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How to build your art collection without breaking the bank
If affordable art was once a compromise category destined for dorm rooms and doctor's offices, today's market is a different thing entirely. The Tate sells framed prints for less than the cost of dinner out. So does David Shrigley. So do hundreds of independent artists, easily discoverable through a host of smart new marketplaces.
Ahead you'll find 13 retailers worth bookmarking. Some specialise in a particular style or medium – you won't find better exhibition posters than at Finnish Design Shop – and some mix moody Nordic photography with vintage cinema posters and folky horse illustrations (the horses have no business being that good).
Whatever captures your imagination, the options for filling a home with art, without remortgaging, have never been better.
A Copenhagen-curated outfit with prices from £13 for an A4 print, Paper Collective is a strong choice for anyone building a stylish collection that won’t break the bank.
Alongside their prints, there's a run of woven jacquard art, ceramic wall pieces, frames, gallery shelves and acoustic art panels that double as sound absorption for a home office. MADO is their playful collection designed for little tastemakers decorating their first room.
Top pick: The Man I Met at the Bar by Lolita Pelegrime, £28
GoodMood is a platform built entirely around independent artists, for those who want to support the country’s best emerging talent.
Every print is made to order on FSC-certified paper with eco inks, so nothing sits in a warehouse before it reaches you. The site organises everything by style and subject matter, which can range from mountains to noodles. Prices start at £30, and a handy gallery wall builder tool lets you test layouts before committing
Top Pick: When it Strikes by Olive Studios, £50
Somewhere on Etsy is the exact piece of art you’ve been looking for – you just need the patience to find it. Browsing the general art category throws up a lot of variety, but getting specific with your search terms, ‘original watercolour of a dog’ and so on, gets you where you need to be. And prices start around £6 for an A4 poster, so it really is worth the hunt.
Top pick: Fancy Dancer by Hotel Arts Club, £60
One of the biggest and most affordable entries on this list, Desenio is a one-stop shop for quite literally anything from vintage to photography to illustrations to typographic prints with proper personality.
Prints, canvases and frames all come in matching sizes so a gallery wall can be planned and bought as one go from as little as £6. Free shipping applies over £59, and with 108,000-plus reviews averaging 4.4 stars, the quality control is well tested.
Top pick: Fotoautomat Print, £6.48
The Roost is officially a home and antiques site, but the art section is where you'll likely lose an hour of your time. Original mixed-media and paintings by UK-based artists sit next to affordable graphic posters, with prices starting from as little as £23. Their selection of brightly coloured frames is worth a look too.
Top pick: The Emilio Chair by The Full Montage, £125
Wall of Art is a Swedish art giant with an affinity for painted horses, botanicals and moody abstracts (us too). There's a run of limited editions and original artwork – we love the collection by Evelina Kroon.
Each print comes in sizes from postcard-petite to genuinely huge, with prices starting at £30. Buy two or three at once, since free delivery kicks in above a spend threshold, and you'll want the excuse.
Top pick: December by Evelina Kroon, £30
Working directly with the Tate, the National Gallery, the V&A and the National Portrait Gallery, alongside licensed prints of Matisse, Rothko, Basquiat and Warhol, King & McGaw has built one of the most credible affordable art catalogues around. It's a strong pick for one specific, show-off piece in an enormous size.
Prices start at £40 for an unframed print, but framed editions arrive ready to hang with wall plug and screw included, which removes a lot of faff.
Top pick: La Dolce Vita movie poster, £50
Finnish Design Shop sells the most covetable pieces from the world of Nordic design, including the exhibition posters from Denmark's famed Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. They carry more than 130 posters starting at £30, and everything ships from Finland with all taxes and duties included. A great choice for anyone who wants a small piece of art history on their walls.
Top pick: August Strinddberg poster by Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, £50
Another great spot if you like a good exhibition poster is the Tate Shop. Their collection leans into whichever exhibitions are running, so it shifts as the shows do. There's also a strong back catalogue of modern names such as Matisse, Vanessa Bell and Patrick Caulfield.
Free delivery kicks in over £60 and every purchase is basically a small donation to the national art collection.
Top pick: Henri Matisse Icarus, £30
This is the official shop of artist David Shrigley, run out of a physical space in Copenhagen and shipping worldwide. Expect lots of absurdist illustrations and deadpan slogans across posters, limited-edition screen prints and homeware, with prices starting at around £42. Worth following on Instagram too, since new drops sell out fast.
Top pick: Life Is Very Good by David Shrigley, £42
Maison Flaneur's art section features more than 1,600 pieces from independent artists and small studios, with prints, sculptures and limited editions all included. Because it's part of a wider lifestyle site, there's no single house style that dominates, which is perfect for anyone who wants variety without hopping between ten different websites.
Prices start at £8 and the majority of their limited editions come in at under £250 if you're in the market for something really special.
Top pick: Cosmos by Rosie Harbottle, £85
One of the more polished affordable art megastores, The Poster Club carries some 1,400 pieces, and almost all of them are cheerful, bright and uplifting.
Prices start from £39 for an A4 print, with 18 colourful frames to choose from. Their handy 'Perfect Match' section pairs complementary prints should you wish to leave the gallery wall to the experts.
Top pick: Pink Interstellar, Anne Nowak, £70
Drool's catalogue leans towards bold and graphic works with real attitude – a welcome contrast to the more subtle colours and subjects offered by most affordable art retailers.
There's an 'Art Finder Quiz' if choosing feels overwhelming, that matches your personal style to a curated set of suggestions. Prices start at £20, with canvas versions available from £56.
Top pick: Cowboy Chase by Caitlin Flood-Molyneux, £28
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