How to Hang Wall Art

One of the most critical aspects of interior decorating and design is the placement and positioning of your wall art and decor. These pieces can add flair and value to your house, and enhance your everyday living experience in the home. Luckily, there are some simple tips and tricks you can use to get your wall art looking just as good as the professionals.  

Steps to Take

The first step towards any interior design or wall art project is selecting the pieces, but for the purposes of this article, we’re assuming that you already have art pieces that you love, and are able to find pieces that showcase your authenticity and personal beliefs in a way that is ideal to you. The next step after choosing your pieces is deciding on placement. 

Placement is a process that can be both simple and complex at the same time. Some people just put things wherever they want, which can provide a charming and homey aesthetic. However, if you’re looking for a professional touch, there are some guidelines you should follow when placing your art.  

Find a focal point

Let’s say you’re decorating a living room. Maybe you have a fireplace with a prominent mantle or a large window with a reading nook. Either one of these would be the focal point of the room, or it could be something entirely different. 

To help find the focal point, bring a guest into the room and follow where their eyes first land. Artists use red to lead the eye, and in the same way, when decorating a house there are ways to lead the eye in a way that will showcase all the amazing decorative skills you have. 

For a small space, like a stairway, try a group of smaller pictures placed tightly together. This will create an illusion of space and give the narrower spaces a touch of life. Another way to increase the perception of space in your house is to hang a large mirror, which many stores use to great effect. 

Feng Shui

Feng Shui is an eastern decorative term that is used to describe serene Zen gardens, bonsai trees, and the beautiful minimalism of Japanese architecture. While this may seem far removed from your average suburban household, there are some guiding principles that you can glean to make your own house appear cleaner, less cluttered, and more beautiful overall.

To implement Feng Shui in your rooms, you’ll have to break it down into basic elements. In fact, practitioners of this technique commonly ascribe earthly elementals to the process: earth, water, fire, wind, and wood. It may seem weird, but try to match your decorations with the elements.  

For example, for a wood aesthetic, use lots of wood paneling, wooden frames for your pictures, or wallpaper that looks like wood, which will create a feeling of growth, healing, and coziness. For water, perhaps use a blue trim around the room and a painting of a boat out at sea. Get creative here: choose your favorite aesthetic, or you could even create a room for each type of element.  

Proper hanging techniques

Once you have the general feeling for each room decided on, you’ll have to get down to the busy work of actually hanging them. Remember that it’s best to take it slow and not rush here. Before beginning, lay out your selections as best as you can before actually hammering anything, to avoid mistakes that could damage the appearance of the room. 

A tip that will bring an instant touch of professionalism and inspiration to anyone who enters your home is the 57-inch rule. Where we get 57 inches from is that this is the average eye level, which will provide the most pleasant and interactive viewing experience for anyone who sees your art. When following this rule, try to make sure that the center of the piece is 57 inches off of the floor.

Asymmetry or symmetry? It’s a question that puzzles even the most experienced artists and designers. Although we are naturally attracted to symmetry, sometimes placing things in different locations, heights, or just randomly spaced apart can create a more beautiful appearance than paintings hanging perfectly evenly.  

Keep this in mind, and try to keep your wall hangings interesting. Too much predictability can be a turn-off, and interior design is all about engagement. However, some art pieces look best perfectly side to side or balanced, and to achieve this you should go ahead and purchase a level from a hardware store to make sure you get it straight.  

While these tips and tricks may sound simple, putting them into practice is easier said than done. There are a lot of technical tricks used to get wall art hanging in the right way, and you don’t want to risk improperly hanging a piece only to have it fall and be damaged. To make sure you’re happy with your art, contact an interior design company today, and the professionals will make sure you get it right.