How to Hang Art Like a Pro
The excitement of purchasing a new piece of art can quickly turn to stress when it comes time to hang it. Keep reading for valuable tips and suggestions for creating your very own in-home art exhibits:
Mix it up:
Think about what you have to work with. Do you have three canvas art pieces? Then use them in different rooms. Mix in photography, art that is framed with a glass face, metal art, etc. When arranging multiple pieces, don’t just think in terms of a grid. Salon installations- a grouping of often different images or frames clustered together- are becoming very popular. Such installations often stretch from wall to wall and floor to ceiling and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Simply start in the middle and work your way out.
Hang Art at Eye-Level:
The most common question when it comes to hanging art is what is the proper height to hang it? When hanging a single piece on a wall, the center should be approximately 62 inches above the floor, which places it at eye level. When hanging a pair of works, one above the other, treat them as one large piece (whether they’re the same size or not). Find the center point between them, and use the same 60 inch rule. Groupings should have approximately 2-3 1/2” spacing between the pieces. And the larger the pieces, the wider the spacing.
Hang Safely & Correctly:
Hanging a beloved or expensive piece of art can be stressful, because if it’s not secured properly, it can come crashing down to the floor. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to hammer nails into studs, or install drywall anchors to support art. Here’s how to do it:
• Use picture-hanging hooks, rather than heavy nails or screws:
Although they may seem dainty, they are very secure. The picture hooks go into the wall on an angle, like a cat’s claw—it’s a whole different set of physics.
• Buy the right type of hook for your artwork’s weight:
There are basically three types: a one-nail picture hook holds things that are 30 pounds or lighter, a two-nail picture hook holds pieces that are about 50 pounds and three-nail picture hook holds pieces that are about 75 to 100 pounds.
• Use two picture hooks per artwork:
Not only does this provide added security but it helps art remain level over time, compared to items hung from a single point.
• When possible, install two D-rings, rather than a wire, on the backs of frames, to hang from the picture hooks. This way the piece is stationary, and not swinging on a wire, so there’s no pendulum effect involved.
• Use a level and ruler to ensure that both the picture hooks and D-rings are aligned when installed.
Recruit someone to assist you:
A helper can hold pieces against the wall before you begin hammering in the picture hooks, so you can step back and make sure you like the way the space looks like with the piece there. You get
a sense of the proportions and colors, and see it against all the other design elements.
We hope these tips prove helpful for your art hanging adventures!