Revolt against boring wall art

If there's one thing that bugs me in this world, it's "decorative art." By that, I mean a certain type of art you tend to find in hotels and waiting rooms, art meant to fill an empty space in the wall and nothing more. It's the visual equivalent of muzak: meant to blend into the background, generic, unobtrusive, vague enough to be inoffensive to everybody. Stuff like this:

"Spring Chorus" by Don Li-Leger

"Teal Lily" by Carol Robertson

Sure, there's some decorative art that's not so bad. But if you want to decorate the walls of your home, seriously, don't visit the home decor aisle of Target or Kohl's when you get can some really unique, fantastic art on Etsy. Of course, a custom pencil portrait is always a great conversation piece. Hint hint. Here's some of my favorite wall art from the endlessly fascinating world of Etsy.

Personalized Little Flower Hearts by sarahandbendrix - $72

Veronika is based in the UK, and creates these customizable heart pieces in various sizes, materials and colors. They come framed, too!

Polka Dot Owls art print by boygirlparty - $20

 Susie has a unique and instantly recognizable style. I've been following her work for several years!

Bouquet by Genine - $30

I have been a huge fan of Genine's bird watercolors ever since I discovered Etsy. They are colorful, cheerful and sophisticated.

Hand Embroidered Beetle Bug by Moxiedoll - $55

Moxiedoll's embroidered hoops and fun and playful. Instead of the traditional cottages and flowers, she embroiders things like VW Beetles, Polaroid cameras and cassette tapes.

6 Prints by PerlaAnne - $100

Stacey's block prints have a graphic, rustic feel to them. I love how they look all grouped together like this.

Let there be Light by PragyaK - $70

Pragya's artwork is super bright and happy. I think it would be perfect for a children's room or any room that needs a pop of color. (Sorry, I know that phrase is totally cliche, but it just works, ok?)

Demeter and Persephone by stephaniemartinart - $120

If you're looking for something more traditional, Santa Cruz-based Stephanie sells original etchings and oil paintings that have beautiful color and texture.

Love to Read by bunnydee - $25

Hailing from San Francisco, Danielle's drawings are hilarious (in a good way) because she finds a way to work a little rabbit into almost every piece. Her style is quirky and cute with some pop and 1960's influences.

While original art can be expensive, there are many Etsians who sell prints that are comparable in price to what you might find at big-box stores. So while a print is only "handmade" in a very loose sense, you still have the opportunity to buy directly from an artist, and decorate using artworks that have style, humor, and a story behind them.

So I could go on forever about all the amazing stuff on Etsy. In fact, I've spent way too much time on this blog post already. Hope you guys are happy. Do you have a favorite from among the above pieces?