Picture perfect

The right artwork can bring new life to any room, and tie a house together and as Shaynna Blaze points out, it can also be a great investment.

Often when a builder or stylist is finishing a room, they’ll take a step back and look at what’s there… and more importantly, what isn’t.

Floor coverings, furniture, curtains and paint can bring a room to the point of perfection, but sometimes an extra nudge is needed to get things exactly right.

Which is where art comes in.

"It’s about giving a home some personality, a real spirit and creating that connection," Shaynna Blaze tells The Block Shop.

Small or large, colourful or moody, the right piece of art can transform a room utterly, says designer and artist Shaynna Blaze.

“For a long time, people were just putting up generic artwork,” Blaze says.

“They were matching colours to the room, being generic and really just finishing off space, like ‘Oh there’s a gap, better put something in it!’.

“We just got very ‘ho hum’ and very bland about our homes, but thankfully now things have changed and it’s about giving a home some personality, a real spirit and creating that connection.

“Artwork is where personality comes into it!”

It’s also one of the few times where the process of styling a room can run two ways. Just as the right piece of art can finish things off, you can also buy the artwork first and then build the rest of the room around it.

Shaynna was wowed by Deb and Andy's stunning artwork choice by indigenous artist Miimi & Jiinda.


“It can get a bit scary if you are just matching the colour palette to what is going into the room,” Blaze says.

“But don’t be afraid to find something you love and then make it work, even if that means matching what will be near it.”

Make the right statement and the artwork can be not only the focus of a room, but a conversation starter.

“I love art working in conversation spots areas such small areas of a lounge where there is no TV or near a dining table,” she says.

“You don't have those awkward conversations if you have a great piece of art, there's always something to talk about.”

But don’t be afraid to let that piece roam, she adds.  “Just because you buy something for a certain space doesn't mean it has to live there for the rest of its life!”

And that can be a life that sees the artwork grow in importance and value, Blaze says.

Advising The Block contestants Jimmy and Tam when they were considering how to add value to their home with their Suncorp Game Changer, she told them to think about artwork as a way to not only catch a buyer’s eye, but add value to the home.

“Invest in beautiful artwork – originals – and it always goes up in price,” she tells them.

“When you think of mid-century artists, you can’t go past Andy Warhol, his pieces can go for anywhere from thirty to fifty million dollars.

“You can’t afford that, but limited-edition prints are about $10,000 and they will always go up in value because it’s only a small amount that were released.”

But remember there’s a difference between buying art for sale and art for your home, she warns. Which is where the art of choosing art comes into play.

On one hand you want to avoid anything too confronting: “full-on nudes for example or violent or big arresting pictures” she warns, can polarise.

But balanced against that is finding something you love.

 Shaynna pictured with the large funky graffiti wall decal in the 2018 Block Challenge apartment.


“A lot of people will say to me: ‘I really love this artwork and I want it in my home but I'm worried it's going to polarise people!’ and I always ask them who is going to be in that room with the art.

“80% of the time it’s them and their family so if they like it, then put it up! It's like well if you love it, if makes you feel good, then go for it because really, the people who get to see art the most are the people who should make the decisions.

“That can be tricky to get right, but when you do, you’ll know.”  

What are you waiting for? Take Shaynna's advice and start investing in original artwork online NOW 

Thank you Shaynna,

Love The Block Shoppers x