There are two ways to build a room around folk art. Either use the art as a theme setting to decorate the whole room or use it as the focal point with the room’s contents directing the viewer’s eyes to the art.

Using art to establish a theme means one might look at the art and seek out things to mirror into the room’s decorations. If there is a predominant season, color or subject matter in the art presented then that is a good place to start.I was looking for more information and found it here. If the art is a painting of a mountain in the wintertime then the decorator can take colors reminiscent of winter or mountains capes and use that to choose colors, fabrics and wall decorations for the room. Perhaps a low coffee table in cool colors arrayed with a spread of landscape focused books showing photographs of mountains.

To decorate a room in the second manner with the art as a focal point the decorator would choose more sedate decorations or furniture so as to keep the rest of the room low key. The art would hold center spot in the room with all the furniture and decorations drawing the eye to the art.