Hanging artwork can be tricky; a beautiful piece of art can look less than stellar if it isn’t hung in the right place at the right height. Not to mention that damage can be done if it’s not affixed to the wall properly! Finding the right way to hang and display your pieces properly is the best way to show off your investment and enjoy them. Here are some tips for displaying your pieces.
- DO: Hang your artwork or gallery so that the center point of the picture or grouping is at about eye level (which usually means between 57 to 60 inches from the floor).
- DO: Use a stud finder! Hanging artwork on a stud will give it extra support but sometimes they are hard to find so invest in a stud finder.
- DO: Once you’ve located the stud, hammer your nail into the wall at a steep 45 degree angle, it will give extra support.
- DON’T: Avoid hanging art on a wall that gets too much sunshine as the sun will eventually fade the colours of your art and over time, ruin it. If you really want to hang a piece on that sunny wall, invest in UV glass to help protect it.
- DON’T: The bathroom is not the place to hang expensive or sentimental pieces of art as the moisture from your shower may hurt them.
- DON’T: Hanging art that is larger than the furniture under it isn’t a great idea. As a general rule of thumb, your art should not be any bigger than 75% of the furniture’s width.
- DO: Plan ahead and avoid making unnecessary holes in the walls. If you are hanging multiple pieces as a gallery, use simple paper patterns to match the size of the pieces you have and play around with placement of them before you start hammering and drilling.
- DO: Invest in good lighting for your artwork, make sure it isn’t too bright as it may then produce unwanted glares.
- DO: Use a level once you’ve hung the piece.
- DON’T: Avoid putting large pictures on a small wall, or small pictures on a large wall.
- DO: If you are struggling to find a piece large enough to hang on a large wall, consider grouping several pieces together. (see below for a few diagrams that might help when deciding how to do this).
- DON’T: Don’t assume that you have to hang your art. If you don’t like using screws, hooks or nails consider resting your artwork on an easel or shelves.
- DON’T: If you have a lot of art, don’t feel like you have to hang it all at the same time. Instead, store your extra pieces safely away and switch up your decor periodically.
- DO: If you are hanging a mirror make sure to consider the reflection before you affix it to the wall.
- DO: Choose the star of the show and give it a central place in your home.
- DO: Surf around on the internet and look at pictures of how other people have displayed their pieces – you don’t have to copy but it might help to give you some inspiration. These images from Pinterest are great:
Most importantly, remember that it’s your house and if you think it looks best by breaking one of the above rules you should follow your own instincts. After all, art is all about personal expression!