What do you get the person with everything for that special birthday or anniversary? It’s always a tough question, but thankfully art can save the day! With a little thought, it’s possible to buy or create something truly special. Here are 5 ideas for that perfect wall art gift.
Maps
Maps are an attractive but often overlooked wall art idea that makes for an amazing gift. Everyone has places that are special to them, whether it’s the town that they were born, a location where you met, or where they’re living now. For the older generation, maps showing original street plans from the time of their birth or childhood can hold a special nostalgic value and make for a truly special gift. Why not color or circle the house they were born on a black and white map for extra personalization.
There are numerous websites offering both prints and maps to download and print yourself from all eras of history. Add a fancy frame and it’s a gift to treasure.
Personalized prints
Websites such as Etsy and Not On The High Street offer a vast range of personalized print options – you’re bound to find something that suits your recipient perfectly. Amongst the more unusual options are lyric posters for their favorite song, star maps from the day of their birth, or sound wave prints of favorite songs or poems. Not On The High Street is a curated platform, guaranteeing you a high-quality product and customer experience.
Custom photos and illustrations
If you’ve got the time to spare, creating something truly unique can make for a memorable gift. Perhaps you have a special photo that can be enlarged and framed or a drawing by a child or member of the family. Photo collages are also a lovely way to collect a selection of memories.
Platforms such as Fiverr allow you to hire freelance illustrators and designers, so why not commission an illustration or painting of someone special or their pet. Prices are typically low, and you can get some great results.
Once you’ve chosen your image or design it’s just a case of having it printed. There are lots of companies online offering low-cost poster printing and higher-end art prints. Again, add a frame for that extra special finish.
Original art
There’s a misconception that original art is expensive or inaccessible to normal people. This doesn’t have to be the case though. Markets such as the Affordable Art Fair have a massive range of original art at prices to suit all budgets and make for a great day out. It’s also possible to buy original art online, through websites such as Artfinder and Etsy.
There’s something special about original art as compared to print – every piece has a story and can become a favorite heirloom. There’s also the possibility of the piece increasing in value if the artist becomes well known.
Newspaper frontpages
An interesting piece of nostalgia is the front page of a newspaper from the recipient’s date of birth. There are numerous companies offering framed prints of these front pages, but an original is even more special (and may have attractive aging paper and characterful wear and tear). Newspaper front page prints will look great in a study or den; just make sure nothing too tragic occurred for the date before you buy!
Read more on our Lifestyle Blog!
Photo by Annie Spratt
