Decorating Art Niches

Lighting

• Lighting can impact the look of your art, and art niches are no exception. Art history professor and museum curator, Dr. Lori, recommends incandescent lights. Specifically, these lights are effective for art containing yellow, red, orange and brown tones. However, she warns that these lights are not best for lighter colors, such as blue and green. Instead, Lori recommends a mix of halogen lights and incandescent lights for highlighting these tones. One thing she emphasizes is that you never use natural light, as the ultraviolet radiation contained within can cause your art to fade.

Accessories

• Adding extra items to your art niche will increase the niche's aesthetic value. Plates, vases and plants all add a three-dimensional element to the paintings in your niche. However, do not use just anything you find. Pieces must always blend in with the art around them. For example, if your artwork has an earthy tone, add peripherals to complement those colors. The same logic applies for brighter colors. Additionally, consider the size of your niche and the art inside it. If the niche is small and contains a few small pictures, use items that are also small. This will prevent you from taking attention away from the art. If you have more space and larger artwork, you can use larger peripherals.

Color

• Every part of your niche can be improved, and the color is no exception. Like peripherals, use paint that matches the color of your niche's artwork. Areas such as the background, walls and ledge can all benefit from improvement. Your options are not limited to simple colored paint. Faux finishes can also give your niche a wood or antique look.

Furniture

• Art niche decoration is not limited to the niche itself. Adding items directly below it can bring attention to the niche's decor. For example, place a small table, dresser or bench just beneath the niche. With a table or dresser, use plants or other small peripherals to make the objects more vibrant. If you use a bench or a chair, adding a pillow can help call attention to items and the art niche above them.