Picture Perfect Picture Placement
by Megan Thriepland
When hanging art or framed pictures there are endless options to chose from and it can be overwhelming. Here are a few ideas to guide you whether you're hanging one or many images.
Anchors
Every room needs balance. One great statement piece can anchor a piece of furniture or even a whole room. When hanging a single image, it’s important to keep in mind the average height of the people living in the space. The center of your image should be at eye level. The standard is 5'9" (the average human height) but if your family is particularly short or tall you may want to adjust. If you are hanging something above a
piece of furniture it should be centered 8-10" above the piece and the rule of thumb is that the art should be about 2/3 of the length of the furniture.
Groupings
When hanging an arrangement of images there are a number of groupings to chose from. Among these I have listed some of my favorites.
The Grid
The grid arrangement is a neat and organized way to hang images of the same size. This grouping is great if you have a bit OCD like me, or if you just like geometric patterns. I often try to keep the images of a similar aesthetic, like all black and white pictures, or all botanical illustrations.
​​​The Gallery
This grouping works well in linear spaces such as a hallway, with images of a similar size. The rule here is to align the images along the center.
The Box
Similar to the grid, the box arrangement (also know as the spiral) is centered around one image. The outer frames, often of the same size, are placed within a square space. This is a great way to add interest while still remaining organized.​​​
The Ledge
This grouping can be placed on a shelf, picture ledge or even a dresser. It is a casual way to display images and small accessories. Great for people who like to switch it up or can’t seem to commit their pictures to a specific wall.
The Cluster
This random arrangement is the perfect way to display different sized pieces. It’s best if your images are of a consistent colour scheme. I often start in the middle and work my way outwards.
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The Divided
This is one of my favourite ways to display images in a linear space. Like the cluster, this grouping is good if you have a lot of different sized images. In this case, instead of starting in the center, I use a piece of thick masking tape along the wall at 60” and place pictures along the top and bottom of the tape while keeping a balance in mind.
The Stairwell
This diagonal arrangement is very similar to the cluster, but tailored to a staircase wall. I often use a piece of masking tape along the wall parallel to the handrail to guide where the center of my grouping should be.
If you are creating a grouping of images in a simple form like the grid or the gallery with same size frames, there’s not a whole lot of planning that needs to go into it. Just decide where you want it and make sure your hanging them evenly spaced and at the right height. But when creating a more complete grouping, I suggest laying your chosen framed images on the ground and moving them around until you get a composition you like. Then snap a picture, just in case you forget your arrangement. Flip the frames upside down so you can see how they fasten to the wall. Starting with the middle image and remembering your standard height of 5’9”, measure each frame and recreate its dimensions on the wall with masking tape. Then place your nails using the masking tape as a guide. Once you’re done that, all that’s left to do is remove the masking tape, hang the images, and stand back and admire your beautiful grouping!
​Hi! I'm Megan, Owner of Blue Pearl Staging and staging decorator. In my BLOG you'll find helpful information on decorating, tips for home staging, DIY projects and much more.
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