Great Local Art For Less In The Peninsula

Collecting art doesn't have to mean spending thousands of dollars. Thanks to these local shops, you can decorate your home with paintings, prints, sculptures and home decor items for much less. Some even support local artists and artisans. Consider one of these local stores when you're looking for something new for your home.

The Main Gallery
1018 Main St.
Redwood City, CA 94063
(650) 701-1018
www.themaingallery.org

The Main Gallery is an artist-run cooperative gallery located in Redwood City. It hosts a rotating exhibition of local artists whose work ranges from traditional painting to pottery, sculpture and glass. Items are available for sale or rent and items on display are changed each month.

Dove and Olive Works
178 S. Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94402
(415) 586-1713
www.reachandteach.com

The Dove and Olive Works is an interesting hybrid of a store. It sells a variety of items including olive oil and other food items, books and movies, as well as gift items such as jewelry and small tchotchkes. Most of the books, videos and toys for kids are produced by Reach and Teach, a partner of Dove and Olive Works, and many of the gift and home decor items are produced in fair-trade cooperatives. If you're looking for something unusual, green or ethically sourced to decorate your home, Dove and Olive Works is the perfect place to shop.

Related: Best Book Clubs On The Peninsula

Twin Pines Art Center
10 Twin Pines Lane
Belmont, CA 94002
(650) 654-4068
www.belmont.gov

The Twin Pines Art Center, a project of the Belmont Arts Council, houses studios for several local artists. In coordination with the Peninsula Art Museum, also located in the century-old Manor House in Belmont, the building is a center for local artists. The Peninsula Art Museum holds regular exhibitions of its collection and the Arts Council also runs shows featuring working local artists. The scheduled exhibition for December 2012 is the work of sculptor Xuan Ho. Although many of the artists' work is priced above $100, smaller pieces and prints are often available under that price point.

Dear Decor
1419 Burlingame Ave.
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 375-1413

Located in downtown Burlingame, Dear Decor is a small store chock full of beautiful woven rugs and a wide variety of small decorative items. Mirrors, small furniture like chests and benches, jewelry, scarves, prints, paintings and statuary are all for sale to brighten up your home.

Brick Monkey
2400 Broadway St.
Redwood City, CA 94063
(560) 260-1155
www.brickmonkeyonline.com

The items for sale at Brick Monkey range from large pieces of furniture to small tabletop conversation pieces. If you are looking to spruce up your space, browsing through Brick Monkey's art, home decor pieces, pillows and gift items will give you some great inspiration. In addition, the store also offers interior design services from its ASID-certified owners.

The Home Consignment Center
1123 Industrial Road, Suite A
San Carlos, CA 94070
(650) 508-8317
www.thehomeconsignmentcenter.com

If you're looking for the best bang for your buck, The Home Consignment Center is a real contender. All items sold in the store have been consigned by homeowners who want to resell them. This means that prices are low and the stock is constantly changing. Although the bulk of The Home Consignment Center's items are furniture, it also stocks paintings, prints, frames, small furniture and art items at reasonable prices.

Related: Best Art Galleries On The Peninsula

Laura Tarwater-Scharp is a freelance writer, editor and historian. Originally from the Midwest, she has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over a decade. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.