What Size and Height of Art Do I Hang on My Wall?

Written By Wendy Scott

We not only get asked this question a lot, but we also notice this is done WRONG in many homes! So what’s the secret to hanging art in the right height and the right size? First it starts with WHERE to hang art. Read our quick tips below for how to hang art like an interior designer!

Remember that creativity can go beyond the artwork and into your frame choice. At our Highland Modern project, Teal and Wendy hang a piece that is framed in a sky blue acrylic frame. PRO-TIP acrylic frames are heavy, so having a hanging partner is helpful. Photo: Dibble

WHERE TO HANG ART?

In every room, you likely have 3-4 walls and want to focus on 1-2 walls to feature art. This wall breakdown will help you decide how and where to hang art:

  • WALL 1 You always want to keep one wall blank or save for windows so your eye can breathe.

  • WALL 2 Typically in every main living space, you have one wall that features a TV or a fireplace (maybe even both!) and we don’t want to take away from that aesthetic from art unless it’s very thoughtful. Hanging art around a TV can often draw more attention to it, which is often unwanted (unless you have a Frame TV, which would look cool in a gallery wall display!) Remember, hanging is different than leaning art. Your fireplace may have a mantel, and in that case, lean a cool piece of art on it! Every space is unique, so keep that in mind. If your walls are very large, you can opt for a fireplace with art, for example, but you want to have space between the two to let them each have their moment.

  • WALL 3 Hang featured art!

  • WALL 4 If you have a 4th wall, art would be a great option, but we’d have it be different than wall 3 or you could opt for a mirror (especially if you want more light to be reflected in the space). If you go for art again, make sure you have something different than you do on wall 3. For example, if you have gallery wall frames on wall 3, don’t do them again on wall 4. Instead, do textured art or a large painting or print. You’ll also want to think about scale. If you have something large on wall 3, thing about repeating smaller shapes on wall 4. This will help the eye movement so you aren’t overstimulated in your space, and it leaves you feeling calm and relaxed.

WHAT SIZE DO I CHOOSE?

If you have a large blank wall and you want to feature art, we would go BIG. If you have a small wall, you’ll want to go small. You want to leave room at the top, bottom, and sides of the wall, no matter what size. Unless, you want to break the rules and go wild! Think about the proportions of the wall and tape up a piece of paper to feel out what size would be best.

An easy way to display art is to opt for leaning it on a surface. This is an easy, noncommittal way to immediately elevate your space. In our Verde Vista project, we used a Catherine Freshley print to add that perfect pop of color to the clean, white kitchen.

WHAT HEIGHT DO I HANG IT AT?
This depends again on the size of the wall, but typically you want your art at eye height. However, my husband and I go back and forth on this, especially when art is placed on a wall that isn’t above something else anchoring it. He’s taller and I’m shorter, so I want to see it lower, whereas he wants to see it higher. If you are in that situation, good luck to ya, but maybe start with anchoring over something like a nightstand, chair, bench, or something that provides symmetry for your piece of art. You’ll want it to have breathing space (about 12 inches) above that piece unless it’s really low to the ground. Generally speaking, we opt for art lower than higher.

You can easily change the height of your art. As for size, well, you might move and end up with a different wall to feature it on. Do the best you can with what you have, and remember the most important part is art can make or break a space. Something you love and that is meaningful to you will be far better than anything you buy to fit a space on your wall! Take your time finding the right piece of art that speaks to you, brings you joy, or evokes a feeling when you see it. You can always reframe later down the road if life changes your situation!

SHOP THE BLOG
We are so excited to partner with on of our favorite local artists, Catherine Freshley. Her art is an immediate mood boost and refresh for any space. Right now you can get 15% off all art prints by using TEALANDSCOTT in checkout.

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Wendy Scott
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