HGTV Star Breegan Jane's Best Tips For Selecting Artwork For Your Home

From eclectic gallery walls to minimalist displays, art is one of the best ways to make a house feel like a home — and visuals are everything. To get that professional look, Kathy Kuo suggests hanging your art so that the center of the piece is 57 inches from the floor. This is the average human eye level, and using this measurement prevents your art from being displayed too high on the wall. When hanging art above a sofa, opt for 8 to 10 inches above the sofa's back. But before you get into designing your space, you have to have the perfect pieces.

Don't feel overwhelmed by choosing art. It's all about finding the right pieces for you and your home. HGTV star and interior designer Breegan Jane says, "Using art in your interior décor isn't difficult, but it should all revolve around your personality and ideals. The sky's the limit with how you can achieve that," Here are some of her top tips for picking the right pieces for you.

Of course, you want to choose art that you love — it's supposed to make you feel something, after all. Breegan Jane says to opt for art that inspires. "For me, seeing art vitalizes and inspires me throughout my day," she explains. "It makes me smile, causes me to think, and motivates me in my personal development. Can art do all of that? It can, and it does!" It may feel lofty to place those expectations on a piece of décor, but the right painting or sculpture really can change your mood. And the reason for loving specific artists, designs, or subjects all depends on you.

For Breegan Jane, it's a jaguar. "I love what the jaguar symbolizes. She's the queen of the animal kingdom: smart, lethal, and calculating. She hunts day and night; similarly, I try to take advantage of every opportunity to make moves for my family and business." If you aren't sure what you're drawn to, you can take steps to determine your style. You can look through different kinds of art and see what you react to. Are the colors more muted or vibrant? Are there figures or scenes from nature? Is the art traditional or contemporary? After familiarizing yourself with what's available, you'll learn what you like. Sometimes you might not be able to identify why, but you just fall for a piece. Artfinder says if you have a visceral reaction, it's a good sign you should take it home.

Another way to add art unique to you is by opting for custom pieces. "I enjoy having one-of-a-kind elements in my home. A simple way to create that with art is by commissioning artists to make personalized pieces for you!" suggests Breegan Jane. "Oftentimes people get so set on bringing in specific colors to match their décor that they settle for art that isn't necessarily what they really want... Big-box retailers are full of artwork that may fit particular color combinations but lack style in the actual 'art.'" Custom art is a way to ensure that your pieces fit in with your aesthetic but also have meaning — and you're also supporting small and local artists in their businesses.

And it's important to keep in mind that for many artists, their work is a business. If you're looking to commission a piece of custom artwork, you should first reach out to an artist to see if they're accepting commissions, advises Artwork Archive. If they are accepting commissions and agree to work with you, be sure to provide as many details as possible before they begin working on the piece. It's a good idea to have a contract in place if the artist doesn't offer one that lays out the term of the agreement.

If you have kids, incorporating things they've made is a lovely way of personalizing your home. But it can be difficult to find a place for it other than the fridge. "Let's be honest, parents: not everything our kids make in school is a Picasso-level or Louvre-worthy masterpiece," Breegan Jane says. She suggests framing kids' paper artwork, stating, "Often I'll have the pieces matted, which adds another layer of uniformity to the presentation. My kids get to be a part of the overall home design, and that means so much to me. As a mom and a creative, I appreciate the empowerment opportunity this creates."

Framing your kids' favorite artwork is a great way for them to feel like they contributed to the decor without sacrificing your aesthetic. It's also a great way to make your home design a little more personal. But for those pieces you don't display but don't want to throw away, you can add them to personalized art portfolios, suggests Artful Parent. Whether it's a large filing folder or an actual portfolio book, it's a great way to keep art in one place and look back on it.

Since art is all about being creative, you can begin looking at other forms of décor in a new way. "I even use wallpaper as artwork in my home. The wallpaper art highlights a piece of me, and I love to think about that as I pass it daily," Breegan Jane says. Using wallpaper is a creative way to highlight your home without having to buy multiple pieces. You can apply wallpaper traditionally to the walls or try a modern twist by adding it to ceilings to make a statement. But if you like the more classic look of framed art, you can cut pieces of wallpaper, frame them or add them to a canvas to make unique art for your home.

Or try wallpaper panels as an accent throughout a room by affixing the wallpaper to plywood and creating a border with crown molding, suggests A Storied Style. You can then fasten these panels to the wall to use as artwork or a decorative accent like a headboard or as part of a vignette. Using wallpaper can be a fun and unexpected way to add personality through art.