Do you ever see a gallery wall or a piece of art that just seems to “work” in a space? Although you might not realize it, there are some tried and true methods for hanging a cohesive gallery all, finding the right scale for art, and hanging a picture at just the right height.
Today I’m sharing 4 tips to help you hang your art better
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Size is important
You want to fill as much space on the wall when possible when hanging art. If you have a big wall, then you need big art (or a large collection of art). I totally get it, large art can be expensive but I promise you won’t regret sizing up.
If you’re having trouble finding art large enough for your space consider getting a photo or work of art matted in a large frame. Adding a mat will expand the dimensions of the frame while also displaying the original size of the art.
A second alternative to a single piece of art is to hang a gallery wall. A gallery wall can be scaled to the space and can incorporate a variety of smaller works of art to cover a large portion of the wall.
Another alternative to buying large art is painting your own. Buy a large canvas and some acrylic paint and get creative!
Find Consistent Elements when Hanging a Gallery Wall
Gallery walls can be beautiful but they must be done right. I’ve found that the best gallery walls have consistent elements that bring cohesion. Some examples of consistency include:
- Equally space art.
- Coordinate frame colors – choose just one color or a few different colors that all compliment each other.
- Pick a color theme to use within the art. One example of this is using art that all features the color green or gallery frames that all include black and white photos
- Use frames that are all the same size. If you’re struggling with making your gallery wall work, the easiest solution is a standard size frame for all of the art. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of hanging a gallery wall.
An easy way to find affordable art is to support local artists by buying direct! Many artists sell afortable print versions of their original art.
Hang at Eye Level
Although “eye level” varies by a person’s height, the general rule of thumb is to hang a piece of art so that the center of the piece is roughly 57” from the floor. The exception to this rule is when hanging art above taller furniture such as a sofa, headboard, or fireplace.
When hanging above furniture a good starting point is to hang the bottom of the frame approximately 8” to 10” above the highest point of the furniture.
Treat a Cluster of Art as One Unit
This is something to keep in mind when hanging things like baskets, gallery walls, and “non-traditional” art pieces. FInd the “center” of the pieces and hang them according to the “eye level” rule above.
Looking for eclectic art? Consider using a combination of pieces from local thrift stores, antique shops, and big box stores.
2 responses to “How to Fill Your Wall: 4 tips to keep in mind when hanging art”
Thanks for pointing out that art pieces are recommended to be hung at eye level which is roughly 57″ from the floor. This is something that I will share with my sister because she mentioned the other night during our dinner date that she is planning to shop for progressive south posters and some art pieces next Friday. She will surely consider your tips since she wants to make the art pieces the focal point of her house.
Generally, screws provide more holding power than nails, so they’re better for hanging large, heavy pictures. When hanging a picture between studs, use a hollow-wall anchor, such as a toggle bolt, molly bolt, or spiral anchor. And when hanging your appliances such as you TV it shouldn’t be hanging too high up on your wall. If you have a TV console, hang your artwork a few inches on top of it–around 6 to 12 inches–depending on its size. Buying a TV stand or console that is too small