A picture says a thousand words and in your home, it can speak volumes... about your taste. Walls adorned with paintings look great and lend a lot of warmth and sophistication to the house.

And no, you don't even spend a fortune on buying the original work of a big artist. Originals are meant for the Ambanis and Bachchans of the world.

You could make do with the reproductions that will cost you a fraction of the original price and will look equally good or invest in a promising new artist. After all, you're not going to have art connoisseurs visiting you all the time.

So, if you're the arty type, we suggest you hang a few paintings around aesthetically.

You could download these pictures from the Internet and get them printed and laminated at a photo studio. If you own old calendars with great pictures, you could frame them up as well. If you're into photography, you could blow up a nice picture, even one the size of your wall.

For starters you need to figure out where you will be hanging your paintings. Free passages or living rooms are the best place to flaunt your art.

If you intend to display them in your hall, make sure you do it symmetrically and don't clutter the walls with other decorations, says Gayatri Desai, gallerist, D D Neroy Gallery at Chowpatty. "The picture must get its due, so place it on a wall where it will be in focus. There is no point displaying momentos around, as that will steal the painting's glory."

Paintings look great in bedrooms too. One large display is enough to lighten up the entire room.

Try to colour coordinate your walls with the paintings. For instance, you can't hang a purple painting on a blue wall. The colours should not clash, or they'll ruin the impact of the painting.

Don't go over board with your love for art. Hanging too many paintings on one wall will steal the effect of those masterpieces.

While choosing a painting, buy one that touches you and not one that your friends admire, suggests Desai. "Buy something that appeals to your eye. It's going to become a part of your life, so you must make a judicious selection," she adds.