Picture Hanging is an Art

Walls are a source of strength and protection in our homes.  They define spaces, and influence the layout that we experience. Most rooms have more wall space than they do floor space, so it is only right that they deserve equal or more attention.

Pictures are a window to another world. They all have a story or a message or a memory and need to be seen in their best light. Their placement and hanging can greatly enhance the perception and ambience of a room. You should consider in your brief whether you want a grand hang, a salon hang, a cosy, hang, or one designed to shock. Each of these adds to the experience, along with the subject of the pictures, to create a reaction.

A single well chosen picture will anchor a room. It creates a focal point from which the rest of the pictures will flow. It is important that the room is balanced, if all the pictures are strong, then they will occupy the space well. The trick is to find a balance in the strength of the pictures and hang them accordingly.

The height at which the pictures are hung is also very important. They must be accessible to be seen by the individual, but the position will also be dictated by the furniture and the height of the ceilings. The height may only differ by a few centimetres, but that may be all it takes to completely change the look and feel of the room for the better.

A picture will usually benefit from thoughtful lighting, so dedicated lighting is always best, but if you can place lamps under pictures to give them a lift, so much the better.

There are tricky spaces in a house, in particular the angles around staircases, or even the space around bedheads. The frames must line up both with each other, and with the gradient of the staircase. This is even more precarious if you are hanging multiple pictures stacked one above another. The choice of picture and the lighting to show them at their best is also important. Pictures and staircases often consist of ‘filler’ pictures, but if you can find a set of pictures, well framed and lit, it can transform your journey up and down the house.

Lastly, we are the ones living in our homes, so we should hang our favourite and most meaningful pictures where we spend most of our time, so we can experience and enjoy them.

If you need someone to help you with your install or give your home a refresh with a new hang, do get in touch via andra@kellingdesigns.com , as our man Algy can make all the difference.