Issue Date: December 4, 2005

Hang it up

Try these savvy tips to choose great art for your home -- on any budget.

By Judi Ketteler

Buy at auctions
Get limited editions. Trendy now are nicely framed limited-edition prints (meaning the artist has touched them). And an auction is a great way to get a piece of a more famous artist's work.

At live and silent auctions, you can get steals on fine pieces of art. But don't be afraid of the auctioneer and the auction process, says Barbara MacAdam, executive editor at New York-based magazine "Art + Auction:" "Relax, and don't be timid." Auctioneers only want to sell to people who want to buy, and it's OK to make an offer you think is reasonable.

Price ranges: Originals at high-end auction houses can sell into the millions. A smaller charity auction usually is a better bet, with price points ranging from $100 for smaller works of art to a few thousand for prints or originals from lesser-known artists.

Use mass retail
Go Under the Tuscan sun. Mass-market retailers such as Target, Wal-Mart or TJ Maxx sell affordable reproductions. "We get a sense of what's hot and buy appropriately," says Jenn DeBarge-Goonan, spokeswoman for Marshalls. "Right now, Tuscan-inspired art is a top seller." Also in vogue: landscapes, bright florals and vintage ads.

Price ranges: Reproductions run $10 to $200. But no matter what your budget is, look for quality framing. It's worth a few extra bucks.

Visit galleries
Get Realism. "People sometimes avoid galleries because they assume there is nothing they can afford," says "Art + Auction's" MacAdam.

Galleries can be intimidating, but they often carry very affordable originals by young artists, she says. "Don't be afraid to talk to gallery owners. They will usually be able to recommend a piece (or another gallery) that suits your tastes and stays within your price range."

As for what to buy, in top art cities like New York, there is increasing emphasis on more representational art these days, says David Masello, New York correspondent for Atlanta-based "Art & Antiques" magazine. "People are interested in realism and a discernible view. Abstract art seems to appeal to fewer people now," he says. Landscapes, still-life scenes and paintings that depict city life are immensely popular, for example. Yet you should "buy only what you actually love. Don't try to love it," Masello says.

Remember, great art isn't just in big cities: Visit local galleries. Find national listings online at artandantiques.net or artnet.com.
Price ranges: In artsy Manhattan neighborhood Chelsea, you can get original canvases from young artists for around $1,200. Art outside of New York and Los Angeles may be up to 50% cheaper. Artist popularity also influences price. Popular artists might start in the low thousands and soar much higher. If you want originals on a beer budget, head to an art fair or student exhibit at a local university or art school.

Commission a piece
Order Online. "Working with a young artist on a commissioned piece is a completely satisfying way to buy," says Kristan Cunningham of HGTV's "Design on a Dime." After deciding the Los Angeles art market was too pricey, she and her husband researched options online and found a St. Louis gallery (hoffmanlachancefineart.com) that they loved. The couple worked with two artists to create five pieces, and they got to watch each one progress through e-mailed pictures. The artists were up-and-coming, so the pieces weren't that expensive. But it's not about the price tag. "It's valuable because it's exactly what you want," Cunningham says.
Price ranges: You can easily commission a piece of original art from a young artist for less than $1,000. Of course, keep in mind that prices will rise as name recognition increases.