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How to go about buying a piece of art for your home can be a daunting task.

Matters are not made any easier by hesitation or an attitude that you need to have some sort of *creative insight* in order to buy. And then there is the problem of undue deference or unnecessary homage to the opinion of the art critic.

That is, of course, not to say that the opinion of critics have no substance *a well placed opinion can drive the market.

The truth is that there are many levels at which you can purchase and you should never lose sight of the fact that all art is subjective*including the critic's opinion. Do you actually like the type of art you are considering? Is it within your price range? Would you prefer contemporary art or perhaps abstract art?

Start by asking yourself the question *why are you buying?*

If you like it then you are off to a good start as there are many artists, styles and formats so deciding in which direction to go can be difficult.

Two key considerations are whether you are buying from a purely decorative point of view or whether you are you looking to buy for investment.

Lets take the first of these*.decorative. It sounds demeaning and somehow implies the art is worth less. It is not meant in that way. It just asks you to be honest about why you are buying the piece. Here you are buying not because it will become a high value item on your home insurance policy but rather because it forms an integral part of your interior design scheme.

And there are many paintings and well known international artists who could ruthlessly be grouped into this category. It is important to consider the environment in which you are going to display the piece of art. The wall-space, colour scheme and the furniture are all considerations to be taken into account. Do you want to create a traditional or modern environment?

The simplest route would always be to be complimentary*a traditional oil with traditional design values. A large powerful abstract would sit well with the lines of minimalist furniture.

However this does not always have to be the case. If you choose well there is nothing that has more impact on a room than a well painted modern piece but placed in a traditional setting.

Planning the interior decoration and making buying the art as part of the planning process is the fundamental point here. You can plan the room around the art as much as buying the art to compliment the room.

Contemporary art for investment is a completely different matter and not something to be taken lightly. The market is awash of depreciating values and great care needs to be taken before venturing into this area. You should seek the advice of the specialist teams within the major art auction houses and start to get a feel for the kind of work and returns you are seeking. The more knowledge you can acquire before parting with your cash the better and remember it can be a long slow burn with no guarantees*.