How’s it hanging, y’all? Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.
I have preached plenty about how to choose artwork for your home, or how not to choose artwork rather. My philosophy is to NOT buy pieces just to fill space. Make sure you have a connection with the artwork you’re picking out or you will be buying new artwork in a couple months. I mean…if that’s your goal…and you’re ok with that then do it to it, Mountain Dew. I’m just thinking about your pocketbook.
But this blog isn’t about picking out artwork at all. Nope, it’s all about how to hang it, once you’ve brought it home. There are questions to be answered in this arena. How high are you supposed to hang your artwork? Is this piece too small or too big for this space? How far apart should your frames be from one another? How do I hang this stuff the right way? It all comes down placement and scale.
Placement
- I follow the 4-8 inches above furniture rule. You want to make the piece seem connected to the objects it is hanging above. This rule applies to mantles as well.
- I’m 5’10”.When hanging artwork on a wall that is empty, I tend to hang things just slightly below my eye level. A great rule for this is the center of the picture should be approximately 57-60 inches from the floor.
- If you’re pairing pieces, hang them 2-3 inches apart. Keeping the frames close helps us see all the art as one piece instead of two awkwardly placed pieces.
Scale
- I’m not going to lie, it’s a real teeth grinder when I see a small picture hanging in the middle of a big ol’ wall. If you have a few small items, why not create a Gallery Wall? A Gallery Wall is your chance to mix artwork, such as family pics, plates, letters, numbers, eclectic art pieces, and so on. Or you can go with a more uniform style such as a collection of same sized and framed pictures to create a grid. A Gallery Wall can be spread out or added to in order to fill the space appropriately. The options are endless. The same rules apply for placement on Gallery Walls: the center of the ensemble (think of it as one big piece) should be 57-60 inches from the floor.
- Scale is also extremely important when hanging artwork above furniture. The piece should fill 2/3 the width of the piece below.
This guide from studiozid.com is a great reference to keep in your back pocket.
Besides Placement and Scale, making sure your pieces are level is a real good thing, ya’ll. Don’t ever underestimate the effect a sweet laser level can have on your life. I remember weeping tears of joy when I received my laser level as a Christmas gift several years ago. It’s a tool that I am not prepared to live without, ever. Life changing instrument, folks.
You’re probably looking around your space and trying to decide if your art is properly hung. No worries and definitely no judgement here. You were just doing your thing, chicken wing! But, you’re equipped with some good picture hanging knowledge now and when you know better, you do better. So, go forth, and hang some stuff up…the right way.
