Tips for Hanging Artwork
by: Tamara Welbourn

The dilemma – where and how I hang my art and photos?

Grouping your art can add visual interest to any area of the room; give character to an empty wall or accent existing furniture, which helps create an atmosphere. Hanging art is an art in itself.

Try these tips, tricks and ideas on how to hang art creatively to make decorating your home or office easier.

Hanging Groups

• Preview your grouping on the floor or any flat surface first; this will ensure that colours, scale and weight are evenly balanced.

  Tip: Smart way to test your arrangement; cut out paper templates of pictures then tape the templates to the wall in the grouping you have chosen.

• The groupings should be hung close enough together, so that when you stand back, the pictures look as if they are one grouping.
• Keep the pictures or decorative items fairly close together avoiding large gaps.

  Tip: Odd numbers add visual interest.

• If you have pictures or artwork with people in them, note that the person should be looking into the grouping and not away form the grouping!

Art and Narrow Walls

• Narrow walls look best with smaller pieces of artwork. Usually one piece is sufficient; however two pictures hung vertically together looks very smart, especially if the pieces are related.

Art over Stairways

• The angle of the grouping should be the same as the angle of the stairs.
• A rule of thumb is to place the bottom of the picture approximately 55 inches above the step.

Art and Shelves

• Great way to add change from the normal, and works well in small spaces.
• Decorative items can be added into the scheme to create visual interest.

Art and Windows

• If a space has many windows with little or no wall space, look at displaying art on tables or displaying them on art easels.

Art and Furniture

• Think 75% when deciding the scale of artwork over furnishings. In other words the art should not be wider than the furniture under it. The principle here is balance; the size, weight and height must be considered or the arrangement will look awkward and unbalanced.
• The distance between the sofa and the bottom of the art should be 6-8 inches. In a dining room the artwork should be at sitting level, whereas in a hallway the art should be displayed at standing level.
• If the art is too high, the eye is drawn to the gap between the art and the sofa. If it is too low, the eye is drawn to the ceiling.

Art and Hardware

• Always use two hooks for medium to large art pieces. This is to ensure the pictures are hung with equal weight distribution