10 Tips for Hanging Art in Your Home—and Our Picks for Creating Fearless Walls
Hanging art on your walls doesn’t have to be a stressful experience—instead, it should be a fun and inspiring creative challenge.
You bought it, you love it, you had it framed—and now you just need to figure out how and where to show it off. Planning the display of artwork throughout your home may seem like a daunting task—but it doesn't need to be. Whether you're trying to figure out where to place a large-scale framed painting that was just passed down to you or you're planning the layout of a salon-style gallery wall to show off your family's prized photos, these tips will get your through the hard parts and into the fun stuff. Though they may seem like simple pointers, they could become lifesavers during the process.
Most importantly, remember that this is your chance to get creative—so don't be afraid to let your personality shine through the decisions you make.
Take the Chance to Show Off Everything You Love—and We Mean Anything
In the playroom, a velvet Desiron sofa is set off by Down Pipe paint from Farrow & Ball.
Photo: Mark Mahaney
You don't have to stick to any specific rules or regulations when you're deciding what to hang on your wall. This should be your time to express yourself and your family. So, you can go as elaborate or simple as you want and can hang anything from one single painting to 25 family photos, art projects, or sculptural objects. Just because something isn't technically meant to be hung, doesn't mean that it can't make an inventive addition to an art wall. Just add a hook or some Command mounting strips and you're set.
Make Sure Your Art Fits Your Particular Space
The chairs and end table in the living room are of Eric’s design.
Photo: Mark Seelen
We all know that it's not always so simple to find a completely blank wall that's waiting to be outfitted, especially if you live in a small space. When you're surveying the land (so to speak), consider what spaces you're working with and how your art would fit into those areas—making sure to consider if you'll need that wall for something else in the near future.
Go for a Gallery Wall
The retro-chic vibe of Copenhagen's Hotel Alexsandra
Hotel Alexandra
Create a story to tell. The arrangement doesn't have to be centered and you don't have to follow any type of official grid. Be bold and use an odd number of works, mix photos with drawings and paintings, mix and match picture frames, and even toss your favorite clock or mirror in there. One technique is to place the largest piece of art in the center (or slightly off-center) and go from there. Another pro-tip is to lay your art out on the floor first to see how it will look arranged on your wall. You can also test your plans by arranging sheets of paper on the wall with painter's tape before you actually commit to the placement.
Hang Art in a Straight Line or a Grid
Modern in Denver Magazine
If you're the kind of person who needs to be organized and minimal, that's fine too! Go ahead and embrace symmetry, making sure to use a level so that the pieces are perfectly even. You can even use an app on your phone to make sure you're hanging them straight.
Hang Art at Eye Level
The Menagerie Collection is a series of prints that depict animals and flora in a range of soft, yet vibrant colors. Although compositionally simple, each print is comprised of several parts—the graphic is screen printed on 140 lb. arches watercolor paper, after which McGinnis fills the colored print with a hand-drawn line sketch. From there, the 100 percent cotton paper is mounted and framed in an ash wood frame.
Shown: Yellow Leaf, Blue Horse, Blue Fern, Red Snake, Blue Elephant.
Also pictured: Cherner Lounge Arm Chair, Nelson Bubble Lamp Criss Cross Ball Pendant, and Shapes Rug.
Follow the gallery model and hang art at eye level. Think of your wall as if it's divided into four horizontal sections (from the floor to the ceiling). Hang your art in the third section (from the floor). If you're hanging art above a sofa, the golden rule is to hang it one-hand's width above the sofa. There's some wiggle room here, but always be careful not to hang your art too high.
Turn Your Wall Into Your Child’s Personal Art Gallery
The pair’s art covers a cork wall where Eva Luna reads in a vintage Danish lounge chair.
Photo: Lisa Romerein
Your walls can be a creative indicator of where you are in your life and will most likely change drastically over the years. If you have kids that love to draw, paint, or craft, designate a particular wall in your home that shows off their work. It will give them a sense of accomplishment that's priceless.
Incorporate Functional Elements Into Your Art Wall
Susanna Vento, pictured here with her daughter Varpu, is a Helsinki-based editor, stylist, and interior designer. Asked about her design approach in her own apartment, she says: "As an interior designer I choose new designs for my clients, but for my own home, I tend to prefer crafty or old stuff. If I buy something, I want to buy only things that stand the test of time. But even better is to buy nothing at all and do-it-yourself!"
Photo: Petra Bindel
Your walls don't have to be just be a place for featuring traditional art. These days, there are plenty of modern wall products that have multifunctional uses as storage, hooks, or organizational tools—while looking great and working hard at the same time.
Consider Your Background
The Richard Barnes photo pops against a gray Venetian plaster wall.
Photo: Brian Flaherty
While many people have white walls that can easily complement almost any piece of art, a painted or textured backdrop can either make an artwork pop or drown it. If your walls are painted or lined with wood, make sure the colors and tones work well together, as they can make or break your display. In this example below, a Richard Barnes photo pops against a gray Venetian plaster wall.
You Don’t Have to Hang Everything
Living Area
Bischoff’s team retained the exposed brick on the interior, painting much of it white to help the space reflect sunlight. "There was an interest in having an open, more contemporary layout, but we still wanted some sense of living in this building that’s 100 years old," Bischoff says. "That motivated us a lot to keep the brick. It’s a very subtle echo of what the house originally was."
Enclosing the ductwork would have forced the architects to lower the ceiling or install a subpar air-conditioning system. So it was left exposed, contributing to the floor’s loftlike atmosphere.
New meets old with the furnishings as well: An antique barbershop pendant provides contrast to a sculptural lamp and a rug from Anthropologie. Investment buys were made with budget in mind, like the leather sofa scored at ABC Carpet & Home’s outlet store.
Photo: Matthew Williams
Keep in mind that you don't always have to put holes in your walls for every piece of art. Framed art can be arranged elegantly on a shelf, a counter, or even on the floor for a crisp modern look and a less formal display.
Related Reading:
8 Creative Alternatives to Expensive Wall Art
Shop the Best Places for Affordable Art You’ll Actually Want to Hang
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