Expert tips on curating a personal gallery in your home: a guide by artist Sai Damisa Vanaswas

These days, spending a weekend afternoon wandering through galleries and exhibitions has become second nature to many of us. But observing art in a gallery—where a curator has carefully orchestrated the narrative—is an entirely different experience to living with a piece in your own home. In your own space, you are the curator, and a painting might take on a completely different meaning to the one it had on a stark white gallery wall.

It begs the question: how does the artist feel about this shift in context?

"Gallery art is about showcasing the artist's technique and telling their story at that specific moment in time," Sai notes. "But when a viewer feels that instant connection and decides to take a piece home, its origins almost cease to matter. I don't need the audience to see exactly what I see. The moment that painting crosses the threshold of their house, it becomes theirs. It starts to reflect the homeowner's character and emotions. As the artist, I take a step back, because ultimately, the piece was made for them."

The beauty of art is that it refuses to be restricted to a rectangular frame. Sai fondly recalls her experience painting on a rather unconventional, three-dimensional surface: an ostrich egg. Commissioned by Lotus Arts de Vivre, the project aimed to capture the essence of nature on the shell itself. It required a fair bit of trial and error to find the right paints, and she deliberately chose fine linework over solid blocks of colour to let the egg’s natural texture shine through.

"I'd never painted on a 3D object like that before, let alone one with such an unusual texture. The main hurdle was just getting the paint to adhere," she admits. "I relied heavily on linework so the egg's unique surface wasn't lost."

Looking ahead, she’s keen to apply her art to everyday furniture. "I’d absolutely love to paint directly onto wood—perhaps on wardrobe doors—so the artwork becomes an integrated architectural feature of the room," she says, her eyes lighting up. It's a testament to the idea that, when executed with taste, art can seamlessly merge with the structure and function of a home.

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If art is meant to express emotion and identity within a space, colour is arguably the most powerful tool for setting the mood. Sai often blends warm and cool tones to strike a comforting, balanced feel for pieces intended for the home. She frequently gravitates towards teal and Payne's Grey to add depth.

"Payne's Grey is a wonderfully dark shade that avoids the harshness of pure black. It offers a cool, soft darkness," she explains. "I like to use deep, complex primary colours so the painting feels both impactful and tranquil. But it can’t fall flat; it needs to have a quiet strength and a few playful, hidden elements."

Given her abstract style, Sai feels her work is best suited to homeowners who are open-minded and young at heart.

"It appeals to people who don't box themselves in. Abstract art is never static. You could look at the same painting every day and interpret it differently depending on your mood or what you're going through in life. It keeps the artwork feeling fresh and engaging."

When asked about the future of interior art, Sai is adamant that despite the current craze for earthy palettes or raw brutalism, personal taste will always reign supreme.

"We're going to see a massive rise in commissions," she predicts. "People are thinking long-term now. They want pieces that genuinely reflect who they are, rather than just snapping up whatever is trending in the galleries. Clients want to come to me and say, 'I love this style, but can we adapt the palette to suit my living room?' It proves that the relationship between the buyer and the artist is becoming much more collaborative and intimate."

Commissioning an artpiece is now a rising trend that reflects a growing desire for individuality in interior design, firmly stepping away from the cookie-cutter aesthetics of mainstream trends.

For budding collectors, or anyone feeling a bit daunted by the prospect of buying their first proper piece of art, Sai offers three straightforward guiding principles.

1. Look for the spark

The first and most important thing is ‘feeling.’ TA piece has to pull you in immediately, sparking an instant connection—whether it evokes a memory, a feeling, or a specific thought. “If a piece of art can find a place in your heart, it can certainly find a place in your home,” Sai says, describing the genesis of the relationship between a buyer and a painting.

2. Consider the space

Personal preference is one thing, but spatial context is another. You need to think about the atmosphere you're trying to create. And if you’re worrying whether a painting has to perfectly match your sofa, Sai has a reassuring answer: absolutely not.

“People are so much braver with their interiors now. Sometimes, hanging a brilliantly vibrant painting in a very muted, neutral room creates a fantastic contrast and becomes a real talking point. That said, if a client wants a harmonious look, I can guide them towards that. Or, if they’ve fallen in love with a piece but the colours clash horribly with their home, we can always commission something similar in a more ‘friendly’ palette.”

Because of this, Sai frequently lets clients trial a painting in their home before committing. A piece that looks magnificent in a brightly lit gallery can take on a completely different mood in a domestic setting.

3. See it as a mirror

At the end of the day, art isn't just decor; it's an extension of ourselves. It acts as a mirror, reflecting our mindset and identity at any given moment. Living with art is like having a quiet, daily conversation with yourself.

“If you take care of yourself, and take care of the artwork, it’s a bit like a marriage,” she laughs. “At first, you're just looking at it. But as the years go by, it starts looking back at you, reflecting who you are. As you change and grow, your relationship with the painting changes too.”

Maintenance is a common worry for new buyers. For oil paintings, Sai’s advice is simple: keep them out of direct sunlight, as UV rays can damage the pigments, and ensure they are at least a metre or two away from any heat-emitting lamps. When it comes to cleaning, a very gentle dusting is all that’s required.

But perhaps more importantly, buyers need to embrace the natural ageing process of the artwork.

“People need to remember that these are 100 per cent handmade, not digital prints,” she points out. “By the very nature of oil paints, they will gradually yellow over five or ten years. But that just gives the painting a beautiful, antique patina. It’s the charm of having a piece of 'living' art that matures alongside your home.”

“Art really isn't something hard to understand,” Sai concludes with a warm smile. “Quite simply, if it clicks, if you feel that spark, and if it means something to you personally—then you’ve found your perfect match.”

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