Tips + Tricks to Picking Artwork For Your Home

August 06, 2021

I have a special surprise to share with you...

I’m doing a gallery show at one of my clothing brands, Faherty, next week at their new store on Kiawah + Seabrook Island (right outside of Charleston)!

Tips + Tricks to Picking Artwork For Your Home. Costa Rica photographer Kristen M. Brown at home in Tamarindo with her Chihuahua Gidget.

And with all the preparations for this gallery event, from print selection to framing, I couldn’t help but share with you some tips, framing sources, and tricks I’ve learned over the years!

Tips and Tricks to Picking Artwork for Your Home

Mix it up!
One of the keys to a visually pleasing laid out space is playing with different sizes and texture.Get a small print for those sweet, smaller nooks in your home. Statement pieces are amazing, but we often notice the small details in a well designed home.

In other words, this is permission to bring home both the 11x14 AND 16x20 prints you've had your eye on -- no need to decide on just one! ;)

Costa Rica photo prints "Bloom Baby Bloom" and "Tropical Sol" hanging in a feminine, beachy backyard office. Beach gallery wall art, light pink walls, fiddle leaf fig, Samsung Art tv, velvet desk chair for work from home office. Beach photo prints available at The Sunset Shop by Samba to the Sea. Backyard office designed by Sincerely Lindsay Design Co in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Mountain sunset shelfie print on open shelving in a beautiful kitchen. Pastel pink sunset sky over the Columbia Rive Gorge in Oregon. Sunset sky over the mountain ridge in Oregon. "Room At the Top" pastel sunset print by Kristen M. Brown, Samba to the Sea. Style by Girl and Grey.

When in doubt, order the larger print.
You will NOT regret it. It will not be too big. It will look PERFECT in your space – take it from me and from every designer I know. ;)

Sunset surf beach photo print hanging in a beach modern home in Tamarindo Costa Rica.. Surfer walking on the beach during a beautiful sunset in Costa Rica. Sunset surfer print by Samba to the Sea at The Sunset Shop.

Add an oversized matte to add the DRAMA to a smaller prints.
Dani at Goldcoast Canvas does an amazing job of framing the artwork she has in her home, including one of my limited edition 5x5 "Vamos a la Playa/ Let's Go to the Beach" black & white prints pictured below. Dani framed the print with a 4" white mat in a clean white frame - beautifully done Dani!

Black and white aerial beach photo of woman laying on beach as wave roll in. Framed in a white square frame. Photograph by Kristen M. Brown of Samba to the Sea for The Sunset Shop.

Order samples.
Samples? Yes samples! (But not Costco samples...)

I've heard you and I've taken action...I'm so excited to now offer sample prints at The Sunset Shop! So if you’re stuck on which print you’d like to bring home with you or want to make sure those vibrant sunset colors are just the way you see them on your device...order a pack of my sample prints!

Sample photo prints. Sunset and beach photo prints by sunset chaser, Costa Rica photographer Kristen M. Brown of Samba to the Sea for The Sunset Shop.

Always have a few smaller prints on hand for easy gift giving.
8x10's make the best gift size and they're quite affordable! And did you know that I can send 8x10 and 11x14 prints in a nice box with a bow so birthday and other special moments gift giving is that much easier for you? #bestgiftgiver

You can have it both ways!
For framing, you can go custom or store bought. You can pick up some really awesome smaller frames from your local retailers. Or you can even get creative with the frames by placing the image over mat. Check out Ash's, from Ash Interiors, framing DIY for "The Rush" and here for my favorite places to find frames online.

Framed aerial surfer print "The Rush" from The Sunset Shop by Ash Interiors. Aerial surfer print by Samba to the Sea at The Sunset Shop. Image is an aerial photo of surfer paddling out to surf in Tamarindo, Costa Rica during golden hour.

For larger prints, custom framing is the way to go!
You can support your local framer or did you know that I offer custom framing at wholesale prices offered to me by my framer? Great custom framing prices AND I handle the whole framing process for you - #winning!

P u r a V i d a,

P.P.S. Do you have questions or need help picking the best photo prints to hang in your home?

Click here to read more of my design tips, check out the highlights in my Instagram stories "🖼Design Tips", or feel free to email me and ask away!