Help me find some art for my living room - please!!

[littlecupcake]

I've had to get rid of my lovely large canvas because it was brown and cream and just didn't look right with our new grey sofas. I've been looking for ages for something to replace it but I'm rubbish at this sort of thing. I also need a mirror to replace the ugly brown one that's over our fireplace (that hubby bought before I moved in - I've been trying to get rid of out for years but now I've finally gout a good reason)!

So... I'd love suggestions for a piece of art/canvas etc to hang over the sofa and large but reasonably priced mirrors. Budget really is very small.

Sofas were modern grey marl colour from Next, curtains and matching cushions are these - sort of bluey/grey/yellow (have a peep at the link, they look better than they sound, honest)! We have laminate floor so I guess we're going for quite a modern look!

www.dunelm-mill.com/m/shop/grey-retro-curtain-collection-b396125

Thanks so much!

[Selks]

Look on Etsy maybe. It depends what sort of thing you mean by 'art'. If you mean original art you won't get much for a small budget, but limited edition prints might be the best bet. I have a large hand pulled screen print framed in my living room that I found on ebay.

[Selks]

Mirrors you can actually pick up really cheaply. Try The Range store, or ebay.

[Purpleflamingos]

Do you have any photos of family and friends you can enlarge and get framed? If you mention the colour scheme I'm sure you could get a grey border around your pictures. But if you like art pieces how about some black and white shots of your favourite cities or beaches?

[YoungBritishPissArtist]

www.art.co.uk has beautiful prints from around £20.

[littlecupcake]

Thanks everyone, great ideas.

I think I'd really like some sort of canvas print, something like this. I'm not sure if the blue is the right blue to go with the curtains though, and it's probably a bit more than I can really afford.

What sort of thing would look good with the 'retro' style soft furnishings? I don't know whether to go for something photographic (scenery etc), botanical (plants, trees etc) or, well, anything else!

If I want to change the colour scheme grey would be the 'base' colour, but would a grey picture with grey sofa be too much - do I need a splash of colour?

Starting to think I should have started with the art and then bought the curtains and cushions!

[mandy214]

Another vote for Etsy. Search under abstract art.

[YoungBritishPissArtist]

You could DIY if you're feeling creative :) Would be a lot cheaper and you could probably get all the stuff from The Works, that really cheap shopthat sells books and art supplies?

[minkah]

YBPA that's a brilliant link. Just what I needed, thankyou. Have you got any more 'how to make good art' tutorial links, by an chance?!

[atticusclaw]

I have bought loads of original art on ebay. Really beautiful one off pieces for less than £60 each time. I bought a gallery piece last year for £30 gallery price over £1,000. Enormous framed impressionist oil painting for £30 and just last week bough another gallery piece for £40 which was for sale in the gallery for £300.

take a look (but shield your eyes since there are some interesting "art" nudes on there)

[PilchardsonToast]

Not much to add except I too have those curtains plus grey sofas and we have this canvas from Ikea - it looks OK as the curtain colours are a bit different in real life to home they look in the picture I think.

[nikki1978]

I like this website. Some really nice stuff and not expensive (all canvas)

www.infusionart.co.uk/

I am buying this for my hallway which is pale grey

www.infusionart.co.uk/products/van-gogh-the-mulberry-tree-modern-canvas-250944.aspx

[YoungBritishPissArtist]

minkah, I found it on Pinterest

Just Googling something like 'painting my own abstract art' should bring up some good sites.

[minkah]

Ah, thankyou YBPA you have palpable intelligence!