fawn upon a work of art, unless it's an extremely well known artist or an expensive investment. And even then - don't expect too much.

Art is a very personal aspect of interior decor. What you buy, or more importantly, what you hang on your walls, says something about you - so don't worry about anyone else.

Now once you get home, or more precisely, your work of art gets delivered, where do you hang it? Often art is bought to fit one specific location, as in the "above-the-couch" piece, or the space above a sideboard. But beware of this thought process. Buying site-specific art is OK, if you have a lot of money to splurge, but what happens when you move from your dwelling or you decide to place it in another location? Does the site-specific work lose its punch? Or will you tire of it because it does not match your decor?

This is why buying only things that you love, although a cliche, makes sense in the long run.

Every homeowner should have a notion of what appeals to him or her. Where you hang the work is almost as important as the work itself. Not every work of art can be hung anywhere. Every piece has to feel at ease where it is hung.

Take the room and the activity in the room into account when placing your work of art. This doesn't mean you can't move things around to create thought-provoking impact or shed new light to a piece. Plain and simple, there are certain themes that are better in certain rooms.

For example, a war scene might not be best hung in a bedroom, where you are looking for rest, relaxation and sleep. Similarly, a provocative nude might not be well-suited for a dining room. The ultimate goal is to create artful and inviting rooms.

Finally, there are many ways to hang artwork. Singularly, paired with a complimentary work or works of art, as a collaged grouping, or like in a gallery or museum - floor to ceiling and wall-to-wall. Each approach to hanging gives a certain effect, and all can be equally appropriate for traditional, transitional or contemporary interiors. In any home, I highly recommend you can use any of these methods to hang your art. Each area or wall can have its own approach, making your interiors more interesting.

The subject matter and color patterns will also play a role in the layout. Graphic and colorful works of art are easy to capture our attention, in the same way advertisements and traffic signs do. More subtle compositions and subjects may be easier to live with and stop us to contemplate the view or technique.

• Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.

© 2016, Creators Syndicate