What if you hate a piece of art that your partner loves?

Sonja Hawkins has been an interior designer for more than 30 years - she's one of New Zealand's most well known experts in the area.

An avid art-lover and collector, she co-founded My Art - a service which offers interest free loans to allow collectors to buy art from leading galleries across New Zealand and Australia.

She says art plays a crucial role in creating a feeling in the space which we occupy, it enriches our lives and helps create that feeling of "soul" a home can embody.

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"It's a reflection of the personality of the people that use the space, or creating a feel that we want to portray through a space," she explained to Culture 101.

"Everyone's different, some people are minimalist, some people not so much and like a lot of everything.

"It shows our personality. Often when we buy art it will reflect a time and place. It might be an anniversary gift or a holiday purchase or some life event.

"It brings character and richness into our lives."

While she emphases there are "no rules" when it comes to playing around with art in our homes, Hawkins does urge avoiding picking pieces that go with the carpet and the couch.

"Sometimes the unexpected is rather nice - art doesn't have to center between the windows or over the fireplace.

"... I like to be a bit lighthearted about art. I have a few pieces that make us laugh and entertain us and people often look twice and ask 'is that art?'"

For instance, Hawkins talks about an Oscar Enberg piece that sits in her kitchen - an intricately carved knife coming out of the wall with a pound of butter stabbed on the end.

"It's about finding a work that just speaks to you, that maybe you question. We need to take risks with art.

"Landscape works might be beautiful and for some people that's what brings them joy .. but I think work that is perhaps more complex and we don't immediately understand and we can question has more longevity and brings mores intrigue and interest in our lives."

So what happens if your partner finds a piece that speaks to them, but you can't stand?

"If you always consult then you're always compromising. We should buy things we love and let our partners buy things they love, but there does need to be some compromise.

"If it's something you can't stand then perhaps we do need to say subtly, 'perhaps that can go low next to your bed, or if your office'. Or sneakily pop it away when they're not at home, somewhere that they can enjoy it."

Hawkins will be part of a panel the at the Aotearoa Art Fair in May.