You just found the perfect piece of art to grace your home. You love the colors, the style, and subject matter, you even know exactly which wall to hang it on. But how do you make it fit into your existing décor so that your home has a consistent, cohesive look?
You don’t have to be a professional decorator to decorate your own home, but to say there is nothing that goes into creating your space would be a fallacy. Arranging wall art itself is an art, but it doesn’t have to be difficult!
With this article, a little patience, and planning you’ll be on your way to creating your optimal space.
Look At Your Space
Knowing how to arrange wall art starts by looking at the room as a whole—not just that particular blank wall.
Always keep in mind what you want the room to feel like. Perhaps you want eyes drawn to that beautiful farmhouse sink you just installed. Or maybe you want to take advantage of the sunshine that trickles in from the window overlooking the backyard.
The more you love a piece of art, the less you’ll want it to be lost in the room. Pick a spot with plenty of light where it will be seen and appreciated.
Next, you’ll want to consider the décor style of the room. If you’re trying to create a cozy cottage kitchen, for instance, you won’t want to arrange wall art in modern square blocks. Instead, opt for a more “cluttered chic” vibe.
Finally, look at all of the items you want to arrange, including furniture, knick-knacks, and other wall décor. These things can be used to fill in blank spots and add some dimension to the space. Don’t be afraid to try different things. After all, you can rearrange furniture over and over again!
One perennial favorite: floating shelves! They take up a small amount of wall space yet create additional areas for decorating.
Look At the Wall
Now that you’ve looked at the entire room, you can start to home in on a more exact location.
The area is crucial to making the art noticeable. You don’t want to hang a single 5×7 piece on a 10-foot-long wall. Alternatively, if you hang an enormous art piece that engulfs the entire wall, it could make the space look smaller.
If your piece is too small for the area, no worries! Add some other pictures, mirrors, or décor items around it. The entire grouping will act as one perfectly sized arrangement.
Lighting is important, too. Too little and you won’t see it. Too much and the sunlight can cause your artwork to fade. You don’t want to invest in beautiful artwork only to have it faded within a few years.
A lot of people make the mistake of arranging wall art too high or too low on the wall. The general rule is to hang your art at eye level, but this can mean different heights depending on where you are.
For instance, if you’re hanging art behind a desk, your “eye level height” will be different than if you are hanging art in your foyer. And if you’re decorating with a spouse or roommate who is much taller (or shorter) than you are, split the difference.
How to Arrange Wall Art
If you’re hanging a single picture, you’re good to go. But what if you want to create a grouping of artwork?
There are no hand-and-fast rules on how to arrange wall art in this way. It all comes down to your personal preference and what you think looks best. But how do you know what looks best on the wall without putting a hundred holes in it?
The easiest option is to map the arrangement on the wall. Trace your various pictures onto paper bags or wrapping paper and hang them on the wall with some painter’s tape. Now you have a template you can rearrange to your heart’s content.
And if you want to always have the freedom to rearrange your wall art (or simply don’t want to ruin your expensive Gucci wallpaper), use Command Picture Hanging Strips. Not only will you avoid damaging your walls, you can get them for pictures of any size and weight.
If you feel truly lost, you can always hire a professional to plan, arrange, and hang it for you. The best part is the job is insured, so if something breaks within a certain time frame or falls off the wall, you are not at fault.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, arranging wall art should feel good, not stressful. If you want to throw these tips out of the window, feel free! As I said earlier, arranging wall art is an art…and there are no rules in art!
Ultimately if you like the space you created, that’s all that matters. So have fun and make your space beautiful.