3 Dimensional Art

Not just for the walls, art decorates the home in more ways than you realize. Three dimensional art is works of art that are carved, modeled, constructed or cast. Architecture is often considered a three dimensional art form, and rightfully so. Consider some of the architectural features of a Victorian home:

Cornices and moldings – The carved pieces that decorate or hide where the roof and wall meet.
Fretwork - Intricate wood cutwork used in entryways and doorways, usually as an arch.
Columns – usually of carved wood to either support weight, strengthen a structure or just decorate.

Now consider using those architectural features as art in your home. Adding crown moldings is a fairly inexpensive upgrade when redecorating a room. New, more user-friendly products make it a fairly easy, but sometimes frustrating, DIY project. Decorative architectural features such as corbels, can be used as wall shelves or to add interest both inside and out of the house.

More recognizable as three-dimensional art are sculptures and statues. Personal taste, of course, should dictate what you choose to purchase or even create. But when considering which room to use it in or where to place it, there are other issues to be considered.

Subject Matter

Particularly important for kitchens and dining rooms, subject matter should be considered. Not only for appropriateness, but within the function of the room. An obvious example would be a sculpture of a sleeping person that may be more appropriate for the bedroom. A more action oriented sculpture would look better in a living room.

Size

Is the piece in scale with the room? For instance, a larger sculpted piece may be better for a great room than a smaller living room. Not only should scale be considered for the room itself, but for the other furnishings in the room, particularly near the piece.

Color

Obviously, it shouldn’t clash.

Texture

Texture is important in interior decorating, as the interaction of textures, the contrast among materials and the feel of a surface, can lift a room out of the ordinary. For example, in a contemporary room there tends to be primarily smooth surfaces, consider a hammered bronze sculpture to add texture to the room.

Lines

Lines are the shapes of the furnishings of the room itself – contemporary décor tends to have straight lines in the furniture – three dimensional art can highlight or contrast with the lines of the room to add interest. For instance, with that same contemporary room and hammered bronze sculpture, a round shape would really stand out in the room and emphasize the clean lines of the furnishings – it just may be the perfect fit!