
When it comes to decorating our walls, we’ve always loved thinking outside the frame. We believe that the more sides, the better, meaning geometric wall art is the best way to add visual interest to your space. From wood and canvas to paper and wire, you can find all kinds of inspiration with these pieces of geometry.
1. Geometric Paper Sculpture: Pick your favorite colors and get your origami on! We love this look for a photo or wedding backdrop, but it would also look pretty fabulous as a permanent fixture in your home. (via Make)
2. Bold Borders: Did you know you can print your own wallpaper? We’re huge fans! Check out this tutorial on how to work some printer magic, and then run a border on one accent wall for a bold look. (via Scandinavian Deco)
3. DIY Wooden Wall Art: How classy is this piece of art? We love everything about it, from the triangles, the natural wood and the color accents; this is one of those DIYs that we think you’ll keep around the house for a long time. (via Pneumatic Addict)
4. Geometric Paper Hanging: If you want to get a little more three dimensional with your geometric art, check out this cool wall hanging! Fold a bunch of paper diamonds and then hang them from a bar for a modern and fun pop of color. (via Sweet Peas and Saffron)
5. Woven Color Block Circles: Mix up colors and textures with this creative circular art DIY. Even though they are a little funky, it is still an elegant look with all one color put into the grid pattern. (via Design Improvised)
6. Geometric Wall Planter: Geometry and succulents combine to create a living piece of wall art. These little planters are completely unattached to each other so you can mount them in any shape you want. (via A Piece of Rainbow)
7. Canvas Painting Tutorial: Go classic with a canvas and paint project. Tape off some geometric shapes, then color block the rest of the pieces with bright colors to match your room or throw it into your gallery wall for a fun pop of color. (via The Plumed Nest)
8. Painted Tile Wall: For the lover of geometry, we present this incredible DIY painted wall. It looks like a well put together puzzle, and the color options are unlimited! If you’re looking for a weekend project to dramatically update your home, this is it! (via Design Sponge)
9. Golden Shapes: Oh-so simple, but oh-so pretty. Gold stands out perfectly against the woodgrain for the perfect combination of rustic glam. (via Clad and Cloth)
10. Faceted Gem Wire Sculpture ($30): Get some serious bling into your decor with these mountable golden gems. They are small enough to not look gaudy but funky enough to add a little playfulness.
11. Geometric Paper Garlands: Who says garlands can only decorate parties? It’s such a fun idea to have a mixture of square, circle and triangle garlands combined together to make a romantic and feminine take on geometric decor. (via Design Love Fest)
12. Modern Geometric Backdrop: With a few everyday tools, transform plain white poster board into a chic geometric backdrop perfect for a modern-themed wedding. Or place it in front of a brightly colored wall for a lacy peek-a-boo effect. (via Project Wedding)
13. Embroidered Wallpaper ($300): The bold graphic patterns on this wallpaper are created using digital embroidery. The “stitches” create a clean defined line and a dramatic effect that will make any room an intriguing space.
14. Triangle Shelves: Technically these are shelves for storing tiny treasures but if you collaged a whole bunch of them together they turn into a pretty cool dimensional piece of wall art. (via A Beautiful Mess)
15. Angled Square Art: This golden illusion makes our eyes play tricks on us! But it’s actually a pretty simple DIY, and all you need are some wooden dowels and strong paint. (via Oh Oh Blog)
16. Framed Mountains ($16): Add some angles to your gallery wall with these mountainous graphics. Any one of these colorful pieces would fit in perfectly to your home decor.
17. Hand Stamped Wall: This look was achieved with a hand stamp which gives it a rustic feel. You could try this on just one wall in an entryway for an eclectic welcome into your home. (via Apartment Therapy)
18. Bold Gem: The collaged look of this gem brings some color and textures into an otherwise white and neutral room. Geometric art is perfect in minimal decor because it brings in lots of shape without cluttering up the space. (via SF Girl by the Bay)
19. Geometric Photo Display: Even though this looks like metal, it’s actually made out of twine! Create a geometric pattern that looks just as good empty as it does covered in photos. (via The Caldwell Project)
20. Sharpie + Rubbing Alcohol Wall Textile: You can complete this DIY with items you have laying around the house, like Sharpies, rubbing alcohol, painter’s tape, cotton fabric and a spray bottle. (via Curbly)
21. Minimalist Art: This light and white dining room features a simple metal geometric shape mounted on the wall. The black metal coordinates with the chair legs to pull the whole room together. (via Transito Inicial)
22. Colorful Scandinavian: The bright colors on this tiled wall makes us so happy! We love how the dark orange triangles at the bottom turn into yellow at the top for a modern version of ombre. (via Colorful Home)
23. Paint Chip Wall Art: Got an empty frame laying around? Great, because you’re about to make some FREE art. Just go to your hardware store, pick up a bunch of paint chips, and you’ve discovered the secret to living the thrifty life. (via How About Orange)
24. Art That Doubles as a Memo Board: Calling all college kids. This one’s for you. (via Brit + Co)
25. Paper Patchwork Art: Faux headboards are all the rage. Geo faux headboards are out-of-this-world spectacular. (via The Red Thread)
What kinds of geometric art do you prefer? Steady patterns or random designs? Talk to us in the comments below!
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures