The Art of Hanging Pictures

Fine art and original paintings used to be the reserve of a small group of collectors. But today increasing numbers of people are investing in this area and you don’t have to have a pile in the country in order to display fine works. But even if you’re not a fine art collector and your picture collection is based around family photographs and prints purchased in the high street, you will find that putting up pictures is an art in itself; get it right and you will make the most of your collection and the rooms that it adorns.

1) Decide whether you want your artwork to be the focal point in a room, or as elements that work with and enhance the other features in your room. This will help you determine which type of picture(s) to display in each room. Rooms without a focal point such as a fireplace or picture window can be transformed by a strategically placed eye-catching picture.

2) If you plan to display several pictures in a room, look for a theme to tie them together eg. a grouping of portraits, country scenes or horticultural prints will give impact to your display. Look for similar colour tones or group pictures of the same medium. Alternatively, choose frames that are similar to bring together your collection. Changing frames on pictures can really make a difference to them and you will see them in a completely new light.

3) Do not be afraid to play with scale and introduce something oversized. Conversely, however, hanging a small picture in the middle of a wall in a vast room will not work, it will just look lost. Group together small pictures instead.

4) When hanging several pictures in a room, consider the way they are arranged rather than just hanging pictures at the same height around the room. Think of the entire group as a particular shape. You could arrange them in a straight line, placing the largest picture in the center for balance. Or you could hang the pictures in a square or rectangular block, more easily done with pictures of similar shapes and sizes. If you have two small pictures and one large to hang together, place the two small ones above each other and the large picture beside them.

5) To experiment with groupings and before putting nails or picture hooks in the wall, it’s a good idea to place your pictures on the floor and see how they look together. Alternatively, you can mock up a grouping by cutting cardboard to size and then taping them to the walls to see how they look in proportion to the room. Or if you’ve got the patience and time on your hands, do a scale drawing of your wall and work in miniature.

6) Do not hang your pictures too high, aim for eye level for a single picture or for the centre of a grouping of pictures. Get someone to help you if you can as a second pair of eyes and hands is always helpful to get the job done right.

7) A couple of useful visual tricks; if you want to make your ceiling appear higher, try a vertical arrangement. To lower a ceiling, try a horizontal grouping. Plain walls will allow the pictures to stand out to great effect. If your walls are patterned, you need a thicker frame or mount to stop the pictures disappearing. Lighting is another factor to take into account and can really enhance your paintings if used well. Lighting from above gets a better spread of light.

8) Once you have decided which pictures go where, you then need to get your tools out. You will need a hammer and picture hooks – use single pin hooks for light pictures and two pin hooks for medium weight pictures. Use two hooks if you have a wide or heavier picture. You will need to use screws/wallplugs, a drill and screwdriver for a heavy picture, but consider calling in the professionals if the picture is valuable or particularly heavy. Heavy mirrors should be hung with a mirror chain rather than picture wire or cord. If you have a picture rail you should use traditional picture hooks and these are suitable for light to medium weight pictures. If your picture has a cord for hanging, measure up carefully to ensure that the cord and picture hook are out of sight when setting at the required level.

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