BARE NAKED WALLS

Are you suffering from bare naked walls? You’ve been looking at the same walls for years and years believing they’re just fine. They don’t need dressing. It’s an artistic endeavor you shy away from because you don’t believe you have the talent to put it all together.

Don’t underestimate your creativity in this matter. Putting together an artistic office display is a matter of basics.

Recently I worked with Congressman Rob Wittman’s Fredericksburg office to create such a display. Their office didn’t lack in creativity; they wanted to update their look and knew they wanted local works of the Fredericksburg area. The start of the project was generated through a third party, so the scope wasn’t entirely clear. I put together a portfolio of local shots I took in the area, and while viewed well, and some chosen for the display, the office was interested in local buildings and landmarks. I put together second portfolio for review and we hit the mark.

So how do you dress those naked walls? It’s really quite simple.

START WITH A THEME

Working with Congressman Wittman’s office, their theme was Fredericksburg’s historic district. We put together some local landmarks including City Hall, the Circuit Court steeple, St. George’s Episcopal Church and a view of the city from Chatham Heights. The display also included local bits of the community itself: the horse and carriage ride that tours downtown, a cannon from the Fredericksburg National Cemetery, a sign along Charles Street. It is Fredericksburg to those who know Fredericksburg and it is a representation of the city for those new to the area.

FIND A PHOTO THAT INTERESTS YOU AND BUILD AROUND IT

There are nine galleries on the Studio website. If one particular photo catches your attention, take that photo and find others that compliment the image either through theme, color or design. Or go completely eclectic and create a menagerie of images.

FIND SOMETHING THAT INDENTFIES YOUR PERSONALITY

Say you’re a Civil War buff. Select photos that represent the local battlefields. Presenting a personal interest to a client may open a link to a similar interest and break the ice. Or, it may just make your environment a bit more comforting to work in.

THE JOY OF COLOR; OR NOT

Many offices walls are bland; tan or white and often faded from years of neglect. This isn’t your fault. You have little control over what your landlord allows. Find photos with color and display them around the office to enliven the atmosphere. You’d be surprised what a little color can do to enrich the look of your surroundings. You can even create a theme based solely on color.

Another option to color would be a black and white or a tinted theme. Lack of color sets an atmosphere that often takes the viewer into another world. Lack of color can create an emotional display that may play into your business standards.

Once you start thinking about dressing your walls, the process takes on its own life. Variety not only comes from the photo itself, it’s further highlighted by size, frame and mat choices. The possibilities are endless. Open up your creativity and you’ll find the perfect solution for the bare naked walls of your business or office.

Kerri Williams owns and operates Magpi Studios, a creative studio specializing in photography, graphic design and fine art to meet your businesses marketing needs.

Magpi Studios offers an affordable alternative to purchasing art through ArtLease. With ArtLease, you make the decisions on the art with the guidance of Magpi Studios, all while working within your budget. You also have the option to change the art within the terms of your lease and experiment with different images or update your look. Learn more about ArtLease and the possibilities of creating an inviting environment for your clients, your staff and yourself.