Let Go of “Matchy Matchy”: How to Blend AzarÉl Greetings Photography into Your Existing Home Decor

When it comes to decorating our homes, especially our walls, we all want a space that feels personal and put-together. But if you’re like me, you might occasionally hesitate when mixing different types of art. My husband, Brian, and I got married back in 2003. We had both accumulated a collection of framed art and family photos, and honestly, we were focused on marriage, family, and our full-time jobs. Wall decor was really just a matter of blending what we both already had.

The widespread popularity and availability of giclée canvas prints accelerated throughout the 2000s. Truth be told, in 2016, when AzarÉl Greetings expanded into wall decor, we were still very unaccustomed to the look of a canvas print. If you’re wondering if you can mix framed art and canvas prints, you are not alone. Are you like us? Are you concerned about mixing those two looks? Never fear! It’s time to let go of the old rulebook, because wall decor has moved far beyond the “matchy matchy” look. Throughout this article, you’ll see how we took this philosophy to heart by blending our AzarÉl Greetings photography into our own living spaces.

The first piece of AzarÉl Greetings photography we hung was “Son-rise” as a 16″x24″ oval metal print. The glossy finish makes it glow! “Son-rise” is also available as a giclée canvas print in regular, medium, and large.

What the “Matchy Matchy” Look Actually Means

In years past, people often combined wall decor in a “matchy matchy” way. This means excessive coordination that results in a space that feels overly safe, deliberate, and even a little boring. Everything was too perfectly coordinated—the colors, the frames, and sometimes even the style—robbing the wall of any real visual depth or personality.

Fortunately, wall decor has moved beyond that rigid look, seeking to create a looser, more layered kind of unity. That’s great news for those of us who have years of collected pieces!

Two Styles That Embrace the Mix

If you’re ready to combine your cherished framed pieces with a new AzarÉl Greetings giclée canvas print, you have two main style paths that make the blending easy and natural:

1. The Transitional Style

The transitional style is essentially a beautiful blend of traditional and modern elements. It’s a fantastic, timeless, and balanced look.

How to Tie it Together: The two contrasting pieces are tied together by either a harmonious color palette (perhaps a repeating shade of blue or green) or a common theme (like nature or wildlife). It keeps your decor fresh without being trendy.

How it Works: In this blend, your classic framed art introduces the traditional side of the style. The giclée canvas print—with its frameless, clean edge—introduces the current or modern side of the blend.

In our entry way, a large “True Blue Love” triptych is paired with a vintage card table (flip-top table). This piece of furniture is precious to me because it was one of the first pieces of furniture my parents purchase. Loving birds, I picked up the brass cranes at an auction. The silk orange flower pulls the triptych and table display together. A smaller version of “True Blue Love” is also available.

2. The Eclectic Style

The eclectic style is the most natural fit for mixing framed and canvas art. (“Eclectic” is one of my favorite words!) It’s a curated, thoughtful mix of elements from various design periods, cultures, and origins. It is not random; rather, it is a deliberate assembly of pieces that all contribute to your personal aesthetic and life journey.

The Result: An eclectic wall is a space that feels collected, rich, and full of soul. It provides a unique backdrop that is impossible to replicate, as it is a literal reflection of your journey.

It’s All About Narrative: An eclectic wall has a strong personal narrative that showcases the owner’s experiences, travels, hobbies, and history. Every object has a story. (That’s why I love putting vintage objects in my photography—they have a story! Then there’s the story of how each photograph was accomplished!)

Cohesive Contrast: The style blends traditional elegance with modern boldness, perhaps mixing sleek materials with vintage finds. This contrast is always tied together by a consistent thread, such as a repeating color, texture, or theme.

The large “True Blue Love” triptych on one side of our entry-way is balanced on the other side with “Music Gives Wings”. Both pieces have elements of orange and green. It’s centered above solid oak library doors that came from the old Neff Elementary School where I once taught. I was typically five-minutes late for staff meetings. Sneaking was impossible because they made a loud squeak!

As of today’s writing, please text or call me at 717-844-9949 to ask about this triptych. It is only available as a large triptych and is our only limited edition. It’s priced the same as our other large triptcyhs. I’ll be sure to get it online soon!

How AzarÉl Greetings Photography Blends with Your Decor

The wonderful thing about AzarÉl Greetings photography is how easily it combines with the art you already own. The theme of backyard wildlife paired with vintage objects is a universally warm and inviting subject that works perfectly to soften other elements in your space. Because the colors are drawn directly from nature—the bright feathers of a bluebird, the lush green of moss, or a seasonal greenery (the red of holly berries against the dark leaves)—these photos work perfectly to harmonize with existing color palettes. You can confidently mix a canvas print of a chickadee with a traditional landscape painting or a framed family photo. The charm of the critters acts as a gentle, feel-good anchor for the entire collection, allowing you to easily blend different art styles into a cohesive, meaningful wall display.

Our powder room is pictured in the video below. The first time someone mentioned incorporating an AzarÉl Greetings giclée canvas prints in their bathroom, I was very briefly insulted before the laughter took over. After all, your powder room is one of the best places for contemplation! I used a tall 1:2 ratio of “Azure on Winter White”. (The 12″x24″ size is a special order.) This adds height to the room. A horizontal 12″x18″ ratio would widen the room. In fact, consider putting two horizontal slightly diagonal 12″x18″ canvases so more of the height is used.

“Azure on Winter White” is available online as a 12″x18″ giclée canvas print.

Just Find the Space

Ultimately, you shouldn’t “stress” about whether your decor follows any hard-and-fast rules. Surround yourself with what you love. One of the most common things I hear is, “I don’t have any space for it.” Brian and I aren’t high-pressure salespeople, and our simple response is, “When you find something you really love, you just naturally end up finding the space for it.”

So, go ahead, choose a favorite image from AzarÉl wall decor today. Start a collection. Whether you lean transitional or fully embrace the eclectic style, there’s a space in your home where one of these pieces will beautifully combine with what you already have!