People have enjoyed decorating their walls since ancient times. Just look at all the cave paintings, dating tens of thousands of years back, found around the world, and the hieroglyphs in Egyptian pyramids. Although back then, the drawings were not just for decorative purposes – some scientists think cave paintings were ways to tell a story and communicate with others, while others theorize that they were for ceremonial purposes. The pyramid wall texts were often parts from the Book of the Dead and spells, intended to help the deceased king on his journey in the afterlife.
These days, wall decor is often just that, decor, without any hidden meanings or messages. Having said that, there are many pieces that do double duty both as pretty and useful (I have written about some examples earlier in my Unusual Functional Wall Decor post), and I have tried my best to find metal wall art from across the spectrum – from the purely decorative to the practical.
In Feng Shui, metal is associated with wealth and protection, and items made from any kind of metal are often used as cures. We had a Feng Shui practitioner look at our house, and she told us to place metal items in certain places (and lots of it – we needed 10 lbs and more right inside our front door) and she also said that whenever construction of any kind was going on in the neighborhood, we should make sure to place something made of metal between us and the construction site in order to avoid injury. It could be anything, like parking a car between our house and our neighbor’s if they were the ones having work done on their house. Interesting, isn’t it?
There are many metal art pieces out there that frankly are hideously tacky (there seems to be a higher percentage of that in this category than in any other, for some reason), but I have found some gems that I would love to have on my walls.
Here are today’s finds:
1. Pinwheel Flower
We start out with something very basic. This contemporary metal piece in a grayish blue and two shades of brown is really cute, and I can totally see it in a girl’s bedroom or a nursery. Or in a sunroom or greenhouse.
Photo: Metal Wall Art
2. Chandelier
If you’ve read my “chandeliers on the wall” post, you know I love them in any way, shape and form, and this tin silhouette one is no exception. So cute, and I love the clear beads that add a glam look.
Photo: Jeanz Beanz
3. Metal Chain
Perhaps not all that spectacular in itself, but a great item for turning any wall into a DIY rotating art exhibit. The chain is almost 40″ long and comes with 7 clips, which are sturdy and strong enough to hold on to heavier pieces as well, so you don’t need to limit yourself to just clipping photos and postcards to it.
Photo: Rosie’s Armoire
4. Federico Uribe
The wall sculptures by Colombian-born Miami artist Federico Uribe (who must be one of the most patient people in the world) are anything but mainstream. He creates art from really unusual items such as books, pencils, wire hangers, shoelaces, gardening tools, etc. These large abstract pieces, “Cloud” and “Pennies” are made from safety pins and, you guessed it, pennies, respectively.
Photos: Federico Uribe
5. Wall Fountain
Let’s not forget about the patio – the outdoor areas need decorating too! Stylish and functional, this adorable Mediterranean-inspired copper wall fountain provides that nice, soothing (and cooling) background sound of gently running water while looking great on the wall. And since it’s copper, over time, it will develop that nice green patina.
Photo: Ballard Designs
For more, see my post about radiators that double as metal wall decor, my Nails art post, and the gorgeous light fixture “Pandora” on the Wall Lights post.
