How to ... Hang Paintings

Just about everyday at the gallery, we get someone asking us how to hang art: what’s too high, what’s too low, what’s too small (or big) for over the sofa, how can I hang multiple paintings together and how do I know if I’m doing it right?  What are the rules; are there any rules and do I really need to follow them?  We got so many questions we decided to write a list of tips.

There’s nothing like beautifully hung art to make a room shine.   This painting sits perfectly over the sofa.  Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles and Courtney Giles.

Speaking of rules, the short answer is yes and the good news is you don’t have to follow them to a tee.  We prefer to look at them as quiet little guidelines that will help you hang your paintings confidently so they can look gorgeous on your walls. Most important is to have fun with your art:  re-arrange it frequently to keep it fresh – and enjoy it.

So, here you are.  Grab your hammer and nails and start hanging:

The eyes have it: always hang at eye level and avoid hanging too high (we’ve found that to be our clients’ most common mistake).  You can use 5.8″ as the average level but we tend to just go with whether it feels right  And when hanging over a couch, dresser or piece of furniture, don’t hang it too high – usually 3 to 6 inches will do.

Suzanne Kasler hangs a goregous abstract over a little antique sofa.

Safety in numbers: hang in groupings if the pieces are small.

Any one of these paintings would have been lost on the wall but adding similarly-sized work fills the space perfectly and pleases the eye proportionally.  From Suzanne Kasler.

See and be seen: buy your art because you’re madly in love with and hang it where you can feast your eyes on it each and every day.  One of our favorite spots to hang art is in the kitchen…especially if the kitchen is gorgeous, modern and white and the paintings are old, crusty pieces we discovered in a Paris flea market.

The very best spot for your favorite art: the kitchen.

And speaking of hanging art where you can see it everyday….(from DesignSponge.)

Think big: for great visual impact, consider a big piece for a small room.

This fabulous portrait looks great in this smallish space. Talk about visual wow…and we love how it’s flanked on either side with similar but different paintings.  From Veranda.

Pack a Punch:  arrange your paintings for the maximum wow effect.  We’re crazy about art walls -  and they’re not as scary to hang as they seem if you start by arranging them on the floor first or creating a grid with craft paper.

Don’t be afraid of creating a gallery wall. It’s easy, especially if you plot your grid on the wall or floor first.  Better Homes and Gardens.

If you’re doing a gallery wall, keep in mind that there needs to be a unifying factor: similar frames, similar subject matters, palette or media.

This grouping is a pretty symphony in blue which unifies it and really makes it pop. From Ace of Space.

Making an impact: we love this elegant grouping from Traditional Home. Using similar mats and frames really makes this stand out.

Think outside the wall: you can lean, prop and stand your paintings all over the house. Pay attention to overlooked spaces, too — corners and over doorways and archways are prime decorating spots.

On the walls – and everywhere else, too.  From House Beautiful.

We love the way the upper shelf is used as a mini-gallery in this shot from House Beautiful.

Take it to the table: small pictures don’t need to be on a wall; try an easel or bookshelf.

 

 More from the talented Suzanne Kasler: paintings take center stage when they’re hung on bookshelves.

This is fun. Paintings hung on bookshelves and propped on the floor. The personality is just oozing here. From House Beautiful.

Same kind of different: as long as there’s something unifying the grouping (here it’s the touches of black) you can hang whatever you like. It doesn’t have to match – and it’s better if it doesn’t.

 

This works because even though the art and frames are all different, they’re unified by something similar: black. (Interior Design Musings.)

Go with the flow: Don’t let the room dictate what you love:  work with architectural features, not against them.

Work with what you have. If panelling or moulding gets in the way work with it, not against it. Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles/Courtney Giles.

Let your personality shine: art is individualistic and subjective.  Sometimes, you just need to follow your gut and take a chance with your hanging technique.

 

 We typically like the “large-over-small” rule of thumb but this works perfectly, too. See? No rules! Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.

We love the challenge of hanging art – and nothing makes us feel better than knowing that the nail is in the right spot, the painting’s at the right height and wow, does it look great.  Happy hanging!

(check out more Huff Harrington How To’s here.)

Ta ta….