Buy Abstract Art Paintings in Beverly Hills and Mix Them with Prints for a Curated Interior
Posted by Maureen Tepedino on
More Art, Same Budget: Here's How It Works
If you want to buy abstract art paintings in Beverly Hills or anywhere in Los Angeles, budget is almost always part of the conversation. Most people want more art than one original piece allows. You love the idea of a fully curated home, but one original already stretches the budget.
The good news is that mixing originals with well-chosen prints is a legitimate design strategy, not a compromise. When done right, most people cannot tell the difference from across the room.
Why the Mix Works
A lot of homeowners spend months getting the furniture, the lighting, and the finishes just right, and then run out of budget before the walls are sorted. The result is a beautifully designed room with bare walls or a cluster of random frames that never quite came together. The goal of a curated interior is not to fill walls with expensive things. It is to create a space that feels considered and cohesive.
A single strong original painting can anchor an entire room. Prints placed around it, chosen thoughtfully, extend the visual story without diluting it. Think of the original as the foundation and the prints as supporting elements that reinforce the palette, mood, and scale of the room. Abstract art paintings for living room work especially well with this approach because abstraction gives you more flexibility in how pieces relate to each other.
Start with the Original Piece
Many homeowners make the mistake of buying prints first because they are more affordable, and then trying to find an original that fits around them. It almost never works. The original ends up feeling like an afterthought in a room that was already decided. Always anchor the room with the original first. Everything else should respond to it.
Before choosing any prints, look at your original and identify:
- The dominant and secondary colors in the piece.
- The scale and energy, is it calm or active, tight or loose.
- The texture and finish, matte canvas or a glossy varnished surface.
- The mood it creates when you stand in front of it.
Maureen Tepedino's originals work well as anchors because her bold palettes and layered textures give you a lot to pull from when choosing complementary pieces. A single original from her collection placed above a sofa or fireplace sets the tone for everything around it.
Choosing Prints That Work With, Not Against
Here's the problem most people run into. They pick prints they like individually without checking how they relate to the original. The result is a wall that looks busy rather than curated. You spent real money on that original, and now it's competing with three prints that have nothing to do with it. That is a frustrating place to be, and it is more common than most homeowners admit.
When selecting prints to pair with an original, look for:
Prints that share at least one or two colors from the original
Similar or complementary levels of abstraction, avoid mixing highly detailed prints with loose abstract originals
Consistent scale relationships, prints that are too small next to a large original look like an afterthought
A finish that either matches or intentionally contrasts, all matte or a deliberate mix of matte and gloss
For anyone looking to buy abstract art paintings in Beverly Hills residences, Maureen's limited edition prints are designed to work alongside her originals. The palettes are related, which makes the pairing process much easier.
Artwork Layout and Arrangement Tips
One of the most common complaints from homeowners is that a wall arrangement looked great on paper or on Pinterest but felt completely off once they actually put it up. Spacing was wrong. Heights were inconsistent. Everything ended up centered at the same level and the wall looked flat. How you arrange the mix matters as much as what you choose.
Here are a few rules that actually hold up in practice:
- Place the original at eye level as the visual starting point, then build the arrangement outward.
- Group prints in odd numbers, three or five tend to feel more natural than two or four.
- Leave consistent spacing between frames, 2 to 3 inches is a good standard for tight groupings.
- Mix frame styles only if the pieces share a strong color or mood connection.
- Avoid centering everything on the same horizontal line, slight variation in height creates rhythm.
- Abstract art paintings for the living room benefit from this kind of intentional layout because the room already has a lot of competing visual elements like furniture, lighting, and textiles.
Getting the Scale Right
Scale is the most common mistake in mixed art installations, and it is the one that hurts the most. You find a print you love, you buy it, you hang it, and it looks tiny on your wall. The room feels no different than it did before. Prints are often sold in small standard sizes that get swallowed by large walls.
Before buying any artwork for your home:
- Map out your wall space with tape to visualize groupings before committing.
- For a gallery wall, plan the full arrangement on the floor first.
- Make sure at least one or two prints are large enough to hold their own next to the original.
- In rooms with high ceilings, go larger across the board.
Where to Use Originals vs. Prints
Not every wall in your home needs an original artwork. A lot of homeowners feel guilty about this, like they are cutting corners or being cheap. But placing prints in secondary spaces is not settling. It is just smart. Here is how to think about art placement:
Living room focal wall: original painting as the anchor
Hallways and secondary rooms: prints work perfectly here
Home office or study: one original, supported by prints in coordinating tones
Dining room: a single strong original above a credenza or buffet makes more impact than a cluster of small prints
For abstract art paintings for the living room, the main seating wall is almost always the right place to invest in the original.
Ready to Start Your Curated Collection?
If you have been putting off sorting your walls because the budget feels impossible, this is the way through it. Mixing originals with prints is smart design, not a budget shortcut. The key is treating the original as the anchor and choosing everything else to support it. Maureen Tepedino offers both original paintings and limited edition prints with related palettes, which makes this process more manageable.
If you are ready to buy abstract art paintings in Beverly Hills or start building a curated interior, visit Maureen's website to explore her full artwork collection and find the right starting point for your space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I really mix original paintings with prints without it looking cheap?
Yes, absolutely. When prints share colors and scale with the original, the mix looks intentional and curated. Most visitors will not notice the difference. The key is choosing prints that respond to the original, not compete with it.
Q: Where should I hang the original painting in my living room?
Always place the original on the main focal wall, usually behind the sofa or above the fireplace. This makes it the anchor of the room. Everything else, prints, furniture, lighting, should be arranged to support it.
Q: How many prints can I pair with one original painting?
There is no strict rule, but odd numbers work best. Three or five prints grouped around a single original tend to feel balanced and natural. Avoid two prints as it can feel symmetrical and rigid.
Q: Should prints match the original painting exactly in color?
They do not need to match exactly. Look for prints that share at least one or two colors from the original. A close color relationship creates cohesion without making the arrangement feel repetitive or overly matched.
Q: What size prints should I choose to pair with a large original?
Go bigger than you think. Small prints next to a large original look like afterthoughts. At least one or two prints in the grouping should be large enough to hold their own visually alongside the main piece.
Q: Does Maureen Tepedino offer prints that work with her original paintings?
Yes. Maureen offers limited edition prints with palettes related to her original works. This makes pairing much easier because the color relationships are already built in, saving you time during the curation process.
Q: Is it better to use matching frames or mixed frames in a gallery wall?
Both can work. Matching frames create a clean, unified look. Mixed frames work when the pieces share a strong color or mood connection. If you are unsure, start with one consistent frame style and adjust from there.