No matter how beautiful a piece of art, if it is the wrong scale or placement, it can look off. Here are a few tips to help you choose thecorrect sized pieces and hang them properly.
SCALE
- If you are placing on an open wall space, here’s your formula: [wall width] x 0.57 = [ideal width of artwork]. When in doubt, always go larger.
- If you are placing above a couch, table or bed, choose a piece that is between 1/2 to 3/4 the width of the furnishing. For example, for an 86″ sofa, choose an artwork that is between 43 and 65 inches wide.
PLACEMENT
- When hanging on a blank wall, the middle of the artwork should hang about 57 inches from the floor (or at eye level for most people). If it is hanging above a sofa or other furnishing, make sure there is at least 6-12 inches between the top of the sofa and the bottom of the piece of art.
- If you have low ceilings (below 8 feet), break your wall into 4 sections (from the bottom up) and hang it in the third section.
- If you are hanging multiple pieces of different heights, make sure the middles line up.
- When hanging artwork above your stairs, hang a piece every third step to get a diagonal look.
- Think about your room, if it is already cluttered or busy, opt for larger pieces to not overwhelm the room
Purchasing new lighting to go with your new art? Check out these tips before you install: How Low to Hang A Chandelier
Thank you to Wayfair for breaking down these numbers for us!
