How to Dress the Walls: Picture Hanging Tips
Paint and wallpaper can only get you so far in the process of beautifying your walls. If you really want your walls to serve as part of your room decor, dress them with pictures and other works of art. Though hanging pictures requires you to take up a hammer and tape measure, the process doesn't have to be an arduous one. Use some simple tricks of the trade to hang your pictures correctly and transform your space.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Get some help from a friend. Hanging pictures should, ideally, be a two-person job. Ask your partner to hold up the artwork and then take a few steps back to be sure you like the placement before putting holes in your walls.
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Hang the largest photo in the room first. The largest picture will likely be the main focal point in the room, so decide upon its placement first, clustering all of the other ones around it to ensure that the picture collection looks cohesive.
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3
Use the right hardware. Though you can suspend pictures from nails pushed at a diagonal into the wall, the art won't be as secure as if you use picture hangers. Invest in various sizes of these hooks to make your installation safer and more professional. For heavy pieces, use wall anchors to support the weight without damaging the wall.
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Hang the pictures at the right height. Art hanging at eye-level feels natural and comfortable to viewers, and will capture the most attention.
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Measure several times before making a hole in your wall. Hold the picture to the wall and mark where you want the top to be. Turn the picture over and, on the back, measure the distance between the hook or wire and the top of the picture frame. Measure down from the mark on the wall the same distance as you measured between the hook and the top of the picture and make a mark to indicate where to place the hanger.
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Use a level for a final check. After suspending your picture from the wall, place a level on top of it to ensure that it is straight and perfect-as-can-be.
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Tips & Warnings
Be creative - You do not have to hang a group of frames in a straight line. Depending on the wall, you can create original, interesting displays with wall art.
Art pieces can be hung in a horizontal line. This pattern creates a widening effect on the wall, and looks best displayed over a long piece of furniture such as a couch or table.
Hanging wall art in a vertical line gives a more formal look and adds height and refinement to a room. This picture-hanging pattern looks best when displayed near a doorway.
A diagonal line of picture frames produces a unique and interesting design. This pattern should be reserved for a stairway where there is a natural progression of height occurring along the wall.
Hanging pictures diagonally on any other wall will give an awkward look to the room.
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References
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