Regular readers of this blog will know that, here at Boxman, we’re all about better living in small spaces. We’re also very into other websites that help people make what they’ve got go a bit further. One of our favourites is Artfinder – another London startup that helps people decorate their walls with original art, direct from independent artists.

We’ve even spruced up our own surroundings with a few great pieces, all for under £100, and we’ve begun to find the website a little bit addictive – a bit like Facebook, only with the opportunity to own (and support) something fantastic bundled into it.

With all that in mind, we thought we’d have a chat with Jonas Almgren, the guy at the Artfinder helm, to find out all there is to know about how to buy art for the walls of your newly decluttered apartment.

Where and how did Artfinder begin? Were you art dealers or collectors to begin with?

I’ve been working with galleries, museums and artists for over a decade now, but my background is technical, with a degree in software engineering. After the VIP Art Fair in New York (where we worked directly with the most important galleries in the world), I felt the bigger opportunity was to connect all those artists that currently have a hard time selling their art (there are some eight million such artists just in the US and Europe) with all those potential buyers that believe art is too complicated, or too expensive, and therefore end up buying posters, mirrors, and other much less interesting wall decor.

When buying art, what should you be looking for beyond something that pleases you personally?

Consider how you want the artwork to affect the room in which it’s being placed. Do you want it to add energy, colour, and playfulness, or maybe calm, fresh open waters and green overgrowth? It’s easy to underestimate the impact art can have on its environment, especially when the piece is rather large. Sometimes you don’t want it to overwhelm the surroundings, but rather complement them – or add a sense of sophistication or refined selection. All of these factors can play a role, but only as long as the artwork also puts a smile on the owner’s face. Art is most enjoyable if it’s a reflection of the personality of the owner, rather than a reflection of the environment.

Perhaps the most obvious question: is there a way to recognise investment potential?

I firmly believe that art should never be purchased as an investment. Besides unnecessarily complicating the purchase decision, it introduces financial considerations that have absolutely nothing to do with the factors outlined above. Of course everyone enjoys it when art increases in value, but that’s not something to plan for. Some of the worst collections I’ve seen were amassed by collectors in New York, who seemed to spend according to a checklist (a Lichtenstein, a Richter, a Warhol, and so forth). These collections displayed no personality, only wealth, and were therefore terribly boring. Buy art you fall in love with. And if you look at a lot of art, you will start to develop an eye for those truly unique pieces that perhaps have financial potential, yet are truly personal choices.

Are there ways to avoid collecting cliches?

Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Consider something radically different to what you would naturally look for, then maybe pull back a bit. But look at everything in between. The best way to develop a personal taste is to look at a lot of art, including art that you don’t necessarily love, or even like. Art cliches are like fashion, but contrary to fashion, there are very few limits to what you can get away with in terms of art collecting. Art offers an opportunity to safely let your imagination run wild!

So, it’s really just what looks nice in your eyes?

It has to look nice in your eyes. No one should buy art they don’t like, but over time, as you see more art, your taste will also develop and sometimes change completely. A friend of mine collected only black and white vintage photography for years, then suddenly abandoned it for traditional oil paintings. It’s about listening to yourself and buying the kind of art that you would like to live with at that time. And even if the art stays the same, it’s always a thrill to rehang the art you own. New combinations and new light can create amazing surprises.

Do you have any tips on preserving the art you collect?

The worst enemy to art is sunlight. Try to avoid direct sunlight, and if it’s photography, use UV protective glass. Any kind of print – art on paper – should be properly framed. If possible, use an expert to do this.

How do you think the internet helps artists to flourish?

Taste is very personal, and in many ways matching up a buyer with an artwork is like dating. For every artwork the right match is out there, but it might not be a local art buyer, or even a buyer in the same country. We can see how this is being carried out on the Artfinder marketplace. In 2014, Artfinder arranged purchases along more than 350 different country-country shipping routes (UK to UK, US to US, UK-to-US, France to Pakistan, Germany to Ireland, Portugal to Australia, Greece to Singapore, Holland-to-Canada, and so forth…). Before online marketplaces, this kind of match-making was impossible.

Is it possible for a budding artist, selling through the internet, to make a living?

Most definitely, but it’s not automatic. It takes time to reach out and find collectors, sometimes in far away places. And it’s very unlikely to happen if the artists doesn’t join a channel that can give them global exposure. To have a presence, to have a website, means nothing, if no one sees it. On the other hand, Artfinder has over a quarter million subscribers. That’s the kind of reach it takes to succeed.

As someone who works for Artfinder, how do you avoid splashing all of your cash on art every month? It must be a bit like a vinyl junkie working in a record shop!

It’s indeed a problem, especially as I’m about to move into a new house. Plenty of empty walls! I see so much art every day that is truly exceptional… but that’s a problem I don’t mind having!

Head to Artfinder to find out more about how to buy art, and to begin your very own original art collection. Head to Boxman if you need to declutter your house before you start moving the Michelangelos in! Main image, a commission for Artfinder by Sandy Dooley