Good wall décor, combined with sensible furniture and decorations, can take a room from "good" to "great," but even theMona Lisa will look silly on your wall if it's crooked or poorly-arranged.If you want to find the "Perfect fit" for your room, don't bother arranging photos, postcards, or paintings on your walls.On your first try, use the common-sense tips below to organize your family photos.
Step 1: Appropriate content is what you should choose pictures with.
The images we like the most are not the best to hang.If you have a lot of images at your disposal, it's best to choose the most professional ones.Most visitors to your home won't be able to appreciate the inside jokes behind embarrassing photos or goofy art on the wall.For your hall and living room, it's best to stick to standard family photos (professionally-shot is a plus) or traditional art - save your roadside velvet paintings for the basement.If you use multiple pictures of the same thing, it could make your wall look cluttered.
Step 2: You should plan picture groupings.
If you plan to hang more than one picture in a certain wall space, you can use the spacing and arrangement of the pictures to create striking visual impressions.Before you hang multiple pictures together, though, make a "blueprint" for your group of pictures and lightly trace the pictures' outlines with a pencil, otherwise, lay your pictures down on a roll of paper and cut squares around them.To get an idea of how your arrangement will look, tape the squares to the wall.It is easier to adjust paper squares than it is to re-hang pictures.
Step 3: First, hang big pictures.
Big pictures should be in a prominent position in the room.Hang them on a wall that will be noticed.A great picture can double as a room's centerpiece, so give them priority positioning.You'll give your art a "squished in" look if you put them too close to the corners.A foot or two of room is enough.If your picture doesn't dwarf other smaller pictures, you use it as part of a multi- picture arrangement.If you're not sure how to arrange your big picture sensibly as part of a group, a good idea is to put it in one of the lower corners, with the second largest picture in the upper corner opposite it.There are two empty sections of the imaginary rectangle containing both big pictures.
Step 4: There are rows or clusters of smaller pictures.
It's not necessary to center rooms around paintings.A cluster of smaller pictures can make for an eye-catching arrangement.You can change your arrangement to fit the needs of the room you're in.Large cloud-like arrangements with pictures of different sizes can give a room a modern feel, while tight, straight vertical or horizontal rows can make the most of limited wall space.The most important thing to remember while making picture clusters is to make sure that the edges of every frame are at precise ninety-degree angles to each other.The distance between pictures should be uniform throughout the arrangement.Smaller pictures are more versatile than larger ones.If you want to make a big difference, put a row of small pictures in a crowded bedroom and a few old family photos on a stairway.
Step 5: You should coordinate your frame choices.
Frames should go with framed pictures.It doesn't mean that every picture in a group needs to have the same frames.It means that there should be an overarching theme for all the frames.A picture with a black frame will look better in a group of pictures with metal frames, bamboo frames and other frames.Blue and white frames are alternated in a checkered pattern.Patterns count as an "overarching theme", more important than having an identical frame for every picture is to give the impression that the pictures were arranged according to a logical goal.When in doubt, go with white and black.
Step 6: There are pictures for your room.
It's easy to forget, but different pictures will create different visual impressions in a room.If you're going for an avant-garde, dissonant clash between your picture and the room it's hung in, try to match the picture to the purpose for that room.Classical landscape style paintings and portraits are great for living rooms, while smaller family photos are good for halls, staircases, bedrooms and bathrooms.There are Impressionistic paintings of fruit or cookware in kitchens.If you know the impression you want your room to give, use pictures and paintings that help you achieve that.If you plan to hang a painting with an assortment of shapes and colors, you might want to make sure the colors match the rest of the room's décor.
Step 7: Don't crowd your walls by respecting the space.
The sense of space is one of the biggest assets of a room.You can feel like you're in a chapel if you have a high ceiling.Large windows can help you see.Don't put pictures in the way of a room's natural sense of space.A cluttered police evidence board is caused by too many pictures.You should leave at least 3 inches between your pictures.If you have to move old pictures around to make room for a new one, you may want to consider a different place for your pictures.Only one or two pictures are best for walls.No images at all.Don't be too hasty to distract attention with imposing collections of pictures if you've got great wallpaper, a killer rug, or an amazing centerpiece.
Step 8: There are big pictures in the small rooms.
A large picture makes a room seem bigger.If pictures are hung high on the wall, they will improve a room's dimensions by drawing attention away from the imposing wall surfaces.A gorgeous print on the wall of a cramped bathroom will give the room a sense of dignity.Don't take up the entire wall space by using big pictures.An overpowering effect can be achieved by covering one of the room's walls with a single picture.
Step 9: Don't have rooms that dwarf your pictures.
Problems of their own are present in big, spacious rooms.The walls of a modern art museum look like they belong in a family home.It's important to balance the arrangement of your pictures so that you don't leave barren patches on your wall.Tall bookshelves and closets take up a lot of wall space.You can get away with more unused space if you have an interesting wallpaper or painted wall.Un decorated walls make a room seem cold and boxlike.
Step 10: Be aware of furniture placement.
A room's sense of space can be formed by furniture and wall art.You should coordinate them to make the most of your living space.The normal functions of the room should not be interfered with by placing pictures in places that people will naturally look at.If you can't open cabinets because the picture's frame is in the way, small pictures are not a good idea.Pictures are great above corner chairs and tables, but not at heights where people will bang their heads on them.To get a sense of where your eyes spend most of their time, make note of your daily routine.The art should be at least two thirds as wide as the furniture itself.The ten foot wide sofa should have at least six and a half feet of art above it.The rule applies to individual pictures and clusters of smaller pictures.
Step 11: Tailor your picture placement to the room's function.
People can sit and talk on the couches in the living room.One designer recommends hanging pictures one palm width above the top of the couch, in order to give your guests something to look at.A few small photos in the corner above a breakfast nook table can liven up meals and serve as great conversation pieces when you're having guests over.
Step 12: Your pictures are safe.
A piece of artwork can be both a source of pride and headaches if it doesn't stay on the wall.If you want to avoid the hair pulling that comes from constantly re-adjusting and hanging problem pictures, install your picture right the first time.When a picture falls out of the wall, you will feel the savings in your wallet.Our guide on hanging pictures professionally is a detailed guide.The stud is the sturdy piece of wood supporting the wall and it's best to place the nail in it.This is a necessity for heavier pieces of art.Because studs are only an inch or two thick, they are often not where you want to hang a picture.You can hang your pictures in the space between the studs for dainty and medium-weight pictures.The nail should be driven into the wall at a steep angle if you're hanging pictures off a stud.The lever action of the picture on the nail is reduced, and the hold is much stronger, if you do this.
Step 13: You should invest in alternate hanging options.
A single nail is enough for many pictures.There are more than one way to hang a picture.There are hooks, anchors, and other products that can be used to mount art on the wall.The Drywall hooks are small metal hooks designed to easily punch through drywall, providing a firm hold without a stud.A screw is driven into the sheath after a drill is used to install the wall anchor.For heavier items.Special screws with metal "wings" that open when they're driven into a wall provide extra grip and hold.The back of your picture has sticky patches that you can attach to the wall.No nails are required.
Step 14: It's a good idea to avoid crookedness.
If you hang a beautiful picture of your family on your wall, but don't hang it so its edges are straight, guests will not notice the picture's two-and-a-half degree lean instead.Use a ruler to measure the picture's horizontal center, trying to align this spot with your nail as you loop the nail through the hanging wire to help you remember where its center is.Minor adjustments can be made to find the picture's exact balance after your picture is hung.New options for hanging pictures with straightness are offered by modern high-tech tools.If you look for a laser level at your hardware store, they'll paint a horizontal line on the wall with the laser that you can use to line your pictures up perfectly.