Finding the perfect place for a sculpture is about more than simply where it fits. It’s about considering what you want it to bring to the room, how it sits within its surroundings and where the light and positioning allows it to be enjoyed at its best. Here, we explore some of the many ways to find that perfect balance.

A hallway, entrance or sightline through a room can give a statement piece the space to make an immediate impression. But statement doesn’t necessarily mean enormous: an arresting form, unexpected subject or brilliant use of colour can command attention at almost any scale.

French artist Roman Feral brings together two unlikely influences, the artistry and desirability of luxury fashion and the fragile beauty of butterflies, to create glamorous contemporary sculptures. A piece with this much visual personality needs surprisingly little around it; given room to breathe, the sculpture can become the single object that sets the tone for an entire space.

Not every artwork needs to complement its surroundings. Sometimes the most exciting choice is the one that interrupts them.

Julien Marinetti describes sculpture through a distinctly painterly language, treating three-dimensional forms as canvases for vivid acrylic colour, lacquer and resin. He takes familiar silhouettes – dogs, toys, characters - and covers it with expressionistic colour, graffiti-style text, figures and spontaneous marks. This kind of work can be particularly effective against a restrained backdrop. Rather than trying to match every colour in a room, letting one brilliantly unconventional object provide the contrast.

The same applies to Yuvi, whose graffiti-inspired Pop sculptures draw on everything from animals and superheroes to cultural icons. Works such as Believe In Yourself and Always On My Mind bring humour, colour and the energy of street art into three dimensions.

There is also something naturally companionable about figurative sculpture and inviting a human or animal presence into a room, whether serene, intriguing, or perhaps mischievous. British sculptor Dean Kendrick describes his work as telling “stories in three dimensions”. His bronzes range from wildlife studies to monumental figures and combine classical sculptural traditions with a strong sense of energy and emotion. Pieces such as The Watcher and Sky Bound demonstrate how even relatively compact sculpture can introduce movement and narrative into an interior. It is important to consider the personality of the space too, as a contemplative figure can bring a different mood to a quiet study or bedroom to the playful animal you may choose for a family room or hallway.

Then there are sculptures whose purpose seems almost to be to provoke a reaction. As both visual artist and frontman of The Prodigy, Maxim has never been particularly interested in convention. His art brings together surreal imagery, symbolism and unexpected juxtapositions, often deliberately playing the shocking against the gentle. His sculptural works include Raygun Rebel and the larger Love Rebel with the Paws, a character conceived, he said, to “stand up to society’s wrongs by spreading love.” A piece like this doesn’t have to go with the sofa. In fact, it will be way more interesting if it doesn’t. On a drinks cabinet, sideboard or prominent shelf, an unexpected sculpture can become the thing everyone asks about.

One of the great things about sculpture is that there are fewer conventions about how we are supposed to live with it. One collector’s centrepiece may be another’s unexpected discovery on a bookshelf. Pop Art can sit in a period property; traditional bronze can provide a beautiful counterpoint to a contemporary interior. You can choose something because it makes you think, because it makes you laugh, because you admire the craftsmanship, or simply because you like the fact that it caused an argument! It doesn’t simply sit in your home. It becomes part of its personality.

One thing sculpture does need is light, although not necessarily a spotlight. Because of its contours and texture, natural light can alter its appearance throughout the day. Bronze patinas reveal different nuances; highly polished surfaces catch reflections; shadows become part of the composition. It is a good idea to look at a prospective position at different times of day rather than simply looking at its surroundings. A piece that appears understated in flat light can look quite different when illuminated from the side. And if the reverse or profile is every bit as considered as the front, positioning it where it can be approached from more than one direction allows you to enjoy far more of what the artist created.