Many people think hanging artwork is as easy as a hammer and nail knocked into the wall. Whilst this works if you don’t really care how the design turns out, rushing your picture hanging can actually make a room look really, well, sloppy…
It doesn’t matter what style it is: a contemporary masterpiece, an impressionist’s print, or if you’re looking to buy Australian art online, here are some tips for ensuring you hang it like a pro.
- The 57 rule is an interior designer’s best friend
People often hang their art work too high when doing it DIY, where in reality there is one simple number to remember: 57. This is the number of inches from the floor that the centre of your artwork should hang.
It’s as simple as this:
- Measure 57 inches from the ground and put a light pencil mark in that spot.
- Measure the height of your artwork, and divide it in two to find where its centre is.
- Be sure to pull the wire across the artwork tightly.
- Measure the distance between the top of the picture frame and the highest point of the wire.
- Next, subtract the first number (the height of the artwork divided by two) by the second number (distance between top of frame and the taught wire).
- Get back to the 57 inch mark and add the resulting number to it.
- This is where you should place your painting!
- Put your focus in the centre of the frame
If you utilise the 57 inch rule, logic says that the centre of each of your artworks should be at the same height. This is so even if your collection includes different artworks of varying heights.
Measuring from the centre of your artworks creates a much more harmonious, fluent gallery style. In contrast, hanging all your paintings so that the frames are all aligned across the top can look a bit intense for a vibrant art room.
Why is the number 57 important?
It may sound like the number 57 was just pulled out of thin air, right? Of course not! The number 57 is the average height of human eye level, so this is what galleries across the world use when it comes to hanging their pieces. You can trust that if some of the world’s finest art galleries utilise this method then it is probably a good idea for your home, too!
Hanging pieces above furniture
The 57 inch rule can become a bit, shall we say, convoluted when it comes to hanging pieces above furniture. Obviously, if your furniture is quite high or a particular shape, applying this rule may not work in the same manner as it would hanging it above nothing but wall and floorboards.
You should always aim to have the bottom of the frame hanging six to eight inches above the piece of furniture. What’s more, your furniture should always be wider than the artwork hanging above it, as this can look very strange when the other way around.
It just takes a little effort & patience
For most people, hanging artwork can be a bit of a drag. It’s not everyone’s forte to measure out markers on the wall, measure paintings and ensure these paintings are perfectly situated in their space – this is why there are professionals who can do it for you!
But, if you’re keen to give it a try, just remember the above-rule and you should be able to hang your masterpieces like an interior design expert.
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