Hanging Art
Got the art. Now what?
There are rules to hanging a painting, but if they fail you, experiment. Getting it wrong is nothing to fear.
By Janet Eastman
Thursday December 25, 2003
IT'S the thought of a thousand nail holes marring the wall. Or guests judging the way it looks in the living room. Is it straight? How high should it go, and where? Trepidations about hanging artwork are so numerous and varied, many people delay doing it -- or never do it at all.
There are rules to hanging original paintings, memorable photographs and rare prints, says Tressa Miller, an art advisor who has curated public and corporate installations for clients such as Nestle Inc. in Glendale. But those rules can be flexible.
In her Los Angeles home, Miller first finds a way to balance the artwork in the room, taking into consideration the piece's size, colors and image, and weighing them against the room's fixtures. Then she jars it up a bit by placing the piece off-kilter or planting it in an unexpected place. She may position a canvas partially hidden behind a doorway to tease visitors into the room or lean it against a sofa to make it tempting to touch.
Miller also mixes up media. "I may put an Indonesian tapestry next to a figurative contemporary work next to a drawing in different colors," she says.
Getting it wrong, she insists, is nothing to fear. Sure, you might have a few extra nail holes in the wall, but they're easy to cover up. "Have fun," says Miller. "Art is exciting. Each time you move it, you're able to look at it differently."
Here's some advice on hanging art. When it fails you, experiment on your own. You'll eventually discover the right spot.
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Take in the space: Galleries have the luxury of dedicating entire rooms to art. Homes are different. They're cluttered with annoyances such as windows, doors that open, bulky sofas, fireplaces and natural light. All can interfere with the piece. Before you start to hammer, study the room to see where pesky crown moldings, chair rails, heating vents and coved ceilings have taken up permanent residence.
Steer clear of these distractions or use them to your advantage, as Bill Stern, an art curator and director of the Museum of California Design, did in his Los Angeles home. In the tight spaces between three vertical windows, he installed two rows of paintings by the same artist, a pair at chest height and another pair above them. "This makes sense because it creates a horizontal dynamic in a vertical space that pleases the eye," he says.
After you've reviewed the architectural details, check out the amount of floor and wall space taken up by furnishings. Is a table or chandelier stealing the focus of the room that could be better served by artwork? If so, make some changes.
Also consider the light. See where the sunlight washes the room during the day and where shadows are cast by lamps in the evening. Intense direct sun can damage even paintings protected by glass that deflects ultraviolet light. Nighttime shadows can be erased by well-positioned lam
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Image matters: A bold piece or graphic looks best viewed from a distance, while a detailed drawing works in a cozy room where you can ponder it. A large painting with muted colors can be hung in a small space, but an overpowering portrait will look confined there, so give it some elbow room. Follow the portrait's eyes. If the glance is directed into a corner or out the door, guests might feel unwelcome.
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Do the math: Pros can hold up a piece of art and know where it needs to go. For those who feel more secure with a tape measure and level in hand, hang the bottom of the frame 60 to 64 inches above the floor or 6 to 12 inches above furniture. If this doesn't look good, adjust up.
Vertical pieces can be hung higher on the wall to emphasize their downward strokes. Pieces meant for children can be closer to the ground to help them see it. Art installed at low levels creates a restful feeling; higher, the area has a greater feeling of energy.
If all fails, put it at your eye level, because you'll be seeing it the most. Keep that level consistent throughout the house.
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Breathing room: It sounds pocket protector-esque, but equal spacing between pieces, about 3 or 4 inches, makes viewers feel that all is right with the world, especially if the artwork on the wall is ascending along a flight of stairs (sometimes called Granny-style).
"It's all about expectation," says Stern. "People expect paintings to be ordered, level. They notice when it's not."
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Solo or group performance: If you have a remarkable painting, let it stand alone to call attention to it, says Stern. If not, cluster pieces with common themes (seascapes, landscapes, peoplescapes), colors or artists.
Museums line up artwork in a row across wide walls. Called gallery style, this allows viewers to isolate one piece at a time. The opposite of gallery style is when walls are splattered with different sized, shaped and framed pieces. This approach is called studio style or, in extreme cases, horror vacui -- "fear of empty spaces."
If grouping is the way you want to go, stack big canvases on the bottom, small ones on top and the strongest piece in the middle. Test it out before you pound away, arranging the pieces on a flat surface, and make adjustments until it looks right.
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Frames: This rule is simple. A frame is like a celebrity's personal assistant; it serves the star and doesn't step into the spotlight. Frames don't have to match each other but should have similar characteristics such as casual wood frames versus gilded formal ones.
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Hooking it: The weight of the piece and the wall surface determine the hardware used to mount it.
A picture hook can be driven easily into soft drywall, but if inserted in a stud-less spot, it can be pulled out by a heavy piece of art. In that case, use a toggle or molly bolt with sleeves that expand behind the wall. Wall anchors work for plaster, and hardware stores have specific fasteners to mount on masonry or brick. A professional picture hanger also can craft a beveled cleat to attach the piece to the wall.
Use two hooks to keep even small pieces level, says Brian Gray, director of exhibition production at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. He also prefers a metal D-ring instead of wires, which stretch and bend over time.
To fix an unwanted hole, haul out the spackle and repaint. (Sorry, there is no magic eraser or spray that Gray knows of.) Or cover the blunder with the artwork.
If you're fortunate enough to have a picture rail -- the thin molding a foot or two from the ceiling -- consider suspending artwork from it. This doesn't require punching holes in the walls, and gives your artwork an elegant, sophisticated treatment
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Getting backup: Designers and curators use professional art hangers. Recommendations can come from art galleries or you can find services in phone directories under keywords "picture framing and frames" or "picture hanging service."
Interior designers can advise about placement, especially around tricky architectural details, and color consultants can suggest paints for walls to make the art pop. Start your search for these experts with the American Society of Interior Designers (www.asid.org) or the International Interior Design Assn. (www.iida.org).