If deciding how high to hang pictures, or which pieces to group together, has you stumped, you won't feel that way after reading these tips and tricks for hanging artwork around your home.
Have you ever wondered how high to hang pictures when you're decorating? If so, you're definitely not alone!
I remember moving into a new house, walking from room to room with a wall hanging in my hands, wondering where – and how high – to hang it.
How High To Hang Pictures
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The advice I always heard was to hang art so the center of the picture sits at eye level for “proper viewing”. But, as many families (including mine) can tell you, what's eye level for one person won't be eye level for everyone else.
Later I heard that pictures should hang 60-65 inches from the floor to be ideal for most people. That's no hard and fast rule, but it probably works in many cases when hanging single pieces of art.
If you're hanging one piece above another, hang them so the center between them is roughly 60 inches from the floor.
Consider Surroundings When Determining How High to Hang Pictures
However, the best thing I've learned is to hang pictures and other artwork in a way that takes its surroundings into account. Things to consider include a stairway wall, high ceilings, the fireplace mantel, the furniture, the shape of the room and other architectural features.
Let's walk through a few examples, because how you hang pictures and artwork varies in each one.
Hanging Pictures in an Entryway or Hallway
When hanging art in rooms where people will mostly be standing, it may make sense to hang your pieces slightly higher than the recommended 60-65 inches. That way you find the sweet spot where both shorter and taller people can enjoy your pieces.
Hallways are also a great place to create and hang a gallery wall of pictures or art!
Hanging Art Above a Couch
This visual from Ballard Designs is a great example of how to hang art above a couch.
When hanging things over the sofa, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- First, hang your piece(s) so nothing sits lower than about 10 inches above the back of the couch.
- Second, if you have a very large sofa or a large blank wall, try hanging a larger piece there rather than a small one that will get swallowed up by its surroundings.
- Next, if you don't have a large picture for above the couch, you could create a gallery-style wall, grouping several small and medium-sized pictures together.
- Finally, your picture or gallery should take up roughly ⅔ of the width of the couch.
All in all, assess the space above the couch and use your best judgment.
Hanging Pictures Above a Bed
When hanging pictures above a bed, they should sit no lower than 5” to 9” from the top of the headboard to the bottom of the frame.
Hanging Artwork Along Staircases
Staircases are prime real estate for gallery walls!
Group smaller pictures diagonally along the staircase, with individual pictures hanging no lower than 60 inches from each stair.
Because of the architecture of staircases, that wall space isn't well suited to large pictures or pieces of art. I recommend saving those for wall space with an even elevation.
Hanging Pictures in Areas With Tall Ceilings
If you don't want your home to look like something out of Downton Abbey, avoid hanging pictures from floor to ceiling. Instead, leave the top third to half of your wall empty to show off your high ceilings.
Hanging Pictures in Gallery Walls
When creating a gallery wall, think of the entire grouping as one object and hang it with the furniture, stairs or other surroundings in mind.
Space smaller objects about 1” to 1.5” apart, while larger items look better with about 1’ to 3” of space between them.
I recently hung this gallery wall (above) in my living room, and I love the symmetry of using the same picture frames.
Photo Tip: The trick to using different photos in the same gallery wall is to apply the same filter to each photo before you print it!
Single Best Tip For How High to Hang Pictures
With all this information in mind, the single best tip I can give you if you're torn on how high to hang your artwork is to make templates of your pictures (paper cut to the same size as your artwork) and tape them to the wall where you think you want them.
Then step back and look at them from a distance.
- Is it too high?
- Is it too low?
- Maybe it needs to move a little to the right or left?
This lets you find the perfect spot without poking a bunch of unnecessary holes in your walls.
Where Are the Best Places to Find Artwork for Hanging?
Do you cringe at the thought of what artwork costs? Maybe you hear “art” and picture wealthy collectors buying one-of-a-kind pieces that few people can afford.
Never fear! There are some very affordable places to find artwork you'll love online!
Check out these sites and fill your home with wallet-friendly color and personality. (Click the pink names to go directly to each site.)
Minted
This site lets you search by color, medium or style to find pieces from independent artists you'll treasure. With very reasonable prices (often under $200 for framed medium-sized pieces) and a huge variety, from photographs to watercolors, you're sure to find something for your home.
Etsy
Etsy is a personal favorite for finding original art. The catch is that you have to do some scrolling (rather than running a simple search) to find what you're looking for.
Lindsay Letters
Affordable. Beautiful. Inspiring. That's what you'll find at Lindsay's Letters.
From lettered art to abstract pieces and plenty in between, you'll find something you can't pass up here.
Feed Your Soul
Feed Your Soul is an art project where artists offer their work for free, and it's completely legal to print off and use their pieces. You can find florals, watercolors, abstracts, drawings and more.
Juniper Print Shop
If you're shopping for larger pieces, you can't beat the prices at Juniper Print Shop. Purchase a physical print to be delivered to your door, or choose a cheaper digital download of the same print and print it at home or have it printed at Staples, Office Depot, Costco or another local printer.
FREE PRINTABLE
As always, I love a free printable for budget-friendly art. It may be harder to find the perfect piece, but so many creators offer free printable art these days that you're sure to find something you love! These free botanical printables are very popular.
I hope today's post gave you some confidence in hanging your pictures and artwork around your home. Go grab some art and have fun decorating!
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