Hanging Paintings in an Artistic Way

How to Hang Your Art

People are always asking me about hanging pictures in their homes. Are you on the lookout for new ideas about hanging paintings and/or photographs on your walls?

Option 1: Making a statement with a single picture

Hanging one on a wall is, of course, simple enough. If you’d like to hang just one picture, make sure that the picture has an interesting frame or mat:

Source: Interior Visions, LLC

Option 2: Grouping your artwork

Another way to make a statement is by grouping pictures. I like to group those with one common denominator. This could be the color and style of the frames or mats. A very inexpensive way to match pictures is to spray paint the frames with the same color, and group them together. Displaying artwork in groupings can instantly make a room look and feel both chic and eclectic:

Source: Interior Visions, LLC

But hanging artwork in a stylistic form is sometimes easier said than done. If you don’t have an eye for arranging pictures, here are a few templates and ideas to use as a guide:

The Offset Grid: This arrangement balances a feeling of movement with symmetry, and is easy to build on over time.

Illustration Credit: Room & Board

The Organic Arrangement: Breaking out of the box, this layout invites mixing of sizes and styles, and works for both large and small spaces. It is fun to follow the handwritten “Quick Tip: Align the frame edges along a vertical or horizontal axis and this style will look deliberate, not messy.” What a difference the two vertical alignments make in this graphic!

Organic Arrangement Image for Picture Hanging

Illustration Credit: Room & Board

For example:

Photo Credit: Room & Board

The Adaptable Gallery: Using picture ledges allows you to move, change, and rearrange images as often as you’d like. You could overlap at least one frame, or add a small decorative item for even more dimension or visual interest. This way is good for flexibly displaying, not hanging, smaller photographs in groups. If you acquire more photographs than paintings, you’ll have the chance to experiment with varied arrangements.

Adaptable Gallery Image for Picture Hanging

Illustration Credit: Room & Board

For example:

Photo Credit: Room & Board

The Long Line: Extend a row of frames beyond the width of your furniture to create a gallery look. It looks surprisingly inviting–it really does look like a gallery!