Show Home Secrets: Selecting Artwork for Different Rooms

A good show home lets a visitor walk from room to room and quietly work out how they would live there. You choose the furniture and finishes to set that scene. The art is what gives each room its own mood, and it is often the cheapest and quickest part to get right.

Here is how we would think about it, room by room. Each suggestion comes from the shop's collection, so you can see everything in one place.

Living room: set the tone

This is usually the first big space visitors see, so give it your largest piece. Hang it above the sofa or on the main feature wall, with the centre at roughly eye level.

Abstract pieces suit a modern scheme, and Landscapes & Nature bring warmth to a traditional one. A framed canvas or box framed print gives a big wall some presence without needing a heavy mount.

Kitchen: light and approachable

Kitchens are busy, social rooms, so keep the art uncomplicated. Botanical & Floral pieces or a bright Graphic & Geometric print both work. Hang it on a wall near the dining area or breakfast nook, away from the hob and any steam.

Dining room: a talking point

A dining room can take something bolder. Choose one confident piece and centre it on the main wall so it is visible from the table. Pull a colour from the tableware or soft furnishings so it feels intentional, not random.

Bedroom: calm first

Think restful. Soft Abstract pieces, gentle landscapes and Minimalist work in muted, tonal colours all help. Place the art above the headboard, or on a side wall if you want it to be noticed without dominating. A framed print is often the tidiest choice here.

Bathroom: small and careful

Keep it modest. A single small framed print with glazing, or an acrylic panel, works well, hung opposite a mirror or above the towel rail and away from direct splashes. Botanical subjects suit the space.

Hallway: the connecting thread

Hallways tell visitors what to expect. A short run of smaller pieces in matching frames, evenly spaced at eye level, leads the eye along the space and makes a narrow area feel considered. Cities & Architecture works well in a modern hallway.

Home office: focus without fuss

Many buyers want to see where they could work. Choose calm Landscapes & Nature or a restrained geometric piece, and avoid anything too busy if the room is meant for long hours. Behind the desk makes a good backdrop for video calls.

Getting the sizes right

The most common mistake in a show home is art that is too small for its wall. Measure first, and compare against our sizes and pricing page and the guide to choosing wall art size before you order.

Repeating the look across a development

If you are dressing several show homes or different apartment types, you can reuse a single palette and a consistent frame style, then vary the theme room by room. For schemes of that size our trade service offers curated schemes, selections by apartment type and a priced proposal. Start with the property developers page if you want to see how it works.

Chapters of one story

Think of the show home as a single story told in short chapters: a confident opening in the living room, calm in the bedrooms, a little personality in the smaller rooms. Choose each piece to suit its room, keep the frames consistent, and visitors will find it easy to imagine the rest.