Being a true lover of art, there are three things I firmly believe in when choosing art for a child’s space:
- It should be a mix of child-friendly and more adult pieces with a childlike quality to them. (My son’s nursery is a mix of cute nursery art sayings from Etsy and prints from Basquiat and Banksy.)
- The more original and varied the works are, the more creativity it brings out in the child.
- Always try to purchase art from the artist, rather than a big box store. Art from big box stores is like fried food in a diet; it’s delicious and easy but should be used sparingly.
To make the process of finding art as easy as walking into Home Goods, here’s a list of my favorite sites and places to find art for kid’s spaces.
Etsy
- Lily & Threads– Watercolor illustrations that are beautiful and educational. We have the “Colors” and “My Feelings” prints in my son’s playroom. These are digital downloads that can be printed at your local office store and fit into Ikea Ribba Frames (my favorite budget-friendly frame).
- Ali Douglass – Bright, cheerful illustrations of landscapes and cityscapes. She also has a “Sound of Music” print that is more than likely making its way to a gallery wall in our art/craft space.
- Ann Kelle – Colorful art prints. I love all of her stuff and have plans for her “Mixtape” and “See Us. Hear Us. Love Us.” prints.
- Taryn St. Michele– Art and gold foil prints perfect for the girly girl bedroom or playroom.
Society 6
Similar to Etsy but it’s just art, and each print has a variety of ways you can order it from basic prints to phone cases and blankets. Currently, they have a section on Back-to-School that highlights some great options for older kids’ rooms and dorm rooms. Prior to having my son, this was my favorite time-killing way to reduce stress … just scrolling online. Some of my favorites are:
- Amber Vittoria– Adult-like art in bright colors that go perfectly in kids’ rooms.
- ilovedoodle– Cute happy illustrations to put smiles on faces of any age.
- Tracie Andrews– A lot of brightly colored abstract pieces. I love her “Shelter” rainbow print.
- Ryan The Foe – Great option for a boy’s room. We have his “Peace” print in our playroom.
- Show Me Mars– Fun illustrations and sayings perfect for kids’ rooms, young and old.
- Jessica Rae Sommer– This one is perfect for older girls’ rooms (or adults) that are into fashion. We have “Lavender Heat,” “Gennessee,” and “Face for NYC” in our house. Another great option for this is Leigh Viner.
Local Art Fairs
Let your child pick out a small print or go home and make their own based on what they saw.
Make Their Own
Always find room to mix the child’s own art in with the professionally done pieces. Kids’ art is not just for the refrigerator and the art files in a drawer. Allow kids to display their favorite works framed on the wall to instill a sense of pride in their work that will carry on as they get older.
What are your favorite artists for kids’ rooms?
