If you’ve been following along with my living room makeover these past few weeks, you already know that didn’t revamp with all new furniture (got a new sofa and redid a loveseat). I didn’t gut the room or start from scratch. What I did do — the thing that changed everything — was pay serious attention to the art on my walls.

And I want to talk about that today.

Because I think wall art for the living room is one of the most underestimated tools in a decorator’s toolkit. It’s not just decoration. It’s the thing that makes a room feel inhabited. Personal. Collected. Like someone with a point of view actually lives there.

Here’s how I think about it — and how I did it in my own space.

---

Start with a Feeling, Not a Formula

Before I hung a single piece, I asked myself: how do I want to feel when I walk into this room?

For me, the answer was joy. Color. A little bit of whimsy. The feeling of being surrounded by things I love rather than things that just “go together.”

That’s the foundation of my whole design philosophy — and it applies to art just as much as it applies to fabric. Don’t build a room around a color palette. Build it around a feeling. Let the art tell you what belongs.

---

My Gallery Wall: The Anchor of the Room

The gallery wall is the heart of this room, and I’ve talked about it in detail in a previous post here. But I want to revisit it through the lens of how I chose what went on it.

My gallery wall is filled with paintings I’ve done myself — scenes of chairs, beach cabanas that make me happy just looking at them, and florals in every color I could squeeze onto a canvas. A few pieces are by other artists I love and have mentioned in that earlier post.

    

The key to making a gallery wall feel collected rather than chaotic? Mix subjects, not just sizes. When everything is the same subject in a slightly different frame, it reads like a matching set. When you mix a beach scene with a floral with a portrait, it reads like a life.

---

The Art That Was Given to Me

Some of the most meaningful pieces in this room I didn’t buy or paint — they were given to me.

My daughter painted me Frida pictures as birthday gifts over the years, and they hang in this room with the same pride of place as anything else on these walls. Maybe more. There is something irreplaceable about art made by someone who loves you. It doesn’t matter how technically polished it is. It has a story, and that story lives in the room with you every day.

If you have art like this — tucked away in a drawer or leaning against a wall because you’re not sure it “goes” with anything — hang it. Make room for it. The collected-not-matchy approach means there’s always room for the pieces that matter most.

---

The Pieces I Chose as a Collector

I’m a huge believer in buying art from living artists when you can. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s one of the most direct ways to support creative work in the world — and because the pieces always carry more meaning when you know who made them.

One of my favorite pieces in this room is an original painting by Carrie Schmitt, whose work I’ve adored for years. It sits beautifully alongside my daughter’s painting without trying to compete — which is exactly what you want when you’re mixing art from different sources.

And then there’s a very special painting by Carolyn Shultz — which I am so excited to talk about more next weekend during the full living room reveal. Let’s just say that if you love her work as much as I do, you’re going to want to tune in (there’s going to be a giveaway). Something fun is happening. 👀

---

Why Art Prints Are the Great Equalizer

Here’s the thing I want every person reading this to hear: you don’t have to own original paintings to have a home full of art you love.

Art prints make it possible for anyone to surround themselves with work that brings them joy. A well-chosen print in a good frame is indistinguishable from an original on most walls — and it opens up access to artists and images that would otherwise be out of reach.

This is why I offer prints of my own work. I want my paintings to live in people’s homes. I want someone to walk past a Cabana Row print on their wall every morning and feel that little spark of happiness. That’s the whole point.

---

Shop My Art Prints This Weekend — Last Opening Until Fall

Speaking of which — the Whimsy & Co. popup shop is open right now, and this is the last time it will be open until fall.

Here’s what’s available:

• 🏖️ Cabana Row — my brand new beach cabana painting, available as a print for the very first time
• 🧑‍✈️ New Sailors — the beloved captain portraits are back
• 🌸 New Florals — fresh paintings ready to go on your walls
• 🎨 Vases Gone Wild — my new watercolor series, live for the first time

The shop closes Monday night, May 18.

Browse the Whimsy & Co. shop here →

---

The Full Reveal Is Coming

Next weekend, I’m sharing the complete living room transformation — every wall, every corner, every decision I made and why. And yes, there’s something special happening around the Carolyn Shultz painting that I think you’re going to love.

Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it.

In the meantime, go look at your walls. Ask yourself how they make you feel. And if the answer isn’t joy — maybe it’s time to add a little art.