We Answer Wednesdays - How to Hang Artwork

We Answer Wednesdays!

“I always have trouble hanging artwork and photos properly. What is the correct height to hang these items on your walls? And are there rules to hanging art?”

Hanging artwork and photo’s seems like it should be a simple task.. nail, hammer and go! But, not so fast. Hanging items on your walls at the incorrect height is one of the most common decorating mistakes people can make. Hanging artwork too high can negatively affect the proportions of the room and makes the room feel off. Hanging art too low can make the room look smaller and also proportionately just doesn’t make the room feel as spacious as it likely could. Also, use the correct hardware for the weight of the piece. Hanging a photo without the correct hardware can seriously damage the wall, so be sure to have a secure nail/screw/picture hook etc. before hanging anything.

There are a few things to consider when hanging art work and items on your wall.

1) Height:  The perfect height is between 5’2” and 5’-6” from the floor. This should be to the centre of the picture or grouping. This is the measurement that Museums and Art galleries typically use.
When hanging pictures above a sofa, leave approximately 6” to 8” space between the top of the sofa and the bottom of the picture.
Over a tabletop we recommend you allow 10” to 12” between the table surface and bottom of the picture. This space can be adjusted if you have lamps or other items on the table, which will add height visually, as well as interest.

 

2) The size of the art vs the size of the wall: Proportion is key. Hanging an oversize piece of art on a small wall may look off. Similarly, hanging a small piece of art on a very large wall will look not proportioned. There is no specific rule on which size art should go on which size wall, but we suggest holding the piece up before making a bunch of holes in your walls. Having someone hold the piece up and looking from a few feet back will give most people a sense of how the
piece looks in that specific location. Oversized art can also look great, and at the end of the day, it is your home. So do what you love.

 

3) Gallery Walls: Groupings are most effective if they are hung with some symmetry in mind. Ideally, creating a square or rectangular shaped display is most visually pleasing but frame sizes will likely vary, and you won’t have a perfectly shaped outline. Try to space the frames 4” apart for maximum effect. When creating Gallery Walls, we recommend some sort of cohesive effect between the photos. Frames all in the same colour, the mats inside the frame being the same, maybe all the photo’s being black and white. Something should tie the photos together, unless of course you are trying to achieve a very eclectic look. 

 

4)UV Rays: Try to protect your artwork from UV light, as the sun fades artwork. Depending on how treasured your art piece is, be mindful of heat and humidity as well. Avoid hanging pieces in a humid bathroom or over a heat register as this could potentially damage valued artwork.