Ultimate Wall Art Hanging Guide: Elevate Your Space with Simple Techniques
Art has the power to completely transform a room, adding character, sophistication, and a sense of completion. However, even the most beautiful artwork can lose its impact if not displayed correctly. Whether you're styling a minimalist, modern space or a more eclectic and cozy home, understanding the right rules for hanging wall art is essential for creating a balanced and visually appealing room. This guide will take you through the key considerations when choosing and arranging your artwork to create a polished, professional look in any space.
1. Choosing the Right Size of Artwork for Large, Empty Walls One of the most common mistakes people make is selecting artwork that's too small for the space. When you're dealing with large, empty walls, the rule of thirds is your best friend. To avoid having your art swallowed by the surrounding empty space, take the width of the wall and divide it by three. This number gives you the minimum width that your artwork or gallery wall should span. For example, if your wall is 12 feet wide, your artwork should be no less than 4 feet wide. This ensures that the art will feel substantial and well-proportioned to the room, creating a focal point that draws the eye.
2. Navigating Walls with Architectural Features When a wall has architectural features like windows, doors, or fireplaces, hanging artwork can feel a little trickier. The key here is to balance the available space on either side of the feature. If the feature takes up a large portion of the wall, you can apply the 50/50 rule.
3. Crafting a Balanced Gallery Wall Gallery walls allow for a lot of creativity but also demand attention to detail to avoid a cluttered or overwhelming look. The best gallery walls strike a balance between varying sizes, textures, and framing styles. Start with a central anchor piece and build around it using smaller pieces that flow naturally together. Before picking up the hammer, map out your layout on the floor and visualize how the pieces will fit together on the wall.
4. How High Should You Hang Your Art? Hanging art too high is another common mistake. The general rule is to hang the center of the artwork 57 inches from the floor, which is considered average eye level. If you're hanging artwork above furniture, such as a couch or console table, aim for the bottom of the frame to be about 6-8 inches above the furniture. This creates a connection between the art and the furniture, giving the room a more unified, cozy feel.
5. Should Every Wall Have Art? This question often comes up in interior design. The answer? Not necessarily. In rooms with a lot of architectural elements—think large windows, expansive bookshelves, or even a bold fireplace—there's often already enough visual interest that adding more art could make the space feel crowded.
6. Using Mirrors as Art Don’t limit yourself to paintings and photographs. A well-placed mirror can have the same impact as a piece of art, adding light, depth, and a focal point to a room. Mirrors also have the added benefit of making a space feel larger and brighter, reflecting natural light and creating a sense of openness. When placing a mirror, follow the same guidelines for height as you would for artwork, ensuring it aligns with the room's furniture and architectural elements.
7. Final Balance Check When you're done, always take a step back and view the room as a whole. Does the wall art feel balanced in relation to the furniture, windows, and other decorative elements? Are the colors and sizes of your artwork in harmony with the rest of the room? A balanced room doesn’t just look polished—it feels inviting and complete. Whether you are looking to decorate one room or your entire house, or add professional credibility to your work place, you will find the perfect piece of art on Benarto’s Online Art Gallery. Click here to view their work. |