How to Hang Artwork

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Many people hang their artwork too high.  When hanging a single piece, the center of the image should be at eye level for an average person. A good rule of thumb is about 5 ½ feet from the floor. When in doubt, it’s usually better to hang art lower rather than higher.

In your living room you are usually seated, so you may want to hang artwork a little lower. When hanging art above a sofa, a good rule of thumb is place the art so that it is no higher than 10 inches above the sofa.

Livingroom Artwork

Livingroom Artwork

When placing art over the mantle, you may want to lean it rather than hang it. When hanging art over a mantle, hang the art closer to the mantle rather than the vertical middle of the space. Then the art will relate to the mantle rather than hanging alone out in space.

Get the Scale Right

Artwork needs to fit the space you are hanging it in. Nothing looks worse than a tiny picture hung by itself on a large wall.  A good starting point for determining the best size of your artwork is that it should be about 2/3 the size of your sofa or mantle. An example is a 96” sofa looks best with art that is about is about 64” wide. If you don’t have a piece big enough, consider two pieces side by side or a grouping of art that takes up the same amount of space.

Deciding on the height to hang you pictures around a room can be confusing, especially when the walls are broken up by windows and doors. When you have different sizes, pictures should be lined up by their centers rather than the tops.

Do you still need help? Give us a call at (951) 699-0760. We frequently provide two hour sessions just to re-hang our clients artwork.

Find the right size for your Area Rug

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When decorating your home, area rugs are wonderful for warming up a room, adding color, softness and defining a furniture grouping. One of the most common questions that I am asked is about the proper size for an area rug. Many people make the mistake of buying a rug that is too small for their space.

Dining Room Area Rug

Dining Room Area Rug

When selecting an area rug for your Dining room or breakfast room, the rug should be large enough to have all furniture resting on the rug. It is important that the chairs remain on the rug when they are pulled out. To determine the correct size, measure the length and width or diameter of the table. Add 36” for chairs on each side to be sure that your chairs will rest on the rug in the pulled out position. Usually the best sizes for Dining rooms rugs are 8’ x 11’ or 9’ x 12’.

Living Room Area Rug

Living Room Area Rug

When deciding on a living or family room area rug try to have  all the furniture or at least the front of the furniture sit on the rug. Recommended sizes are 8’ x 11’ or 9’ x 12’.

 

Bedroom Area Rug

Bedroom Area Rug

In bedrooms, it’s nice when the rug is big enough to take a couple of steps on it when you get out of bed.  If you like unexpected arrangements, you might consider angling the rug or angle the bed and rug to match.  Suggested sizes are 8’ x 11’ or 9’ x 12’.