Every little piece of home décor is a living embodiment of the personal style and class of its inhabitants. Wall décor, in particular, precedes and influences everything else. Right from the colour of the walls to the matching shade of upholstery, everything indicates taste and attention to detail. Wall décor has seen a lot of change over time with bold wallpapers and quirky furniture but handmade paintings remain the most popular and classy choice.

Oil, water colour, pastels, acrylic, ink or charcoal paintings are quite prevalent. Interestingly though, selecting the perfect handmade paintings for your home can be a bit of a struggle. The market is flooded with such amazing art pieces that you’ll be spoilt for choice. Let me walk you through some to make your job easier.

• Nature paintings

You can bring the lovely hues of nature home by adorning your walls with nature paintings. A blooming flower, a gorgeous sunrise or a dancing peacock in all its magnificent glory can instantly brighten up your walls, your mood and even your day. Macro paintings, like insects or fruit seeds, with intricate detailing are truly spectacular to look at. They go well with almost any kind of home décor theme too.

• Devotional paintings

Devotional handmade paintings have a league and specialty of their own. They’re considered as a sign of positivity and good luck and are perfect to place in any room. Om, Lord Ganesha, Buddha or Radha Krishna are forever trendy choices and never go out of fashion. While single tone paintings are often in demand, vibrant fusions like red and black or yellow and green add a tinge of sparkle to your home décor.

• Art Collectibles

Art aficionados have the perfect opportunity to flaunt exclusive works of their favourite artists by decorating their homes with their handmade paintings. Indian painters have made a mark internationally with their illustrious depictions of our mythological characters and life. M F Husain’s horses, S H Raza’s bindu or Amrita Sher-Gil’s self-portraits set them apart and are priceless jewels that’ll embellish your home décor.

• Indian Folk art

Handmade paintings have been a big part of Indian art and culture since ancient times. They’ve been utilised by royalty and common man alike to depict and preserve their life and moments for posterity. Every region has its exclusive style and method of portrayal as well. Like Warli art uses figurines and was painted on walls, Madhubani was used in home décor items and devotional Orissa Paata paintings were done on cloth. Interestingly, these art forms are still quite fashionable and used in home décor in crockery, figurines and wall paintings too.

• Contemporary designs

Contemporary art has a dedicated following although it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The modern twist to traditional methods is refreshing, interesting and deserves a fair bit of understanding. Tyeb Mehta, Reena Saini Kallat, Sahej Rajal etc are some famous contemporary Indian painters to look out for. It is fun to interpret their work and make an impression with it too.

This is indeed an inclusive list since there are umpteen different styles and combinations you can employ. Try setting up a cosy corner with one art form and the main living area with another. Go subtle with your choice of wall colours and let your edgy paintings do the talking. Sky is the limit, really!

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