Anyone can hang a piece of art on the wall and call it art. Let me rephrase that. Anyone can hang anything at all on their wall and call it art. What even is art? The very idea that any one person can declare anything to be art is ripe for discussion, argument and satire.

If art itself cannot be defined, then where do we even begin for a blog about different types of wall art? All we know is that it’s the kind of art that can be hung on a wall. (Read on for more profundity of this quality.)

And what if you want to take it up a notch, beyond paintings, posters and photos? Is it time to express a different part of yourself by hanging different types of wall art? Where do you even start when art is something you only know you like when you see it? Here are a few tips, and may inspiration strike!

Different types of wall art allow you to express yourself

Reveal a whole new side of yourself. Indulge your crafty side and spread it all over your walls. Collage? Macrame? Sculpture? Yes, sculpture. Why take up floor space in your petite palace when you’ve got walls? You don’t have to buy those cute mass-produced metallic animal heads. Hang something unique, made by your good self. Let your different type of wall art be truly different. And let’s face it, what’s talent got to do with it? This is about self-expression, not skill. And I’m serious about that.

Different types of wall art can have a function

Why buy a different type of wall art when you can use what you already have? I’m talking about your furnishings. A chair isn’t just a chair, it can be sculpture. Ask any minimalist. Is a red roller blind really that much different from a Rothko? Okay, that’s an overstatement, but a curtain or blind with a colourful botanical print will be as vibrant as any van Gogh. Yes, that is another overstatement. But blinds and curtains made with fabrics of specific prints, textures and patterns have as much vibrancy or simplicity as can be found in the art world, only they’re millions of pounds cheaper!

Do you see shelves as a different type of wall art? They can be. You can combine storage and show off your knick-knacks as if you’re curating a different type of wall art collection. Don’t tell me you’ve just been sticking stuff on shelves?! Re-arrange your bits and pieces and viola! You – yes, you – have created a different type of wall art from your own, you know, stuff.

Do I even have to mention mirrors as a different type of wall art? They come in all shapes and sizes and the same can be said of their frames. So I’m not mentioning mirrors. I won’t insult you.

Different types of wall art for any style of decor

Do you have baronial tastes? Hang a tapestry. Hang it in three modern frames and you’ll have a triptych. You can bring an olde worlde aesthetic with a contemporary twist to your walls.

If you can hang a tapestry, you’re just one step away from hanging a rug. And why not? Why would you want to wear out a beautiful expensive rug by traipsing all over it? See, you can have nice things, and exhibit them as different types of wall art.

Different types of wall art can take up the whole wall!

This type of wall art could be a very large piece of art, but I was thinking more about mural wallpapers. Have you seen mural wallpapers? You can have an entire vista on your wall – on all your walls. Surround yourself with a totally different environment. Watch your soaps from the heart of the jungle, a rose garden, or outer space!

Different types of wall art can bring the outside in

How about a living wall for your living room? Living walls aren’t just for the exterior of buildings. Not only will a living wall be a very different type of wall art, it will also improve the quality of the air you breathe. It’s been well-documented how much nature improves our mental health, so with a living wall you’ll never be far from natural serenity. A living wall also adds insulation and acts as a sound barrier. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more practical, beautiful, healthy and different type of wall art.  And you thought you couldn’t have a garden!