Home is the nicest word there is.

— Laura Ingalls Wilder

A collector recently told me she’s buying my painting Entenmann’s Trio because it reminds her of home. “I grew up in New York,” she said, “and have fond memories of boxes of their cakes on our kitchen table.”

Interior designers are often asked, “How should I choose paintings for my home?’ My answer is: choose paintings with an emotional tie—paintings that make you feel “at home.”

Stick to that principle and you can’t go wrong. Home is where the heart is, after all (and the box of Entenmann’s).

But what other principles should govern your choices? Here are 10:

• When choosing for the kitchen, lean toward small, whimsical paintings.

• When choosing for the bedroom, choose large, serene paintings.

• When choosing for the home office, choose an assortment of paintings that inspire you.

• When choosing for the bathroom. choose small, serene paintings that match its décor.

• When choosing for the living room, choose an assortment of large and small paintings that reflect your personality, as this is a “public space.”

• When choosing for the dining room, choose a “statement piece” when you have a large, open wall.

• “Curate” groups of small paintings, in any room. You’ll find the sum is mightier than the parts.

• Arrange paintings around architectural elements. Hang a group of small paintings in a corner or alongside a door, window or arch.

• Don’t only hang paintings—lean them. Lean paintings against the backs of shelves, or against the walls behind mantles, side-tables, dressers, and nightstands.

• Experiment and play until the space feels right. If you’re feeling stuck, look for inspiration at art displays on Pinterest.

Above: Entenmann’s Trio. Oil on canvas. 16 x 12 inches. On hold.