CAN’T DECIDE ON ART? 9 QUESTIONS TO OVERCOME ANALYSIS PARALYSIS | Biophilic Interior Design | Lars Gesing Fine Art

So you’ve fallen in love with an artist’s work… Amazing! That connection you feel is powerful, isn’t it? But now there’s too many pieces to choose from, and only so much wall space (and only so many dollars to spend on art). 

All of a sudden, what had just been fun now feels a little overwhelming, right? It doesn’t have to.

In this article, I will share with you the nine questions I ask my collectors all the time as we figure out how to overcome that nagging analysis paralysis. Because yes, what you experience right now is incredibly common when people walk into my West Seattle art gallery — all rose-eyed like a kid in a candy store (one of everything, please!).

This guide will equip you with the tools to overcome that daunting indecision quickly. The result? Consider this, from psychologist Oliver Burkemann: “It can be so unexpectedly calming to take actions you’d been fearing or delaying. When you can no longer turn back, anxiety falls away, because now there is only one direction to travel: forward into the consequences of your choice.”

So let’s figure out the right choice for your unique taste, space and budget, shall we?

By the way: If this guide won’t help you overcome your analysis paralysis, you can always see what your favorite artworks would look like on your wall by taking advantage of my free digital mockup service. You can also take this quiz to get personalized artwork recommendations, or you can book a free art consultation with me. I’m here to help!

GUARDIAN ANGEL | One of my bestselling images | Portland Japanese Garden, OR | Highly Collectible Limited Edition of 99 | SHOP NOW

Question 1 to combat analysis paralysis: How do you want to feel in your space?

The most important question you can ask yourself as you figure out how to choose art and how to overcome analysis paralysis is how do you want to feel in the room once the art hangs on the wall?

You’d be surprised how many people skip this step. It’s the most powerful way to confidently choose art you’ll love forever. After all, buying art is as much about how it makes you feel as it is about what it looks like on your wall.

A lot of my collectors choose my calming nature art because they are longing for that sense of peacefulness that spending time outdoors provides, and they want to create a zen-like space that feels like a retreat after a long, busy day. (If you want to learn more about how to create cohesive nature-inspired spaces, check out my guide on the art of Biophilic Interior Design.)

How does that longing for calmness impact how you choose art?

“Horizontal lines are very relaxing,” says West Seattle interior designer Paula Kennedy. Especially in bedrooms and bathrooms, you are likely going to look for art with strong horizontal lines, which is why coastal photography prints and panorama photography prints are such popular choices in those spaces. “The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon,” Emerson wrote in Nature. “We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough.”

If creating your own zen space is what you hope for, you’ll likely also want to tap into the power of color psychology in interior design and choose blue nature photography prints or green nature artworks for your space (more on this in question 6).

If, on the other hand, you are looking for energizing photography prints for your space, vertical lines are very dynamic and provide lots of energy — so vertical panorama photographs or fine art tree photography prints might be the way to overcome analysis paralysis for you, especially if those artworks feature high-energy-colors such as yellow, red and orange. Trees and mountain photography prints also both reflect the triangular shape — the strongest form in nature — which can inspire your own feats of strength.

If you are looking to create a welcoming space like an entryway or a living room for family and friends to gather in, know that art adds warmth to any space — so choose a piece that makes you feel warm inside and watch your loved ones flock to your home. That's the art of connection.

No matter how you want to feel in your space, though, know that large format fine art nature photography is always a great choice to create balanced, inspiring spaces. And don't just take my word for it: Researchers have found that people react positively within 200 milliseconds when they look at images of nature.

Question 2 to overcome analysis paralysis: Where is your happy place?

If you could move anywhere in the world, where would that be? The answer to this question will put you on the right path to overcome analysis paralysis and choose art you’ll love forever in no time. 

For me, that place is Kauai. That’s why I have a piece of Kauai art hanging in my own home. Fine art nature photography’s superpower is that it allows you to create a room with a view. You basically get to add another window to your home, and you get to choose what you want to see. And if you are anything like most of my collectors, you’ll want to see the places you see in your daydreams.

If you want to add a statement piece of art to your home, it is crucial that you choose a photograph that mirrors a piece of yourself, something that puts your dreams front and center in your daily life. The Kauai art in my own home not only takes me back there at a moment’s notice, but it also reminds me that one day, I’d love to live there. It’s a subtle exercise in visualization.

Now, your happy place may not be the place where you hope to live someday. It may be the place where you have made some of your most important memories (family vacations, the place where you got married, the place where you proposed, went on your honeymoon, … the list goes on and on). Or it may be the place you go to recharge again and again — like your favorite beach, or your favorite hike.

Or maybe your happy place is the place where you grew up — which is why West Seattle interior designer Paula Kennedy is so drawn to my Oregon photography prints. “That's where I grew up,” she told me. “I have all those memories as a child, and being able to connect with that place and that memory emotionally fills me and helps me feel nurtured in my space. So it's very powerful.”

“An entire past comes to dwell in a new house,’ writes French philosopher Gaston Bachelard in The Poetics of Space. “Memory and imagination remain associated, each one working for their mutual deepening.” A piece of fine art photography is the perfect way to relive the past times you treasure again and again. Now all you need to do to overcome your analysis paralysis is brainstorm which of your cherished memories most vividly spark your imagination.

“And the sands in the glass
stopped
for a pure white moment
while gravity sprinkled upward
like rain, rising.

It’s one of those magical places wise
people
like to talk about.
One of the things they say about it, that is
true,
is that, once you’ve been there,
you’re there forever.”

— Mary Oliver

THE FORTUITOUS MOMENT | Cannon Beach, OR | Highly Collectible Limited Edition of 99 | SHOP NOW

Question 3 to put analysis paralysis behind you: Where do you feel at home?

This question is similar to the last one, and your answer may be the same. But what I want you to think about here as you try to overcome your art choosing analysis paralysis is your connection to the place where you live right now. 

If you love where you live, a piece of fine art nature photography is the perfect way to connect your home to that place, and to showcase your local pride (remember, the art we choose should always be a reflection of us in some way). It’s the reason why here in my West Seattle art gallery, my image RAINIER RHAPSODY of our mountain — Tahoma, Mount Rainier — is so popular.

Where do you love spending time locally? Do you have a favorite beach? A  favorite park? A favorite tree that reminds you of home? (Here in the Pacific Northwest, images of Japanese maples that grace many people’s frontwards are extremely popular, like GUARDIAN ANGEL or THE JEWEL.)

Fine art nature photography is the perfect way to express our love for the places we call home — and for tying our home to a larger place. There is science behind this — it’s called topophilia, the love of place (if you want to learn more about this, I’d suggest you read Gaston Bachelard’s book, The Poetics of Space).

Question 4 to avoid analysis paralysis: What size wall are you looking to fill?

So far, we’ve tried to tackle your analysis paralysis from the emotional side, tapping into your memory and the places that make your heart sing to choose a piece of art you’ll love forever.

But there are of course also more practical considerations that might help you narrow down your choices and overcome that pesky analysis paralysis. One of the main ones is the size of your wall.

A large piece of art will work as a focal point on your walls and make a true statement, while smaller pieces will create sense of rhythm and movement that you might like (this guide will help you use art in small spaces & make them feel bigger).

“The right art size and proportion of art are so important,” says West Seattle Interior Designer Paula Kennedy. “What's the ceiling height? What type of furniture is in that space? And then it’s back to the what impact do you want to get? Do you want it to be subtle or dramatic? I'd rather the art be larger than smaller because the larger the scale, the easier it is for us to visualize ourselves in the scene.”

So if the goal is to hang a piece of large art on your wall and you want to maximize the space, figuring out whether a horizontal or a vertical piece will help you achieve that look should definitely be part of your decision-making process. Along the way, you’ll probably be able to trim some contenders from the list and get closer to overcoming your analysis paralysis.

Question 5 to avoid analysis paralysis: What room are you looking to hang art in?

Similarly to the size of the wall, knowing which room you are trying to hang the art in — and that room’s overall aesthetic — will likely impact your artwork decision.

Let’s first though do away with a myth I keep hearing over and over again: “I have a very contemporary space. Nature art is not for me.”

“A lot of people have a lot of preconceived ideas about art and the things we bring into our homes,’ says Paula Kennedy. “I’m here to tell you: Oh, there's a very contemporary way of incorporating nature in your interior design without it looking like a log cabin or the rainforest.” 

So rather than looking elsewhere for art, consider how you can use fine art nature photography to create a well-balanced contemporary Biophilic Interior Design (a good start is using the float finish rather than a frame).

But back to the room itself. “You’d choose different artwork if it’s a living room, a reading space or a bedroom,” says West Seattle interior designer Andrea Bushdorf. While particularly bedrooms and bathrooms call for calming nature art, a living room, an office or an entryway may be spaces where you might want to experiment with more energetic colors. 

The great thing about fine art nature photography prints is that it never has to be one or the other… For example, you can choose a calming coastal scene with strong, relaxing horizontal lines but have it be energizing too due to its colors — like my pieces BELIEVE and THE FORTUITOUS MOMENT, for example.

If you are looking at art for your bedroom, don’t just look at the space above the headboard as a place to hang art. Look for walls from which you can actually see the art when you are in bed — and then consider the size of those walls as you make your artwork decisions using the prompts I’ve given you in the previous question.

If you have a room that is rather dark, consider a brighter artwork to lighten up the space. 

Another way to think about this question is to consider the depth of your room… In general, large wall art that is very busy and has lots of different details to be admired is often more enjoyable to view both from up close but also from greater distance, whereas more simplistic scenes will draw you closer to the art and you therefore don’t need as much space to be able to also view them from a greater distance.

And while interior designers like Andrea Bushdorf won’t tire to stress that it is okay to be eclectic, dispersing the notion that everything in your interior design needs to match, there is something to be said about artwork enhancing your room’s overall balance and symmetry. So if, for example, you have a space with strong leading lines from furniture, beams, fireplaces mantels etc, you may want to choose a piece of art that further accentuates those lines as you figure out what art to buy and how to hang it.

There’s also a way to think about your room more holistically, which is where the work of Interiors Therapist Suzanne Roynon comes into play. She works with clients to cultivate a certain energy in their space, using traditional Feng Shui methods. And since art, particularly fine art nature photography, is a central component of that work, she was kind enough to share some examples with me that you might find useful as you try to overcome analysis paralysis and narrow down your list of artworks for the space you have in mind.

For offices, “places where someone wants to draw more money into their lives,” Suzanne suggests images with a strong flow, like waterfall photography prints or photographs of waves. For bedrooms and to create welcoming gathering spaces, she suggests images that signify connection, such as FAMILY BONDS. And in places of business, Suzanne likes to see tree photography prints that signify growth, such as SKYWARD.

Question 6 to fight analysis paralysis: What’s your favorite color?

So you know now how you want to feel in your space. But did you know that color is one of the primary ways to influence your mood? Welcome to the field of color psychology in interior design — which you can definitely use to your advantage as you try to narrow down your list of potential artworks and work to overcome analysis paralysis.

If your room has a neutral color palette, you might want to consider a more colorful piece of art to add a pop of color and a point of visual interest. But which specific color artwork you choose will directly impact how your room feels. Rich blues and greens will accentuate the calming feeling that the neutral shades in the rest of the room already laid the groundwork for. On the other hand, a piece of red, yellow, or orange art will command attention and add a sense of vibrant energy to the space.

If, however, your room is already full of color, you might want to go the other direction and choose a piece of art with more subtle colors to balance your space.

In general, nature-inspired Biophilic Interior Design incorporates a lot of greens and blues, interior designer Paula Kennedy points out. “Very natural, earthy colors — sometimes a little more subdued neutrals. But we do still love more vibrant pops of color!”

A general rule of thumb is that artwork featuring neutral tones provides the greatest chance of looking amazing in multiple spaces — which is why black and white fine art nature photography prints are so popular. They most easily fit in with the room’s flow and general aesthetic without looking out of place.

Luckily for you, you can browse all my signature large wall art pieces by color in my online gallery, easily finding art for the kind of energy you are trying to create.

IMMERSION | Lake Quinault, WA | Highly Collectible Limited Edition of 99 | SHOP NOW

Question 7 to combat analysis paralysis: Which image first made you fall in love with my work?

We never forget our first love… So sometimes, it’s good to not overcomplicate things when you are in the rut of analysis paralysis and simply choose the artwork that first made you fall in love with the artist. You can always come back and expand your collection later (most of my collectors end up buying more of my work over the years.

Question 8 to overcome analysis paralysis: What’s your budget?

If budget is a concern, and you can’t decide if you should frame your art or not, I always suggest investing your money in a bigger piece of art rather than adding costly frame to a smaller piece. In fact, 90 percent of my collectors choose the versatile, more contemporary acrylic floats for their home. 

So if you can’t decide on a finish for your artwork, keep that in mind and kick your analysis paralysis to the curb. And if it’s not that easy and you feel like you need some more help, book a free art consultation with me, and I’ll walk you through my thoughts on the right art for your space — based on years of experience and working with dozens and dozens of collectors all over the U.S. and beyond.

AU'MAKUA — THE LIGHT WITHIN | Hanalei Bay, HI | Highly Collectible Limited Edition of 99 | SHOP NOW

Question 9 to overcome analysis paralysis: How do you think the art will look in your space?

If you have a hard time envisioning what your favorite artworks will actually look like in your space, and you find it impossible to make a decision between those finalists without it, don’t fret.

In that case, all you need to do to overcome your analysis paralysis for good is to take advantage of my free digital mockup service. I’ll show you exactly what the artworks you love would look like on your wall — giving you the confidence to make a decision knowing that you’ll love how the art will transform your space!

BONUS: Still plagued by analysis paralysis? How about a gallery wall?

Okay, if after all that, you still can’t shake your analysis paralysis, I have one more tip for you to break the stalemate: Have you considered a gallery wall? So instead of committing to one piece of large wall art, maybe instead you pair a few smaller fine art nature photography prints together? That way, maybe you can escape making that final hard decision on just one piece of art.

And with that…

That’s it… that’s all I got. I hope that after working through those questions, you feel more confident about your artwork choice. And again, know that I stand ready to help, be that with my free digital mockups, my personalized artwork recommendations quiz or a complimentary art consultation.