Outdoor Art Decorating Ideas

Homeowners and businesses can transform any yard, garden or other outdoor space from frumpy to grand with the addition of a few carefully selected pieces of outdoor art, whether it's modern outdoor wall art or neo-classical 3D outdoor sculpture. So ... how exactly does a person "carefully" select art? The truth is, anything goes - you have the right to display whatever you like, whether or not other people would see its beauty with their eyes as beholders. On the other hand, over generations, outdoor art experts have sorted out a few artful principles that lead to what most people would consider beautiful outdoor spaces. Read on for advice that can help you make your yard or garden a stand-out success in your own neighborhood, with the help of outdoor yard art or garden art.

Match the style Every individual has a personal style, and every business has a corporate image to uphold. What style are you trying to match? When you look for outdoor art, begin by matching the creative style of the personality, home or corporate image associated with the spaces. Here are some examples: A 20-something couple with a modern home adores contemporary metal sculpture. They choose a medium-sized outdoor metal wall art collage for the patio, and match it with a medium-sized bronze outdoor sculpture for a backyard berm, adding a small contemporary stone fountain for contrast. A local dress shop is known for its colorful, funky style. The owner chooses a primitive-style painted outdoor sculpture for the path to the shop's front door and a metal outdoor kinetic sculpture for the courtyard. An elderly gentleman adores earthy terra cotta and spends years collecting outdoor terra cotta wall and yard decorations, placing them in themed groups for visual impact. An agricultural manufacturer searches for outdoor metal sculptures made from farm implements to enhance green spaces near its parking lot. A high-level corporation finds an oversized neo-classical sculpture and a few matching urns for its entrance. Not too much, not too little Size and quantity are your next considerations when searching for impactful outdoor art. This, also, is a case of matching the space and avoiding art that is too much or too little for the setting. If it's a small space, choose smaller, fewer outdoor art pieces. If it's a large space, choose larger pieces and more of them.

Think also in terms of intensity of the environment. If you are hoping to enhance a quaint English garden with delicate plantings, for example, a huge industrial-style outdoor metal sculpture will look out of place. A broad grassy property with gigantic trees is a better place for that. Instead, choose a happy mishmash of old-fashioned outdoor garden treasures that match the Victorian theme, such as gazing balls, cast iron bird baths, lacy trellises and intricate outdoor wall medallions.

Perfect outdoor art placement

It doesn't do any good to choose and purchase yard art or outdoor art if you don't position it in such a way that your visitors, and you, can easily view it. Here are a few placement tips to help:

• Where do guests linger longest - patio, deck, courtyard? Place art where they will see it best from that space.
• Position smaller pieces closer to where visitors will stand or sit. Larger pieces can be installed further away from the viewing area.
• Place 3D outdoor art where visitors can see it from all sides.
• Don't place pieces where they will compete with each other. Instead, create vignettes that blend the beauty of outdoor art with natural surroundings.
• Use outdoor art to call attention to landscape features such as pathways, pools or berms.
• If the outdoor artwork is easy to move, try different locations until you find the perfect spot.
• For best results, pay attention to balance, contrast, color and other artistic principles, just as you would if you were painting a picture.

The way you use outdoor art influences how visitors will experience the landscape. Put a little thought into it - and a lot of your own personality - and you'll create an outdoor gallery Mother Nature would be proud of.