Purchasing and hanging framed art in your home so that it makes a good design statement is as much an art form as it is an expression of the things you love. You may choose framed pieces in similar colour schemes or maybe one or two pieces in an accent colour to add interest or to brighten up a dull room. In this article, we’re going to give you a few tips for hanging your purchased pieces.

1. UV and heat protection

UV light will eventually fade your artwork so try and hang it on walls that don’t get much direct sunlight. Heat and humidity can also cause damage to your framed pieces over time so avoid hanging in humid environments such as bathrooms or even the kitchen. Alternatively, if you do want some pictures in these rooms swap them with other pieces on a regular basis so they’re not exposed to the heat and humidity for extended periods.

2. Effectively group your art work

Grouping smaller pieces together can be a very effective home décor design feature. Before you hang your pictures, lay them out on the floor in the way you’d like to hang them on the wall. Try to maintain some kind of symmetry by creating a rectangular or square display and space your frames about 3 to 4 inches apart.

Once you’ve laid your artwork out on the floor and you’re happy with the display, cut out paper templates of each frame and tape these to the wall so that you’ll get an exact idea of how the finished collection will look. Mark the picture hook locations with a pencil and then you’re ready to hang your art.

3. Make sure the pieces are consistent with your home décor

You want the selected pieces of framed art to reflect your own personal style and also add character and charm to your home.

Before purchasing any piece of artwork, look around your home to evaluate what kind of pictures would best suit your décor. Consider your dominating colour scheme and your available wall space. You want your art pieces to compliment your décor, not dominate it. You can find a huge collection of interesting and eclectic framed artwork from places like Fine Art America which are sure to suit your particular decorating style.

4. Mount your framed art at the correct height

To maintain the symmetry of your room and its furniture, ensure that you hang your artwork at the correct height. In standard 8-foot ceiling rooms, the middle of your picture should be about 5 feet off the wall. If your room has higher ceilings, you can hang your artwork a little higher.

If you’re hanging a picture above a sofa, it’s a good idea to leave a space of approximately 6 to 8 inches between the bottom of the frame and the top of the sofa. If hanging above a tabletop, you should leave a space of about 10 to 12 inches but this can be adjusted to account for lamps or other display pieces on the table.

Conclusion

To make the most of your framed art pieces it’s important that you choose and hang them correctly. Choose pieces that not only match your personal style but your home décor as well. Consider the light, heat and humidity of each room before choosing pieces that you want to hang.

Group smaller pieces of art in a nice symmetrical shape by using paper templates to first consider their positioning and ensure that you hang your favourite art pieces at the correct height so that it’s pleasing to the eye.

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