Best practices for hanging artwork

Hang wall art 6-12 inches above furniture. The art photograph by Pauliina Saarinen Photography.

Your beautiful wall art has arrived and is ready to be hung on the wall. Making holes in walls can be nerve-wracking, especially if you aren’t quite sure where to put those holes. I have listed a few rules that you can follow to add a pleasing focal point to your room.

Preparations

Get your tools ready before you start. You need:

• Tape measure

• Painter’s tape

• Roll of paper for templates

• 24” level

• Hooks

Begin by tracing your frames on a roll of paper and cut out templates for each frame.

Using your paper templates, try different layouts by taping them on the wall. When working out the layout, keep these interior designer’s principles in mind:

The Eye Level Rule

If placed on an empty wall with no furniture in front, the art piece should be placed so that the center of the piece is at eye level, which is about 57-60 inches from the floor. Follow the steps below to hang your art at eye level.

1. Measure from the top edge of the frame to the hook or the wire pulled up so that there’s no slack. This is the “Hardware height” measurement.

2. To determine the height of the center point, measure the height of the art piece and divide by 2.

3. Subtract the “hardware height” measurement from the halved frame height.

4. Add 57”-60”, depending on ideal eye height for you. The sum is the final height at which the hangers should be placed on the wall. Don’t forget to measure from the floor.
   
   

Breathing space

When hanging artwork above the sofa, mantel, bed or other furniture, you want space around the art piece so that it can breathe and not look crammed. A good rule of thumb is to place the bottom of the frame 6-8 or even up to 12 inches above the top of the feature. In these cases it’s acceptable to break the Eye Level Rule. Experiment with your paper template to see which height looks good in your room.

The ideal size of the art piece relative to furniture is between 2/3 to 3/4 of the width of the furniture. Art image by Pauliina Saarinen Photography.

Size matters

A big print will create a beautiful focal point in a room with a lot of wall space. The ideal size of the wall art piece relative to furniture is between 2/3 to 3/4 of the width of the furniture. You can also use two pieces of large wall art that together measure about two-thirds the length of the furniture.

The more the better

Your wall art should cover 60 - 75% of the available wall space, i.e wall space that isn’t covered by furniture or moldings. To calculate the coverage that suits your space, begin by measuring the width and height of your wall and then multiply both dimensions by 0.60 or 0.75. This is the space you have to work with. It can be filled with a single or multiple art pieces. A cluster of smaller pieces will create an eye-catching gallery wall.

Leave 2-6 inches between frames in a grouping. Art images by Pauliina Saarinen Photography.

Gallery wall Tips

A gallery wall can fill any size wall space. It can have a unified look, or it can consist of prints with different frames, mediums, finishes, colour themes and include both matted and full frame images. Below are a few gallery wall tips.

1. Leave a 2-6” space between frames.

2. If you have a focal piece, don’t be afraid to place it off centre. Experiment what it would look like if placed off centre or in the middle. Go with what suits your space and taste.

3. Add to it. Your gallery wall can evolve and change with your life.

Finally, to keep your art looking great for a long time,

• Avoid hanging artwork directly above or below heat sources.

• Hang your art on walls that don’t get direct sunlight.

By following these tips, you’ll create a balanced and eye catching display to your room for every day enjoyment. If you have any questions, you can leave me a comment below.

When Woof ate a bag of chocolate shavings... →

KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Woof’n Sheep’s Clothin’ , Woof for short, was one of the five Bedlington Terriers that I have owned over the years. How I wish that I had better images of him! This is a great reminder for everyone to have their pets professionally photographed. Cell phone snapshots just aren’t good enough. Forgive my shameless self-promotion!

The bag of Callebaut chocolate shavings intended as a Christmas present for my friend was licked clean right to the bottom. The offender was easy to spot; my Bedlington terrier Woof had a chocolatey muzzle up to his eyes. Woof, a true food connoisseur, had found the shavings in one of the bags. Oh my, what a horrible mistake on my part to leave the shopping in the car with the dogs unsupervised… (the story continues below)

It’s hard to foresee all the possible ways our animals, puppies and kittens in particular, can get into trouble. During the prep for holidays, everyone is busy and mistakes happen, which can prove to be very serious, even fatal in some cases. Here’s a list of common dangers that might lurk at home during the holiday season.

FOODS TOXIC TO DOGS

• Alcohol - intoxication, lack of coordination, trouble breathing, abnormal acidity, potentially coma, death

• Apple seeds - release cyanide when digested

• Cooked bones - splinter easily when chewed causing damage to the gut, even perforation. Blockage is also possible due to large enough bone pieces

• Candy and chewing gum - often contains xylitol which can cause release of insulin, kidney failure, even death

• Chocolate - toxicity causing panting, vomiting, diarrhea, damage to heart and nervous system

• Coffee - potential death in dangerous quantities

• Raw salmon and trout - can be fatal if the fish is infected with a certain parasite

• Garlic, chives and other onions, onion powder - often in human foods, such as packaged meat products and baby foods. Causes anemia and damage to red blood cells

• Grapes and raisins - contain a toxin that can cause liver damage and kidney failure

• Hops (in beer) - panting, increased heart rate, fever, seizures, even death

• Macademia nuts - contains a toxin causing weakness, panting, swollen limbs and tremors and possible damage to the digestive, nervous and muscle systems

• Marijuana and cannabis-infused edibles - very attractive to dogs and can affect the nervous system and heart rate as well as cause seizures, coma and even death

• Shelled nuts - may cause blockage

• Persimmons, peaches and plums - their pits are a choking hazard and seeds can be toxic

• Tobacco - nicotine damages the digestive and nervous systems, increases heart rate, loss of consciousness and ultimately cause death

• Yeast - on its own or in dough causing gas and discomfort. Too much of it could rupture the stomach and intestines

FOODS TOXIC TO CATS

• Alcohol - intoxication, lack of coordination, trouble breathing, abnormal acidity, even coma or death

• Chocolate - toxicity causes arrhythmia, muscle tremors and seizures

• Coffee, tea, energy drinks - restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, muscles tremors

• Canned tuna for humans - often packed in brine (excess salt) or oil

• Milk, cheese and other dairy products - cats don't tolerate dairy products very well and can become lactose intolerant. Affected cats can vomit and have diarrhea.

• Meat products for humans - often contain onion powder which can cause anemia and damage to red blood cells

If you suspect that your pet has ingested something toxic, call your veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. Time of starting treatment is essential and can make a difference between life and death.

PLANTS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Holiday plants such as mistletoe, holly, snowdrops, lilies and amaryllis plants are bad news for pets. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous to pets or people but can cause vomiting and irritations in the mouth and stomach when eaten.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS AND TREES

Decorated Christmas trees in the house are sure to perk the interest of curious cats and dogs. Keep these tips in mind when decking the halls for Christmas.

• Chewing of Christmas tree branches can cause stomach upsets and irritations in the mouth.

• The water in the reservoir under the tree contains fertilizers and should not be ingested.

• Decorative pine cones can be a choking hazard for pets.

• Ensure the tree is well-secured and choose ornaments that don’t break and have loose parts that pets can swallow.

• Use string instead of hooks to hang ornaments.

• Avoid decorating with tinsel or angel hair as they can end up in pets’ stomach and intestines potentially causing various issues.

• Hide cords for lights to make them inaccessible to pets who like to chew things.

NEW YEARS’ CELEBRATIONS

Fireworks, fun for us but a nightmare for animals. Prepare for the night in advance to keep your frightened pets safe during the celebrations.

• Talk to your vet about options to calm your pet's frayed nerves.

• Talk to your neighbours and ask for advance notice of fireworks. This will give you time to get your pets indoors.

• If outside, keep your pet leashed or, even better, harnessed. Make sure your pet can’t pull its head through the collar.

• Make sure your pet carries tags with current infomation AND has a registered microchip or tattoo. Register your pet with the BC Pet Registry which is traceable internationally via the American Animal Hospital Association’s pet microchip lookup.

• Report your escaped or lost pets with ROAM and FLED.

Going back to Woof’s chocolate feast

Luckily for us, we were at the vet’s office within minutes. It was a simple numbers game; we knew exactly what chocolate (it was milk chocolate) and how much he ate, and we also knew his weight. A quick calculation by the vet revealed that he would be fine, perhaps a bit hyper and nauseous for a time. There was no need for stomach pumping. It would have been a different story, had he eaten that quantity of dark chocolate. Lesson learned!

Have a safe holiday with your furry family!

Frisky's favourite pumpkin treats

Christmas cookies for us people are still not made but Frisky’s Christmas treats are already done. That’s the order of business in our household! I want to share two of Frisky’s favourite pumpkin dog treat recipes for you to try out. These nutritious treats are easy to make and Frisky thinks they taste great! I don’t have a bone shaped cookie cutter but Frisky doesn’t seem to mind. Please leave us a comment below to let us know what your dog thinks of them. Merry Christmas from Frisky and Pauliina!

Homemade banana pumpkin dog treats_Pauliina Saarinen Photography

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour

• 1 cup canned pumpkin

• 1/2 cup peanut butter (make sure it is Xylitol-free)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F

2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin and peanut butter

3. Stir in the flour and combine the mixture into a dough

4. Roll out the dough onto a floured surface

5. Cut the dough into shapes with your favorite cookie cutter

6. Place the treats half an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet

7. Bake for 12 minutes

8. Let them cool down completely before offering to your pooch!

Banana Pumpkin Dog Treats

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat flour + extra for dusting counter

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 1 banana, mashed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix eggs, banana, and pumpkin together. Add flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated.

3. Lightly dust the counter and a rolling pin with flour, then roll out dough to approximately 1/8″ and cut out treats.

4. Lay on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Cool completely before giving to your pup!