Decorating your home with art is like adding the frosting to the cake. It’s this last embellishment more than anything in decorating that reflects a very personal side of you. That’s why this is one area of decorating where you really should take your time choosing pieces for your home.

Art is not something easily defined because it’s such an individual preference. Art is about what you love – what speaks to you. Whether it’s a simple watercolor or a wood carving it should resonate with your heart.

What always surprises me is my gut reaction to art. I’ve fallen in love with many different styles with no rhyme or reason why, except that somewhere deep inside something calls to me.

Meanwhile, you could be looking at the same art and have a completely different reaction to it. That’s why when you go shopping for art to decorate your home, it’s imperative that you choose only what pulls at your own heart. Don’t let friends, relatives or sales reps persuade you to buy something that you don’t really love.

On that note, I’ve come across art that I absolutely fell in love with and purchased on the spot. Yet, later, when I saw it in my own home, I realized it didn’t really fit in with the look and feel of what I was going for in my decorating. Because of that, the appeal began to waver. Sometimes it might be better to admire art you love from afar than to try to live with it.

Not to be contradictory, but I’ve also had pieces that I displayed anyway despite how they clashed with my decor simply because I was so drawn to them. There is a quiet honesty in that which is what decorating your home is really all about – filling your spaces with the things you love.

When it comes to budget, purchasing art can be scary. You can definitely find really wonderful things for an affordable price, but because our reaction to art is made first with our hearts (I love it!) and then with our minds (can I afford it?), it’s a good idea to know ahead of time how much you want to spend. If you really fall in love with a more expensive piece, then it may be worth it to you to buy it and put some of your other decorating choices on hold for a while. Only you can decide.

One final thought, please don’t give in to the temptation to go out and buy paintings or other art pieces just to have something to hang on your walls or to set out on your tabletops. Patience really is a virtue here. Take your time and wait until something truly resonates with you. It’s better to have bare walls and surfaces than to display meaningless pieces that are just space-fillers. After all, decorating means creating a home that authentically reflects you.