5 Ideas on How to Decorate your Home with Watercolors

Would you like to nourish your home with art and color? Watercolors could be just the solution you're looking for. Using this technique in your home will add a refined and pleasant air to your decor.

Your home could become an art lover’s paradise. Having artwork on the walls can bring you joy. That’s why in this article we want to show you 5 ideas to decorate your walls with watercolors.

If you want to give your home a touch of refinement and color and a pleasant aesthetic, why not use art that can offer a new look and capture the attention of your guests? Your walls won’t be blank, and you can use this idea to revitalize your decor.

Idea 1: Why decorate with watercolors?

Watercolor painting is an artistic technique based on a combination of paint colors with water.

This technique can be difficult when it comes to creating a masterpiece. This is mainly due to the difficulty of applying the paint to the surface and the type of resources used. What does that mean? Watercolors don’t give you room for error. In other words, there’s no way to correct something if you paint it wrong.

It’s a different case with oils or acrylics, that can be wiped off when painting or even painted over if the artist makes a mistake.

What could watercolors add to your home? In the first place, they can bring a sophisticated, refined and simple air. Of course, you don’t want to overdecorate the walls with pictures, but they can give that special artistic touch.

Normally, using works created with this technique denotes an interest in a complex art form, that lends interest and color and can transport you to the world of art galleries.

Idea 2: Choose the perfect size

The size of a picture is very important when you decorate a wall. Obviously, you wouldn’t choose odd shapes, such as triangles, but rather square or rectangular pictures.

Depending on the type of shape you choose, you could hang either one or several pictures on a wall. It’s important that all the pictures engage with each other if you choose to use more than one. They should also be directly related to the whole theme of the room.

What would be the most appropriate sizes for a bedroom or living room?

• 30 x 40 cm: a reduced format, helps to breathe life into the walls and to avoid an excessive effect. You could hang various frames of this size on a wall, not leaving much space between each one.
• 45 x 60 cm: a slightly wider format. In this case, just one frame could be a feature or could be combined with perhaps one more.
• 60 x 80 cm: with still wider dimensions, this size frame would have greater prominence on the wall. This size works best on its own, without other picture frames, to create a feature.

Idea 3: Color

Watercolors lend freshness, luminosity, and softness to a room,  and give a refined touch.

It’s not that simple to paint with watercolors. That’s why a good painting using this technique will really make your house seem like an art gallery.

However, it’s very important to take care what colors you use, since the feeling your painting will give to the room will depend on this. Let’s take a look at types of suitable color palettes you could choose for your home.

• Pastel colors: add warmth, moderation and often represent landscapes. If you would like to give a more alternative feel, there are abstract works available in a medley of these colors.
• Vivid colors: a watercolor can give luminosity if it’s used with well balanced intense tones (yellows, light greens, oranges…). For example, if it’s in abstract scenic pictures.
• Fine or faint natural colors: used for simple autumn landscapes. They don’t add either light or intensity, but they do lend a sense of composure, tranquility, and calmness.

Idea 4: Themes for the paintings

When it comes to choosing a theme for your watercolor paintings, don’t select a theme that’s too strong or provokes tension or visual stress.

It would be good to use a peaceful theme, that’s pleasing to the eye. Use watercolor pictures that will add to the aesthetic of your home.

What could be some of the most suitable content or themes to decorate a living room or bedroom? Let’s consider some examples.

• Landscapes: a very simple resource that could fit in with any room of the house. They give an uncomplicated, gorgeous feel and can perfectly complement the decor.
• Still life: another type of peaceful theme. This gives the idea of stability, tranquility, calm, and timelessness.
• Abstract: there are many choices in this style. We recommend them in a house with modern or more original decor.
• Urban landscape: more modern content, useful for alternative decor, an urban style home, and contemporary decor.

Idea 5: Harmony with the decor

Finally, remember the importance of harmony with the decor of the room.  You should aim for a certain compatibility.

Take into account the color of the wall. It shouldn’t clash with the colors in your painting, especially if the walls are all the same color. There should be a fusion between both.

On the other hand, when you hang a picture you should take into account the scale, proportion, and feeling of the whole room. You should avoid hanging large pictures if the rest of the decor utilizes small accessories.

It’s better if you can achieve a balance in the proportions of all the decorative aspects, without one standing out from the rest. Therefore, take into account the sizes of the other items in the room and the furniture when choosing your watercolors.