Hanging Art & Mirrors 101
I would be lying if I said hanging artwork didn’t intimidate me at times! The thought of putting holes in your newly painted drywall can sometimes feel scary, like you’re going to mess it up or create more work for yourself. But I promise if you follow these easy steps, you will find the process quite simple.
Note: Always use drywall anchors and matching screws when not working directly into the stud.
Single Pieces of Art
When working with a single piece of art make sure the scale is appropriate for the size of the wall – ⅔ of the space is a great consideration.
The art piece should be hung at “eye level” which is about 60” from the ground to the center of the piece. This assures the art isn’t too high or too low.
If your art is being hung above a piece of furniture, about 4-6 inches in between the art and furniture is recommended. This piece of art above the sofa at our project “How Low Can Hugo” is about ⅔ of the intended space and approximately 5” above the sofa.
Working in Pairs
If you are hanging 2 pieces of art, consider them as one unit.
They should be evenly spaced about 2-3” apart and hung so that the middle of the 2 pieces becomes your centre. Again, 60” from the floor or 4-6 above any furniture piece is a great way to assure they are consistent throughout your home as well.
Creating Gallery Walls
In terms of height, 60” from the ground should still be your centre point. From there build outward around the centre of the focal point (painter’s tape can be really helpful to map your plans out ahead of time). With each art piece we average about 1.5”-3” of even spacing in between. The larger the wall, the larger the spacing can be.
Be sure that the art in your gallery wall tells a story. This can be done in a similar style of art, a theme consistent with each piece or colour palate. Whatever you’re drawn to, just make sure it remains cohesive as if it were one large piece of art. This goat themed gallery wall is a focal point at our “Goat Haus Project”.
Hanging Mirrors
All mirrors that aren’t floor length should be placed over another article of furniture, otherwise they will appear like they are floating without intention. A mirror should be placed about 4-6” above the furniture OR 60” to centre depending on the furniture piece. A mirror over a low bench is likely going to be 60” to the center, where one over a vanity or console is about 4-6” above. This round mirror is about 4-6” above the console at our “How Low Can Hugo” project.
