You Should Buy Art while Renting, Here’s Why

Setting up your home so it reflects your creativity, style and personality can be challenging when you are renting. (You can also check out this post about Buying art is how you express your own creativity)

Most landlords won't allow holes in the walls of an apartment, and even if you are willing to repair the walls, they still won't let you do it.

Does this mean that, as a renter, you are condemned to having blank walls until you move into your forever home?

I've put together some ideas on 6 ways to display art while renting here, go check it out!

And here below is why you should invest in art, even while renting!

 

 

You fall in love. Hard. The shapes, the colours, the texture. You're drawn to it. It makes you feel you. It understands you. Everything about that artwork speaks to you.

You find yourself checking that beauty few times over social media. And then you look up information about on the artist website and you think "I wish I could put that up on the wall, but I'm renting..."

I get it, as someone that has been renting for more than 11 years now, I get how frustrating it is not to have the final space where you can hang the beauty(s) you fall in love with.

When looking at art, one of the first blockers for renters is, "I love it but I don't have space on the walls/I can't put a nail in the wall".

 

Let's start from love...

You scroll through social media, or on the artist website, or - even better - at an art show, and you see it.

The only thing you can think about is "wow". I want it. You save it on Instagram, you take a screenshot, you take a picture.

You have a crush. So you become a little stalker :) and you spend time looking at that artwork, on the artist's website. You leave the tab open on you computer and on your phone.

You think about it. Often.
It's perfect. It's also in your price range. And the artist also offers payment plans. Perfect.
Look at the colours and composition once again. You love it.

And then... "I wish I could get it but I'm renting".

 

Love can't be ignored.
If you do decide to ignore your feelings, your artwork is most likely to end up on someone else's wall.
I'm not saying this because I want to sell my art (I mean, I do obviously want to sell my art, however...), I'm saying this because we all want beautiful things that speak to us in our home.

We want to have a space that reflects who we are, what we think and what we dream about. Even if we are renting.

You see, I'm a collector myself and I love investing in what makes my home mine...
And let me tell you, I get extremely annoyed if that amazing artwork I've had my eyes on for a while, disappears over night and now it's gone. For good. Bye bye.

You could get a print, if the artist offers them. 

 

Over the years, I had loads of conversations with collectors at art shows, on Instagram, via email, about that one piece of art they were looking to buy and then... it got sold.

Timing when buying art is essential. Especially nowadays where everybody has potential access to anything!

If you see something you love, make it yours, now. Beautiful things do not demand for attention, but they grab yours because they speak to you.

Elisa, I'm still renting...
Yes, I'm getting there.

I'm totally with you if you fall in love with a painting that is 5 meters long and the walls of your tiny apartment are super small. You have to be realistic. A really big statement piece that is too big for your wall, simply won't fit and there is not much you can do... unless....

- You ask the artist to ship it to someone else's home (your parent's/a friend's). The artwork will just be there for a period of time until you move somewhere else where you have the space, or in your forever home.

Or...

- You ask the artist to hold on to it, until you have a bigger wall. Not every artist might be ok with it, but you just have to ask!
The artist will ask you to pay a deposit for it, so they can remove it from the market, and as soon as you're ready, once the balance is paid off, the artist can ship it to your new location.

 

A word of advice here... Work with artists you trust, talk to them over the phone (and then ask the artist to send a recap email) or via email.
In the majority of countries, when there's a money transaction, an email counts a legally bounding contract, as both parties agree on the details stated in the email. You can also ask the artist to write up a digital contract and then you both sign it.

The trick here is to secure the artwork at the current price. Now.

Let's say you're lucky enough your beloved artwork doesn't get sold. 4 years pass by and you finally got your new home, you are still madly in love with the artwork, but then you check the price and... it was 40euro, now it's 150euro. Or it was 1000$ and now it's 4000$.
Art prices tend to increase, year after year, to reflect changes in the artist's business as well as demand.

 

Ok, we have defined love and how to get your hands on your new beautiful baby. And now?

Art that you love, will follow you. Country to country, new apartment to new apartment. It will become one of those things that make you feel at home.
Because you've invested in it. Emotionally.

It's not the walls of a house that make you feel at home, but what's inside, what you choose and what you care for. 

 

Art elevates your space, but it doesn't have to become a burden in your rented apartment. 

Measure your space and get info about the painting you like.
Ignore the colour scheme of the home you're renting, and buy artworks that make sense to you.

Don't buy art to fit your temporary room style, instead invest in art that speaks to you.

 

 

If you walk away from a stand/website/Instagram and you're still thinking about that artwork you've seen, then it's love and that painting has spoken to you. 

And if the planets are aligned (and by that I mean: price is right, your budget priorities are sorted, dimensions are good for your living space, you're happy to support the artist) then there's no timing like now to snap that artwork and make it yours.

Remember, you'll make space for the things you love, even if those walls are not yours!

 

I've put together 6 ideas on how to display art while renting here, go check it out!

 

Hope you found this blog post interesting and helpful. If you have any questions, I'm here for you!