In my book, a beautiful piece of art has the power to take a room from just ok to fantastic. Great artwork can be a conversation starter, the perfect focal point, a mood setter...I'd even go as far as saying a space is incomplete without it! One of my favorite art categories is abstracts - they're easy to incorporate into just about any room in your home and there are so many different styles, you're sure to find something you love.

I'm guessing a lot of us don't have the budgets (or time!) to shop for original art or visit boutique galleries, but fortunately, there are lots of art prints out there you can purchase and frame that won't break the bank. Unfortunately, if you try to Google "affordable abstract art," 1,940,000 hits come up (sheesh!), so how in the world are you supposed to know where to start or even begin to narrow the options down? How do you find the good stuff?

Well, it's your lucky day! I've done a lot of research over the years for both myself and clients, and I'm letting you in on some of my strategies for finding awesome art sources and artists. At the top of the post, I rounded up some great pieces from different places to help kickstart your search, and below, we'll chat about how to begin your own search. (Side note: nearly all the pieces I gathered up are less than $200 for a good size print. Some of them even come framed!) Banish those bare walls, my friends.

Now let's strategize - when it comes to starting your own search, you can go one of two directions:

Hunt for an individual artist and search their collection
Go to an aggregator website and start a more general search there

So how do you go about finding individual artists?

There are two mediums I've found to be most successful: Instagram and interior design/decorating blogs. Artists tend to be active on Instagram since it's such a visual form of social media. You can search hashtags like #doitfortheprocess and #artistsofinstagram and browse that way. Once you find a few artists you like, Instagram will start to show you similar accounts under the "search" tab. I've found some of my personal favorite artists this way, including Britt Bass, Emily Jeffords and Kelli Kroneberger.

The walls are full of artwork and the space looks amazing with Barb Blair's furniture bringing dimension and elegance. The Wind + Sky show opens in 1 hour at @knackstudio #thenourishcollection

A post shared by Emily Jeffords // artist (@emily_jeffords) on Feb 2, 2017 at 3:07pm PST

When it comes to interior design blogs, it's not as much about searching as it is finding designers/bloggers whose tastes match yours, and seeing what kinds of art/artists they use in either their own homes or clients' homes. If you love their style, I'll bet that eventually they'll use a piece of art you love, and hopefully they'll be willing to share the source! Studio McGee is a great example of someone who does this consistently. In fact, one of the pieces she used recently in a home is in my roundup at the top of the blog! ("Ivy" by Parima Creative Studio, below.)

Individual artists will often have a website you can shop directly, or if they don't, they might list their pieces/prints on Etsy, which leads me to my next way to find affordable abstract art!

Search for art using an aggregator:

An aggregator (that's just a fancy word for a website that collects related items together all in one place) is a great tool, but they can sometimes be overwhelming! I have had the most success - in terms of amount of time spent to find the right piece - by using some of the more curated websites. They've done a lot of the hard work for you, so if you find a site that matches your taste, make sure to bookmark it/Pin it!

Here are some of my current favorites:

Minted: They have a large selection of artists and styles, but it's not too overwhelming. Their search filters are fantastic - they help you narrow the selection down quickly and easily so you can find what you want. Another plus for Minted? You can have your print framed before you buy so it's ready to hang when you receive it.

One King's Lane: they have a well-curated collection in a wide range of price points. You can definitely find affordable prints, but they also have high end items, so be aware of that when you're shopping. They carry prints from some of my favorite individual artists, which also gives them a big thumbs up!

Etsy: I tend to get overwhelmed by Etsy since there's really no curation (anyone can open a shop), but there are a lot of real gems on there. I actually tend to use Pinterest as my search tool for Etsy since lots of bloggers, artists, etc. have done great round ups that have been pinned by others. If you search things like, "Best Abstract Art on Etsy," you'll be able to narrow your search more quickly and go directly to some great shops. Another tip: once you find a shop you like, make sure to favorite it so you can find it again later! There's nothing worse than trying to remember the name of it and coming up empty. And finally, Etsy has one cool option over the other sites I've mentioned: instant downloads. If you're in a pinch, or just ready to get something on your walls, search for instant downloads you can print at home or at your local print shop.

Artfully Walls: They carry both prints and originals. You can search for art in several different ways - from their curated collections to artist picks, and good ole traditional search. Their prints tend to be on the smaller side, but I do like that they have framing options as well.

Juniper Print Shop: This designer-curated site keeps their collection on the smaller side, so it’s a lot less overwhelming than others. You have the option to buy a digital file and print the size you need, or you can order a paper or canvas print.

Collection Prints: Another shop that offers digital files and physical prints/canvases, but they also offer framing! Their prices are very reasonable to add a frame, and they often have sales. This shop tends to have a more vintage, worn look to their art, and they have a well-curated selection.

Well that post ended up being longer than I expected! If you made it all the way to the end, congratulations to you. :) I hope this was a helpful primer in finding affordable art!

If you have any favorite sources for affordable art, let me know about them! Drop me a line in the comments below, or hit me up on Instagram!

*Disclosure: Links found in this post may be affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you (no markup). Thanks for supporting Mix & Match in this way!

My Favorite Sources For Affordable Abstract Art

So how do you go about finding individual artists?

Search for art using an aggregator:

Best Of: Anthropologie

Best Of: Nordstrom Home