There are many ways to beautify public space. Natural decorations, mainly seasonal flowers, have been in the lead for years. Additionally, murals can work well too, as they can turn a blank wall into a real masterpiece, and at the same time carry an important message. Hanging decorations have become a new trend in improving the aesthetics of cities. If you are wondering what decorations will be the best, where and how to hang them, in this post we will present you 4 solutions from the Austrian town of Schärding that will surely beautify any space.

Which outdoor hanging decorations should you choose?

Outdoor Hanging decorations in public spaces can be associated with red lanterns placed over cosy streets in China or Chinese districts located around the world. These airy, paper elements are the first kind of a decoration that comes to one`s mind, but it certainly cannot be classified as durable. A hanging decoration made of paper will require frequent replacement with a new one, which can be not only expensive, but also difficult due to the fact that they are fixed several meters above the ground.

Colorful umbrellas hanging over the streets are gaining popularity. The recipe for success with such urban decorations is to provide the right number of elements in proper colors. Umbrellas should be densely placed so that one touches the other and almost completely covers the street from the sun. When it comes to colors, rainbow colors definitely work well. A popular idea is to use city colors. Colorful umbrellas over the street are a very effective hanging ornament that will surely attract tourists.

Colorful umbrellas and paper lanterns are not the only outdoor hanging decorations that are suitable for urban space. If you are looking for a solution that will be durable, light, and at the same time will delight passers-by with strong, expressive colors and an interesting, unusual form, openwork elements will be an excellent option. Especially that they will work as a hanging ornament, as well as a wall decoration. They are made of rainproof, moisture-proof fiberglass, which is why they are perfect for outdoor space. In addition, the translucent structure will facilitate assembly and make the mounting stable and safe. Even a strong wind will not be able to do any damage, which is extremely important in the case of any outdoor hanging decorations.

Hanging decorations above the street

Narrow streets surrounded by beautiful, old tenement houses are often one of the most popular attractions of the city. Tourists love to go off the popular sightseeing routes to admire the architecture of a given place and feel the unique atmosphere. For this reason, it is worth taking care of such space. This task may seem troublesome to achieve, because the tight, shaded passages make it difficult to integrate additional greenery there, as well as to place a sculpture or an artistic installation. However, it is enough to look just above ground level to find the greatest potential of such spaces. A hanging decoration will be perfect above one’s heads.

Thanks to the proximity of old tenement houses the ropes can be spread between the buildings in order to fix hanging decorations. However, remember to do it professionally. First of all, the lack of a stable assembly may lead to falling down of outdoor hanging decorations. Secondly, a solid fixing will serve for many seasons and it will certainly prove useful not only for summer decorations, but also for Christmas accents, Easter eggs and many others.

The unique city welcome sign

The city’s welcome element usually looks like a large sign with a coat of arms or a logo belonging to this place. Sometimes one can see metal structures with a signboard decorated with hanging flower pots. However, the options don’t stop there. At the entrance to Schärding, one can admire a very interesting installation, which is an artistic city gate. The town is located on the Inn River, and a bridge with a steel arch extends to the center from the west. The city authorities took advantage of it as a support for beautiful hanging decorations. More than a dozen orange tulip suspended on a steel structure add color to the space and bring a smile to the faces of passersby.

The standing decoration with a hanging element

Colorful openwork structures perfectly complement green squares. Vivid colors such as yellow, pink, purple and even bright green are the distinguishing feature of the area. They change an ordinary public space into a picturesque, fairy-tale corner. In Schärding, lovely hanging decorations are fixed on green, slightly bent pillars. Such a technique made the decorations resemble fairy-tale lanterns or giant flowers.

A outdoor hanging decoration in the company of a monument

Monuments are an inseparable element of every city. Unfortunately, they are often overlooked by tourists. Colorful hanging decorations placed around the monument will beautify the surroundings and make it impossible to miss the sculpture. Thanks to this, more people will become interested in the story associated with it. Metal posts that can be firmly attached to the ground to make sure that the beautiful hanging decoration remains in its place.

Schärding – a consistently decorated city

The town of Schärding is famous for its charming, colorful houses, as well as for variegated openwork decorations suspended in different parts of the town. This choice made it possible to admire eye-catching decorations installed in various places, from the entrance, through the green squares, to the Old Town area. Thanks to this, the town not only stands out from the others, but also presents itself very coherently.

Openwork decorations come in many shapes, which allows you to choose the appropriate element to the space. In the city of Schärding one can only see tulips, but there are various hanging decorations available, such as flowers, umbrellas, butterflies, dragonflies, birds, stars, balls and many more. If you want to see what other variants of outdoor hanging decorations have a look at the catalog of summer or Christmas ornaments.

If a city is to be a pleasant place to live in, a properly designed and useful space is not enough. Aesthetics, modernization of neglected urban elements  and properly  maintained plants are important too. It is worth adding some magic ingredient that will start attracting tourists  and make the city recognizable,  but also which will remain in the memory for a long time and even longer in photos. Art in public places, because we are talking about it, has enormous potential. See 4 examples of proven art installations that make a sensation in many places around the world.

Is public art important?

Art is associated with museums and galleries, where you can admire amazing sculptures and beautiful paintings. However, let’s face it, such places are not the first choice of tourists who visit the city. Artists found a way to reach a wider audience and this is how public art was created, e.g. graffiti, murals, or sticker art.

Very often, painting on the walls of buildings is considered vandalism because it damages someone else’s property. However, art in public places does not have to be associated only with illegal activities. To enjoy unusual city decorations, all you need is an appropriate design as well as consents of local authorities.

Common accessibility is the greatest advantage for which it is worth moving artistic installations to open, public spaces. In addition, such unique works promote the place, attract tourists and make the city stand out from the crowd. We should also mention their decorative function, as well as the fact that the installations raise awareness of residents and visitors to artistic creativity. Due to its easy recognition, art in public places is often a characteristic meeting point.

Art installations in public space

Art installations in public places can take many different forms. From the aforementioned murals on the walls of buildings, through spontaneously performed actions, to carefully designed and solidly made sculptures or figures. We have prepared 4 examples of art in public spaces that will enliven the surroundings and can become the elements the city is famous for.

Colorful umbrellas over the street

It might seem that an umbrella is only useful in the event of rain. It turns out to be an item that will allow you to design a very interesting public art. What do you have to do? It’s easy. Just hang colorful umbrellas over the street. Thanks to this, a unique alley will be created, providing shade and a unique atmosphere that is worth capturing in the photos.

This type of art installation is perfect for narrow streets and small spaces, where there is no much place for standing decorations. In addition to umbrellas, other decorations can also be hung between the buildings. Openwork elements (e.g. figures in the shape of flowers, butterflies or cranes) made of fiberglass will look great. They are extremely durable as well as resistant to weather conditions, and at the same time have strong, expressive colors. For this reason, they will perfectly match colorful umbrellas.

King of photography – a big sign with the name of the city

A large inscription with the name of the city is a very popular way to launch an art installation into public space. Sometimes a single huge word turns into an entire phrase or a play on words, and in the capital of the Netherlands, for example, you can admire the inscription ‘Iamsterdam’. This trend of decorating cities is so strong that districts, housing estates, universities and even parks also want their own inscription.

Why is this happening? A large inscription with the name of the city has all the necessary features to become a must-have for any souvenir photo. Firstly, it is large and attracts attention, secondly, a glance is enough to be sure where the photo was taken, and thirdly, it gives almost endless possibilities of posing. More creative people will quickly abandon the idea of simply standing next to a large inscription in favor of spreading out in the letter “o” or standing on the highest possible part of an artistic installation.

Original XXL figures

Sometimes a beautifully designed green space only needs a decorative icing on the cake, and on the other hand, there are highly urbanized places that only lack some nature. In both cases, the answer to the problems are huge openwork figures that work very well in the role of public art.

You can choose from sculptures in the shape of butterflies, dragonflies, flowers or decorative spheres. Thanks to such elements the space gains a unique character. Of course, we do not forget about the places in which concrete predomines. Then the best solution is to create floral arrangements in a openwork bowl flower or a tilted globe. We guarantee that the effect will be electrifying.

Light illuminations not only for Christmas

The public space should be delightful during the day, but also after dark. That is why at Christmas, when the sun is setting very quickly, cities choose illuminations first and foremost. At this time, the market square, streets, roundabouts and shopping malls are decorated with millions of tiny lights, which are shaped like stars, baubles, gifts, reindeer (see our post on glowing Christmas decorations).

This type of Christmas art in public places is extremely popular, so why not choose the magic of light also in the summer season. After all, warm evenings encourage walks and it is worth preparing the surroundings for residents and tourists. Illuminations will look particularly good in the company of water reservoirs or fountains. Then the colorful rays reflecting from the water surface will create a fabulous spectacle.

Say yes to art in public places

Public art is not only graffiti or expensive sculptures made by artists. To create an eye-catching art installation, you need a few simple elements, such as colorful umbrellas, openwork decorations and a few lights. When you add flowers to it, you will get an extremely beautiful decoration that will enliven even the most concreted space.

If you like our ideas, see the catalog of summer decorations from Terra Group or contact your Sales Advisor.