You have just bought the perfect painting or decorative wall pieces that you have been eyeing and you thought that putting them up would be cakewalk. But truth be told, the hard part comes next – where should you hang them, how high should they be, how should they be arranged, will they be secure. Well, fret not, we are here to help!
Below are key aspects that you must consider while hanging your pieces.
Choosing the location
The very first challenge is “Where?”. You will want to pick a wall and position on the wall that has enough lighting. Ideally, it mustn’t be direct sunlight as that can cause the piece to fade, but at the same time, it must be well illuminated.
Avoid locations that can damage to the work. So placing it near fireplaces, heating ducts, air conditioning is avoidable.
Try and find a location where the hanging can be seen from a distance as well as from up close. The piece(s) mustn’t overcrowd the wall on which it is placed and conversely must also engage enough of the wall as well.
Determining the height
Most experts recommend that pieces should be hung at eye-level and art work in galleries are typically all aligned at particular height. However, as everyone is of a different height, their eye levels will vary and the general rule of thumb is that the middle of the piece should be about 60 inches above the ground.
Further, if you are hanging using a wire or a hook attached to the back of the piece, then you need to factor the position of the hook into your calculation whilst determining the level of the hooks on the wall.
For example, you have a hanging that is 24 inches in height (h) and the wire is 3 inches (w) from the top of the frame. To get your hook height, take the height of the painting i.e. 24 inches and divide by 2, to get 12 inches which is the vertical middle of the hanging. Add that to the ideal height from the ground and subtract the wire distance to get the final position of the hooks.
Hook(s) level = 60 + h/2 – w = 60 + (24/2) – 3 = 69 inches from the ground.
Placing above furniture
This above rule needs to be adapted slightly if you are hanging the piece above some furniture. In such cases, you could look at placing the piece such that the bottom is about 6 – 8 inches above the top of the furniture. This ensures that it stands out on its own without crowding the furniture and as a result doesn’t get lost. Also, if its above a sofa, then it would not hit someone’s head if they were to lean back while at the same time not creating too much of an awkward gap.
Arrangements and combinations
It is often a great idea to pair pieces together and create a combination. Pieces may be similar in size or a collection of varied sizes. In such cases, treat the arrangement as 1 large piece and calculate out the middle of the grouping in order to determine the placement from the ground. Try and keep about 2 inches of space between pieces, though this is not a fixed rule. Generally larger pieces should be kept in the center, but again there is no consensus on whether the larger piece should be above or below in a pairing. You would need to play around and find what suits your aesthetic and the rest of your décor.
And finally, putting up the pieces…
Now that the placement and arrangement has been finalized, we come to the final part – installation.
It is always recommended to use 2 hooks on the wall to distribute the weight and to prevent the piece from hanging forward. It also becomes more difficult for the artwork to shift and become crooked due to vibrations or bumps. Use a level to make sure that the piece is aligned correctly and doesn’t look crooked or titled on the wall.
Using the right hooks and hanging support mechanism is critical. You want to ensure that the artwork is secure and the hook can take the weight. Always choose hanging strips and hooks that are rated to take the weight of your artwork and when in doubt, err on the side of caution.
We’ve partnered with 3M to make the 3M Command suite of hanging strips and hooks easily available as you purchase artwork from us. Not only do the Command suite of products protect the wall and plaster and are therefore known for their ability to be safely removed from any surface without damage, but they are also easy to take off in case you move the artwork to another wall or location in the future. The thin, double-sided adhesive pad is designed with a non-adhesive pull-tab that allows for convenient removal.
They support and adhere to virtually any material and come in sizes varying in length. While the Poster Strips and Hanging Strips (available in small, medium and large depending upon size) are great for displaying paper and laminated sheets, the Command range also has picture hangers that are designed for frames and other objects with sawtooth, D-ring , keyhole and wire backed hangers.
Key features of the Command suite of products include:
- Great for hanging pictures, posters and artwork
- Put up and take down artwork as often as you want, without the fear of marking or
damaging walls - Easy to put up – no need for nails or tapes
- High Performance Adhesive – Holds On Strongly
- Easy to remove – innovative stretch release technology leaves no surface damage
Changing displays every once in a while helps freshen things up. Using the Command range of products, you can keep moving your artwork around and have a new look every now and then.