Building ‘Adore Your Walls’ From Kickstarter

A professional art consultant in Des Moines, Iowa is on a mission to put unique art in the homes of cost-savvy and new art buyers across the country through a web-based art consulting business.

Liz Lidgett has curated large collections for businesses and restaurants, working with clients who can afford large, expensive collections. But her new venture is focused on making art ownership “easier and cheaper” for anyone who wants to buy unique art. She launched a Kickstarter campaign to build AdoreYourWalls.com, which she says will help people liven up their homes.

"Just because it matches your couch doesn't mean it's the artwork that's going to be perfect for your space. You want it to be artwork that you love too,” said Lidgett.

Here’s how the site will work: clients send in photos of the wall or area they want to decorate and let Lidgett know if they want one piece or a gallery. Then they fill out a survey to help guide Lidgett on their likes, dislikes and decor tastes.

"I really want to know about their tastes in their home, but also who they are as people,” said Lidgett.

The site is scheduled to launch at the end of March. Lidgett says she will be able to point buyers to traditional framed art that hangs flat, three-dimensional hanging art and sculptures. (All within whatever budget the client gives her.)

"I don't care how much money you're spending on the artwork, I'm going to make sure it's going to be something you love and fits your budget,” said Lidgett.

In the first week, her Kickstarter campaign was fully funded for over $8,000. Lidgett says that’s about half the cost to build the site, which began production as soon as the campaign was funded. She is paying out-of-pocket to cover the difference. The campaign runs until Friday. Backers who pledge $50 or more get a piece of art that was donated to Lidgett and the opportunity to be one of the first to use the site.

People from all over the country have backed the Kickstarter campaign. Kate Banasiak says she donated to the Adore Your Walls because she heard from friends about Lidgett’s work and wanted to help out another small-business owner.

"I just moved into a new house with some very bare walls, so my house is screaming for this type of project to help it out,” said Banasiak.

Banasiak will be one of the first people to use Lidgett's new service. Cost ranges from $50 for a one-piece recommendation to $250 for recommendations to fit a large gallery wall. Lidgett said because not every art recommendation will be a perfect fit, she will offer customers two “re-dos,” where she’ll come up with another idea, as long as the client is willing to tell her why they didn’t like the piece. She said that way she’s able to learn more about the client’s tastes and why the piece didn’t work for them.

Lidgett said she calls it “Guided-DIY,” because she finds the art she thinks will fit the person, tells them how to buy the art, frame it, and properly install it in their home.

Lidgett hopes she can help artists get their pieces sold, while also steering her clients towards quality art, all at a fraction of what people may expect to pay.

Lidgett said she'll welcome artists to submit their work on her site for her to recommend to clients. She said this is a way for her to get to know new artists, while also expanding her art database for clients.