Hanging Art In Your Home – Techniques the Pros Use

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To get the best results when hanging fine art photographs and other art on the walls of your home, it's important to consider the proper height on the wall and proper alignment. Hanging materials, weight distribution and previsualizing the placement of the art is important, too.

As a general rule, the center of the picture should be approximately at eye level. When you're hanging a group of images, the midpoint of the grouping should be at eye level, too. (This is usually about 55 to 57 inches from the floor.)

If the art is small, hang it a little lower so it does not get lost on the wall. If you're hanging out in a kid's room, remember that their eye level is a little lower so hang it a little lower for them!

If you're hanging art over the sofa, above a bed or other piece of furniture, try to keep the art fairly close – about the width of your arm. This will create a harmony between the two pieces.

Invest in a good level or a laser line marker that projects a straight laser line on the wall for precise alignment. This will save you a lot of time and frustration if you're hanging a lot of art on one wall.

To distribute weight evenly and keep the picture straight, always use two pictures hanging hooks spaced evenly apart. Space them as far apart as possible. Make sure you use good quality picture hanging hooks (not nails)
and wire that can support the weight of your framed art. Also make sure that they are appropriate hangers for the wall. For example, a wall made of sheetrock needs a different kind of hanger than a brick wall.

For large heavy pictures, use individual heavyweight hangers on each side of the frame for added support. Wire will not give sufficient support.

If you're creating a grouping for a wall, visualize it by placing it on the floor first. This way, you can move pictures around without marking up the wall. You can also take a big sheet of Kraft or parchment paper and design your arrangement on the paper first by tracing the frames. Then cut and tape it your template to the wall to see if you like it.