How to hang art (the right way): our tips for success

It's all in the details.  The finishing touches are so important for the overall look and feel of a space.  Pulling these details together requires a lot of thought, time and some expertise.

One of the most common mistakes we see is how art is installed.  Art that has been hung too high, too low, or simply doesn't work with the scale of a room can totally throw othings off.

Here are some simple tips to help you install art...the right way:  

1. Hang art at eye level: If you're installing a single piece of art on a wall, the art should be at eye level.  As a guideline, the centre of the piece should be around 59-62" from the floor.  Anything beyond this range, is too low or too high.

Photo credit (left to right): House Seven Design, Studio McGee, White House Designs (Wilkinson Reno Project. Original art by our very talented friend Sarah Martin).

2. Consider the spacing:  If you're installing art above a piece of furniture such as a sofa, console table, bed, etc. you want to allow approximately 6-8" between the bottom of the frame and the top of the furniture.  You want to allow just enough space for the pieces to feel connected to each other.

Spacing is also very important if you are grouping more than one piece of art together, such as a wall collage.  There is no magic number to share because it depends on the wall size, scale of the pieces, size of frames, etc.  However, the principle remains consistent, you want all of the pieces in the collage to feel connected.  With proper spacing it's easier for your eyes to take in all of the beautiful art!

Photo credit (left to right): White House Designs living room refresh, Katie Hodge Design, White House Designs Lakeside Project.

3. Scale: Before you hit "purchase" on that beautiful piece of art - consider the size of the room, including wall size, ceiling height and what the surrounding area looks like.  The art selection does need to align with the scale of the space or it won't have a significant impact.

If you're working with a large wall, don't be afraid to go big with your selection, or consider grouping smaller pieces of framed art together to fill the space.  How awesome does this oversize art look in the living room of Le Clair Decor?!

Photo credit (left to right): Le Clair Decor, White House Designs, Cook Street Project.

When we are installing art above a fireplace mantle, give some thought to the size, shape and scale of the decor and other finishings on the mantle.   Allow enough space for the beautiful art to shine.

Photo credit: White House Designs Lakeside Project.

We are so very excited to finally launch Shoppe White House!  A small curated collection of beautiful things for your home - including custom art.  If you're feeling overwhelmed and need some help selecting and installing art in your home, we'd love to help!

Thanks for stopping by,

Anne + Trish, xo