How to Mix and Match Art Like a Professional Designer

If you’re wondering how to skillfully pair vintage art pieces with contemporary finds, keep reading! We spoke with two interior designers who share their best advice for mixing and matching artwork within a home—or even within one gallery wall! Before you know it, you’ll be styling your favorite pieces like a pro. 

Consider the Overall Design Aesthetic You Crave 

It’s important to first determine your personal style before mixing and matching contemporary and vintage art in the home. “Knowing if you are going for a more eclectic or cohesive style will help to guide you,” says Meredith Owen, the founder of Meredith Owen Interiors. If you’re unsure what styles speak to you, consider spending time on Pinterest, flipping through coffee table books or magazines, or exploring designer's portfolios to see what looks capture your attention. 

Photo: Allie Provost / Apartment: Sarah Lyon 

Vary the Size of Pieces

Owen offers some practical tips that are key when mixing and matching artwork of any kind. “Pay attention to scale and proportion, and mix large statement pieces with smaller more delicate ones to create visual interest,” she shares. “Harmonize your art collection by choosing colors that are complementary or analogous.” 

Photo: Allie Provost / Apartment: Sarah Lyon 

Try a Gallery Wall

Installing a gallery wall isn’t as difficult as it may seem and can completely transform that blank wall above the sofa or opposite your bed. “A gallery wall is a great way to mix art styles and mediums,” Owen says. 

Don’t be afraid to pair vintage and contemporary art pieces within your wall; it’s all about an artful mix. If you’re still worried the various works won’t look cohesive, note that placing all of your pieces in the same type of frame can help to bring the wall together seamlessly. Of course, if it’s an eclectic look that you crave, keep your frame styles varied! 

Photo: Allie Provost / Apartment: Sarah Lyon 

Stick to a Theme

Another way to skillfully blend vintage and contemporary artwork is to keep your eyes peeled for works that all pertain to a certain theme, says Courtnay Tartt Elias, the founder of Creative Tonic Design. Elias suggests focusing in on a category like landscapes, portraits, or flowers, just to name a few ideas. Within your larger theme, you can still make way for a variety of mediums. “It’s also fun to layer in mixed-media pieces with paintings, paint-by-number vintage pieces with modern landscapes, or paint-by-number tropical water scenes with modern seaside paintings,” the designer says.”The mix is endless—stick to your theme and only buy what you love! If you love it, it will all work together!” 

Elias suggests focusing in on a category like landscapes, portraits, or flowers. Easily find artwork by category here.

Written by:

Sarah Lyon

March 28, 2024     Updated 01:04 PM

Sarah Lyon is a Washington, DC, native living in New York City. As a freelancer, she frequently covers pieces pertaining to interior design, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her pieces have appeared in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more. When she isn't writing, Sarah works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots (and can't stop rearranging and redecorating her own apartment, either!). She has a penchant for shopping secondhand and loves giving preloved pieces new life. Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine.

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