The Art of Displaying Art

Buy What You Love

The key to displaying art is buying what you love and surround yourself with it. It doesn't have to be expensive or valuable to provide you with great pleasure on a daily basis.

Hang at the Right Height

Prints or portraits should be hung at approximately the eye level of a person standing between 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall. The goal is to be able to enjoy the artwork at a natural level, not to have to be looking up at it.

Create a Grouping

When creating a display on a large wall, hang artwork close together rather than scattered across the space. Even if hanging pictures over a couch or buffet, don't feel they have to be spaced out over the entire furniture piece. Try to have the pieces equidistant from each other, but centered over the middle third or half of the focal point.

Going for the Grid

When hanging a collage of themed photography, rely on the style standby of matte black picture frames. They don't compete with the artwork and provide an elegant boundary. In this display, the repetition of black and white photography is what provides the excitement. The punctuation pop of the red lampshade doesn't hurt, either.

Mix Frame Styles

Almost any frame style and finish can coexist beautifully, including antique brass, forged and tooled iron, painted ceramic and mosaic glass frames. Display a riot of different picture frames and finishes all on one surface to create a one-of-a-kind mix.

High-Ceiling Solutions

When a room's ceiling seems a bit uncomfortably high, consider hanging artwork above the doors. That's what we did in this kitchen with 9-foot ceilings. We purposely created a step effect with the framed pictures in an attempt to bring your eye down into the slightly cavernous kitchen.