Avoid using multiple pictures of the same thing since it could make your wall look cluttered. [1] X Expert Source Karen ParzialeHome Stager & Interior Designer Expert Interview. 30 June 2021.
Provided your picture doesn’t absolutely dwarf other, smaller pictures, you use it as part of a multi-picture arrangement. If you’re not sure how to arrange your big picture sensibly as part of a group, a good idea is to put it in one of the lower corners of the arrangement, with the second-largest picture in the upper corner opposite it. Line smaller pictures up in the two unoccupied sections of the imaginary rectangle containing both big pictures.
The most important thing to remember while making picture clusters is to make sure that the edges of every frame are at precise ninety-degree angles to each other (use a level to get your pictures perfectly straight. ) Also make sure the distance between pictures is uniform throughout your arrangement. An added benefit of smaller pictures is that they’re much more versatile than larger pictures. Stick a short row of small pictures in a crowded bedroom for a big difference or slip a few old family photos on a stairway for a visual timeline of your family’s history.
Experiment with patterns - alternating blue and white frames in a checkered pattern, for instance. Patterns count as an “overarching theme” - more important than having an identical frame for every picture is to give the impression that the pictures were arranged according to some logical goal. When in doubt, remember - white and black go with almost anything.
Abstract paintings can be incredibly vivid additions to a room - however, if you plan to hang a painting that’s nothing more than an assortment of shapes and colors, you might want to make sure the colors match the rest of the room’s décor (see: How to Match Colors. )
Pictures on a wall should never compete for space - if you have to move old pictures around to make room for a new one, you may want to consider a new home for your pictures. Many walls are best-suited by only one or two pictures. Or no images at all. If you’ve got great wallpaper, a killer rug, or an amazing centerpiece, don’t be too hasty to distract attention with imposing collections of pictures.
Use big pictures, if possible, but don’t take up the entire wall space. Covering one of a cramped room’s entire walls with one picture will have an overpowering effect.
If you’ve got an interesting wallpaper or even a monochrome painted wall, you can get away with more unused space when hanging your pictures. Plain, un-decorated walls commit the cardinal sin of making a room seem boxlike and cold.
Follow the two thirds rule - art placed above a piece of furniture should be at least two thirds as wide as the furniture itself. [5] X Research source For instance, a ten foot wide sofa should have at least about six and a half feet of art above it. This rule applies to individual pictures as well as clusters of smaller pictures.
When hanging anything on your wall, it’s best to place the nail in the stud - the sturdy piece of wood supporting the wall. For heavier pictures or pieces of art, this can be a necessity. However, because studs are only an inch or two thick and fairly spaced-out, they’re often not exactly where you want to hang a picture. For dainty and medium-weight pictures, you can get away with hanging in the space between studs. Whether you’re hanging pictures off a stud or the drywall in between studs, drive the nail into the wall at a steep angle - 45 degrees or more. [7] X Research source Doing this provides a much sturdier hold than a nail that’s perpendicular to the wall - the are of contact between the nail and the wall is greater and the lever action of the picture on the nail is reduced.
Drywall hooks - small metal hooks designed to easily punch through drywall, providing a firm hold without a stud. Heavy-duty wall anchors - a small plastic sheath is installed into the stud using a drill, then a screw (supporting your art) is driven into the sheath. For heavier items. Toggle bolts - special screws with metal “wings” that open when they’re driven into a wall, providing extra grip and hold. Adhesive hanging strips - sticky adhesive patches that attach to the back of your picture so you can stick it directly to the wall. No nails required.
Modern high-tech tools offer new options for hanging your pictures with exact straightness. Try searching your hardware store for a laser level - they’ll paint a perfectly-straight horizontal line on the wall with a laser that you can use to line your pictures up perfectly.
