The Dos And Don'ts Of Hanging Wall Art
Wall art is nothing new to most of us. There is no denying that many of us spent a good part of our childhood and adolescence staring up at the many posters, and bulletin boards filled with photographs and magazine clippings. But gone are the days of “stick-it-ups”. As adults, we now invest in proper art- from handmade paintings to luxury canvas prints- that are charming and sophisticated at the same time. Piece of cake right?
Well, that’s up for debate!
When it comes to the right way of hanging wall art, finding a piece of art you love is just the start. Apart from deciding what to hang, the way you display it also matters. All you need is to be handy with a hammer and spirit level and you are all set to hang your wall art like a pro. Here is how it goes-
DO buy art that you love
Choosing wall art for your home largely depends on what you love. There are many ways to find a painting or canvas print that suits your taste as well as matches the interior of your home. For instance, if you love minimalism, monochrome abstract paintings are a wonderful choice for your living space. Abstract paintings go well with most kinds of decor- from traditional Arabic interiors to classic Scandinavian designs.
However, there are no hard and fast rules for choosing wall art. Many people go all bohemian with their interiors by choosing a variety of decor pieces for their home. If you love to create cozy interiors with miscellaneous objects, you can choose multiple paintings or prints to create a bohemian-styled gallery wall. Choose wall arts that you love to look at and have at your home- plain and simple.
DON’T struggle to match the art to your existing decor
There is no need for your chosen art to match the color scheme or decor you already have at home. Art is your chance to explore new ideas and themes that reflect your personality.
Matching your art to the existing interiors may also look too mechanical. The process of choosing art should be organic and one way in which it reflects is when you get a handmade painting or canvas print that is contrasting to your decor. This difference will add some visual interest to your room.
Try hanging a modern abstract painting in a traditionally furnished room. Trust us- you will be pleasantly surprised!
DO consider having the wall painted in a fun colour
This will make your art-pop. Generally, people paint their walls white and grey to give a sense of space. While this goes well with most kinds of wall art, it may not do complete justice to the piece. Painting the wall where you plan to hang the art in a fun, different shade will help your art look vibrant, bringing the best out of it.
For instance, a colored wall is an excellent place to bring your monochromatic painting to life. Why not give it a shot?
DON’T clutter every wall space with art
Having art on every wall is kind of tacky. Not only will your walls look cluttered up, but also the people will lose interest in the room quickly. When you hang a wall art (or several art pieces), you want it to grab attention and make the room visually interesting. Blank walls make walls with art pieces to stand out, while also stopping them from feeling as if they are closing in on you.
Depending upon the size of your room choose one or a few art pieces that will fit well into your wall space without leading to vertical clutter.
DO go ahead and hang art in every room
While every wall in a room is a no-go for hanging wall art, you can have art in every room. Use feature walls with different paints to hang the art, or create a gallery wall according to the available space in different rooms of your home. If there is wall space and an opportunity to display an art piece that could potentially elevate the room, go ahead and grab the opportunity.
However, consider the vibe and unique requirements of each room before hanging wall arts. For instance, oil paintings are not meant for places like the kitchen and bathroom, where humidity (and the chance of splattering) is high. Canvas prints are ideal for such places as they have a protective coating that can save the art moisture and potential dirt. Similarly, find what’s suitable for each room before hanging them.
DON’T always go big when choosing art
Big, statement art pieces require space to stand out and spark interest. This is why not every room in your house is ideal for big, wall-covering art pieces. Before you decide on the size of the art piece you want to hang, measure the wall space. See how far it is from furniture and other structural details such as doors and windows. If your room has enough space for wall art, but not enough for big and bold ones, choose smaller art pieces that fit into the scale of the room.
But of course, if your space allows it, go big by all means.
DO hang at the right height
We can only say that the art of hanging wall art is successful if it is hung at the right height. So what is the proper height to hang a painting/print?
Ideally, art must be hung at eye level. However, this is technically different for everyone. Remember that the people who enter the room will be of different heights. So as a thumb rule, the center point of your art should be around 57 inches off the ground to get the best visual impact.
However, if you are hanging the art above a piece of furniture, such as a sofa, it will look best if it’s hung at a vertically centered point from the top of the furniture. This ensures that the art piece has the same spacing between the furniture and the ceiling.
Also, if you have multiple pieces, ensure that the gap between the artworks is even to create a cohesive display.
Ready to shop for wall art?
Now that you know the dos and don’ts of hanging wall art, are you ready to find one (or more) that you’d love to take home? Browse our collection of exquisite handmade paintings and limited edition luxury canvas prints to buy a unique wall art today!