Ever wanted some advice on how to hang portraits and artwork? Here are some great tips.
Whether you’re hanging one large piece or a lot of small ones, here’s a guide to make the process fun and simple.
Tips and Tricks
As a general rule, hang the portrait so that the center point of the piece or grouping is at approximately eye level; think of groupings as just one peice. For example, you may want to consider hanging art slightly lower in a dining room, since you are sitting down when you are looking at it. I also need to remember that my eye level is a few inches higher than most. (not everyone is over 6′ tall 🙂 )
A great way to test an arrangement before putting hammer to nail is by laying everything out on the floor. Move the pieces around until you have an arrangement that you like. Laying the pieces out on a large piece of kraft paper will allow you to trace around each piece and mark the hanging points. Hang the the paper on the wall and hammer in the nails. Just Rremove the paper and your nails are in the correct postions and you are ready to hang your art!
Art hung over a piece of furniture should not be wider than the width of the furniture, a general principle being that the art should be about 75% the width of the furniture.
Choose smaller pieces for narrow walls and larger pieces for big walls.
A fireplace is always the focal point of a room. Art placed over a fireplace should be about the same size as the fireplace opening.
Spacing for Even Numbers
Tight spacing = 1-2”
Normal spacing = 4-6”
Large Spaces:
A tightly grouped even number of pieces works great to balance out a large space or a high wall. Note that large spaces can handle slightly larger spacing than small spaces.
Small Spaces:
A tightly grouped even number of pieces in a small area, such as a stair landing, is perfect and gives a window effect. Light colors enhance this effect.
Hanging Pieces Horizontally
Perfect for a hallway or sofa wall, hanging art horizontally allows you to achieve some volume without appearing crowded. For this scenario, an odd number of pieces is more attractive to the eye and is visually balanced; a normal spacing of 4-6” is recommended.
Symmetrical Placement
Great for pieces that are similar in size, shape, and subject matter, this method allows you to create a grouping that has visual balance and is perfect over large furniture collections or fireplace mantles.
Asymmetrical Placement
This is a great solution when you have a group of prints that aren’t necessarily the same but share at least one similar element, such as subject matter or color scheme. You can asymmetrically arrange the pieces so that they still achieve a good balance. I love this for family photos.
If you have two larger pieces, try staggering them by hanging one lower than the other, so that top and bottom don’t match.
Grouping larger and smaller pieces helps to create interest and energy. The same is true for vertical and horizontal pieces in the same grouping.
Multiples and the Vertical Line
When you are grouping four or more pieces, one above the other, you should consider a vertical line, meaning that the art should be visually balanced on both sides of an imaginary vertical line. Too much ‘weight’ on one side or the other will make the group seem awkward and unbalanced. Again in this scenario, it is a good idea to make sure the art is similar either in color scheme, frame style, or subject matter.
I love a wall that shows off the ones that you love the most!!!!!!!!!!!