Monday, July 27, 2009
How to Hang Art (and not go crazy)
My Decorating Plan
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Whether you painted your own cherished piece of art or acquired it on a recent shopping spree - hanging art can be a challenge to your body and your mind.
Let's "nail down" some basics of picture hanging with a few handy tips:
Using parchment or scrap paper, cut a template of what you want to hang. Tape the template to the wall to determine the perfect placement. You can actually hammer your nail right through the paper template before you remove it from the wall.
Many people hang art way too high. Art should be hung at eye level. Your line of sight should hit the middle of the piece of art you are hanging. If you feel you are taller or shorter than average, try positioning the center of the piece between 60 to 66 inches above the floor.
To hang art over furniture, place the art approximately 5 to 8 inches above a console, chest or dresser and about 10 inches above a sofa. You want the art and the furniture piece below it to "hang together" as a unit.
If you are using a J-hook picture hanger, remember to accommodate for the length of the hook. Your nail will be at the top of the hook, but the art piece will hang lower from the J. Many folks have ended up with their art hanging 1 to 2 inches lower than they intended because they did not consider the hanging point being the J and not the nail.
If your art piece has picture wire on the back, pull the wire up into a V at the center and use the point of the V as your hanging point.
Before you lift that hammer, consider what type of wall you have. Do you have wall board or plaster walls? A hanger that works well for wall board can cause a plaster wall to crumble or crack. Determine the best hanger and hanging technique for your wall before you start.
Although we have focused on hanging art for this article - these tips also apply to other types of wall decor and mirrors.
