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.
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.
To determine the height of the center point, measure the height of the art piece and divide by 2.
Subtract the “hardware height” measurement from the halved frame height.
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.
Leave a 2-6” space between frames.
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.
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.