House style

New print collections help with the tricky (and expensive) job of putting up pictures

The art of hanging prints in your home

ONE OF THE best ways to upgrade and energise a room is with a piece of art. But how to choose and hang it effectively? For inspiration, a hotel or restaurant is often a good place to start, as more and more are hiring specialists to curate interesting collections by emerging artists. The trick at home is to achieve the look without a curator’s budget. To help, several hotel groups are now selling prints of original works on their walls, so you can see them in situ and get the look at home.

Soho Home Editions is a new range of eight limited-edition prints from the Soho House group, chosen from more than 5,000 artworks displayed at its members’ clubs worldwide. The prints have been selected by the group’s head of collections, Kate Bryan, who wanted to assemble a selection by artists to watch, such as Scarlett Bowman, Eliza Hopewell, Archie Proudfoot and Danny Augustine. Each has its own style, but have been chosen to work together as a group, too. Prices range from £250 to £1,100.

A hotel group similarly known for its use of art is – as its name suggests – Artist Residence. Each room in its first outpost, opened in Brighton in 2008, was decorated by a different artist, and every new opening since has embraced works by interesting painters, illustrators and printmakers. It recently launched a collection of limited-edition prints; prices start at £50 and all profits go to the charity Art Against Knives, which works to prevent young people from becoming involved in violent crime through creative projects.

Using a mix of artworks to create a gallery wall is an effective way to hang art, but it can be expensive to frame multiple works, and time-consuming to hang them in just the right formation. If you have a collection of posters, postcards and prints that you want to hang cheaply and quickly, try the Royal Academy’s new range of ‘framing solutions’ including clips, bars and magnets that are easily hung and allow you to display work smartly without needing to frame it – and you can change the works you display as often as you want.

Paul 1. Built Davies, On Spec, £1,100 2. £300 Btwxt, Alice Browne, 3. Test Card F, Archie Proudfoot, £495 4. Domestic Bliss (Red, Blue, Pink), Scarlett Bowman, £250 5. Les Demoiselles d’lewisham, Eliza Hopewell, £265 6. Hockney Copy II, Danny Augustine, £295. All Soho Home Editions (sohohome.com)

From above Epic poster, £135, Royal Academy Shop (shop.royalacademy.org.uk); You’re So Fine by Magda Archer, £50, Artist Residence x Jealous (shop.artist residence.co.uk)