Questions & answers

ajiwai is a small, self-funded project with a simple hope: that more people find art they love, and more artists find the people who’ll love it. Here’s how it all works, and what we believe while building it.

What does ajiwai actually do?

You upload a photo of your room, and ajiwai suggests real artwork that would suit the space, weighing colour harmony with what’s already there, the visual busyness of the wall, and whether a piece is the right size for the spot you have in mind. Then you can preview pieces on your own wall before deciding.

Is the art machine-generated?

No. Every piece on ajiwai is created by a human artist. The marketplace is for human-made work only. Artists confirm that each piece is their own original work before it can be listed for sale.

What happens to my room photo?

It’s analysed entirely in your browser and is never uploaded to or stored on our servers. If you sign in and choose to save a room, it’s kept for you, privately, so you can return to it later. Nothing about your home is ever made public unless you explicitly opt in.

How do I buy a piece?

When you find something you love, checkout is handled securely by Stripe, and we never see or store your card details. Most originals are one of a kind, so while you’re checking out the piece is briefly reserved for you and can’t be sold to anyone else. An order is only ever confirmed once payment genuinely clears, never from a browser redirect, so you can trust that “confirmed” means confirmed.

What if a piece arrives damaged?

Buying art you’ve only seen on a screen takes a little trust, so if a piece arrives and something is wrong, here is exactly what happens.

Send us a photo of the piece and its packaging within 72 hours of delivery and we refund you in full. The artist isn’t paid until a week after delivery, so your money is simply returned; it never left. If minor damage is repairable and you’d rather keep the work, tell us, and a partial refund is often the nicer answer.

Artists are protected too: every sold piece ships insured for its sale price, so a work damaged in transit is the carrier’s responsibility rather than the artist’s loss. Because most pieces are one of a kind, we usually can’t replace them, so making it right means your money back.

What if it isn’t what was described?

If the size, medium, or condition does not match the listing, that is on us. Tell us within 7 days of delivery and we make it right, with a full refund or a return at no cost to you.

Can I return a piece if I simply change my mind?

You have 7 days from delivery to send a piece back for a refund. Return it in its original packaging and condition, and we refund you once it arrives safely; return shipping is yours to cover. Since most works are one of a kind, it’s worth previewing a piece on your own wall before you buy.

However it plays out, a person reads your message and sorts it out. Write to [email protected].

What does it cost, and how do artists get paid?

You pay the price shown, with no surcharge or hidden fee added at checkout. ajiwai keeps a 13% commission on each sale: 10% runs the platform and about 3% covers Stripe’s payment processing. The artist receives 87% of the price, paid out directly by Stripe.

I’m an artist. How do I sell here?

Listing is invite-only for now, so you’ll start with an invite code. From there you create a profile, tell us a little about your practice, and list your work through the Artist Studio. To receive payouts you’ll do a quick, secure onboarding with Stripe, and ajiwai never sees your bank details. Once your listing is reviewed and your payouts are ready, your work can go on sale. You keep full control: pause, edit, or take down a listing whenever you like.

How do I get an invite code?

Email [email protected] and tell us a little about your work, with a link to it if you have one. We send codes out in small batches so every new artist gets a proper welcome. Buyers don’t need a code: anyone can browse, match a room, and buy.

What is “Tune My Taste”?

It’s a gentle way to teach ajiwai what you’re drawn to: you’re shown two pieces and simply choose which you’d rather live with. Over time it sharpens your recommendations. Your taste is private, and you can undo choices or start fresh whenever you want.

Do prices include a frame?

An original is its own fixed size; a frame only ever adds to a piece, never shrinks it. When you preview work in your room you can try different frame sizes and finishes to see what feels right, and the finish is yours to choose.

Why does ajiwai exist?

Because discovering art you connect with shouldn’t require knowing the right galleries or the right people. We especially want to make it easier to find and support independent artists, including those from communities that are too often overlooked, and to let each artist decide exactly how much of their story they share.