Living with Art: The Rise of the Home Gallery
- Emily Hadley
- May 7
- 3 min read
Updated: May 8
I started curating art in my home a few years ago after an artist friend said I had a great eye for art and interiors and my house would lend itself perfectly as a home gallery. It often surprises people when I tell them that I sell art with my home as the gallery space but I am definitely not the first or indeed the last person to do this. Many artists use their home as an exhibition space and art enthusiasts the world over invite friends, family and the general public into their home to share their art collector.
There’s something undeniably intimate about stepping into a home where art lives and breathes alongside everyday life. Unlike the pristine white walls of a traditional gallery, home galleries offer a different kind of experience—warm, personal, and deeply human. One of the most iconic examples of this is Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, a house-turned-gallery that continues to inspire a new generation of collectors, curators and creatives to rethink how we engage with art.
Kettle’s Yard: Art and Life Intertwined
Originally the home of Jim and Helen Ede, Kettle’s Yard is not just a museum—it’s a philosophy. Jim Ede, a former curator at the Tate, envisioned a space where art wasn’t cordoned off behind velvet ropes but instead lived side by side with books, pebbles, plants and light. From 1958 until 1973, the Edes opened their home to students and visitors, offering not just a glimpse into their collection but also tea, conversation and community.
Kettle’s Yard proves that art doesn’t have to be monumental to be meaningful. Works by artists like Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, and Joan Miró sit alongside humble objects—a shell, a lemon, a stool—each chosen with care and arranged in perfect harmony. It is a place that invites you to slow down and truly see.
The Rise of the Domestic Gallery
Inspired by spaces like Kettle’s Yard, a growing number of artists and curators are embracing the idea of the home gallery. These are not always grand townhouses with curated collections; sometimes it’s a small flat in a city, a countryside cottage or even a temporary installation in a rented space. What they share is a spirit of openness and a belief that art belongs in everyday life.
As I have discovered, running a gallery from home allows for a fluid relationship between artist, curator and audience. Visitors are often welcomed personally, invited to sit, talk and even linger longer than they might in a formal setting. It challenges the hierarchy of the art world and replaces it with hospitality and connection.
Why Home Galleries Matter Now
In an era where we crave authenticity and connection more than ever, the home gallery offers a deeply resonant experience. It democratises the art world, breaking down the barriers between creator and viewer. It allows artists to present their work on their own terms and for collectors to experience art in the kind of space it was always meant to inhabit—our living spaces. Home galleries also foster community. They can become hubs for conversation, collaboration and cross-disciplinary exchange, where the boundaries between art, design and life blur beautifully.
Creating Your Own
If you’ve ever thought about sharing your space with art, whether by curating exhibitions in your home or simply opening your doors to friends and collectors, now is the time. You don’t need a vast collection or a historic house. What you do need is vision, generosity and a love of art as part of everyday life.
As Kettle’s Yard so gently teaches us, art doesn’t have to be distant or untouchable. It can live with us—on our shelves, by our windows, in the light of a mid-afternoon sunbeam. It can be something we share over tea and stories.
And that’s a beautiful way to live.
Get in touch to make an appointment to experience my home gallery space in Devon (I would love to see you!) or shop art online here.
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