I have purchased alot of art work at michael's over the years. It is certainly not "good art" you can get nice framed pictures at a reasonable place. We also have a few pieces from a "starving artist sale" - good source of real oil paintings. What I do is really more colored based then theme based. I look for things that I like that are in the color family of my room. You don't necessarily have to be in a theme. That said, I guess it would look bad if I mixed real modern art or safari themes. I tend towards, florals, landscapes, buildings that type of stuff that seems to blend well together. Over time I am replacing the Michael's stuff with "better art". Once a year I go to an Art show and try to get one item. I also try to check out galleries when I travel. My favorites - 2 framed disney winnie the pooh cells from the art store in downtown disney. They were in the nursery when my son was first born. Now one is in his room because he said it was "his" picture even though his room is totally thomas the tank engine except for this. For his thomas room, I did something that you probably can't do in a family room. I couldn't find thomas pictures so I bought a really good thomas book that had full page pictures. I then carefully took the book apart, picked the pages that I liked and matted and framed them. Really finished off his room!!