A practical guide to choosing art for hotels, offices, and client spaces: scale, light, colour, framing, and consistency.
I trained in hospitality before I became a designer. One lesson stayed with me. A room is judged in seconds, by people who are busy doing something else.
Art in a hotel, an office, or a client space works the same way. Nobody stops to study it. They feel it as they walk past. So the choice is less about taste and more about a few practical questions.
Subscribe here to receive the latest blog updates & course offers.
By Hellen Grundy.
Who sees it, and for how long?
Start with the people, not the wall.
A corridor gets a glance. A reception desk gets a first impression. A meeting room gets long stretches of quiet looking. Bold and simple suits the glance. Detail and subtlety reward the long look.
What is the scale?
A print that looks right at arm’s length can disappear across a lobby. Measure the wall and the furniture beneath it. A common guideline is to fill about two-thirds of the width of the furniture. Go larger for a big, open wall.
Where does the light fall?
Check the light at the times the room is busiest. Direct sun fades any printed colour over time, so keep prints away from it. Glass can reflect windows, so note which way they face before you fix the position.
Take colour from the room
Choose one tone already in the space, such as a floor, a textile, or a wall, and let the art echo it. Or go neutral and let the art be the quiet part of the room.
Avoid choosing a piece only because it matches the sofa.
The Precision Collection comes in 10 colourways, from Black on White, Cappuccino, Pop Art Red, Midsummer and Forest.
Think in sets
One print is a decision. Several prints across many rooms is a system. If you need the same size, frame, and feel throughout, specify it once and write it down.
A limited edition has one limit worth knowing. If you need 40 identical pieces, an edition of 20 will not stretch that far. Coordinated variations across colourways work better, or a commission made for the project.
Plan the practicalities
Hang the centre of the piece at around 145 cm from the floor, a common gallery height.
In public spaces, ask about secure fixings.
Ask about lead times early, because framed work takes longer than unframed.
Ask for it in writing
A good supplier gives you a written specification: sizes, paper, frame, colour, delivery date, and price. It removes guesswork and keeps every room consistent.
If you are specifying for a client
Send me the room, the light, and the colours around it. I will suggest the colourway and size that belong there, and put the framing specification in writing.
A wall should feel settled. The right piece, at the right scale, in the right light, does that quietly.
Let’s talk about it
I would like this blog to be a conversation. To begin:
- What is one image you saw today that held your attention? What do you think pulled you in?
- Is there a piece of design, at work or at home, that you know is not working but cannot say why?
- What would you like to be able to see, judge, or make better?
Leave a comment, or send me a before and after. I read every one. [SIGN-UP LINK]
If you would like to learn these principles in person, my course [COURSE TITLE] begins on [DATE], [ONLINE or IN PERSON].