As Taylor Swift said in her song Lover, “This is our place, we make the rules.” She was referring to her home decorating decision of hanging the Christmas lights up until January. While designing and decorating your home however you want is completely valid, sometimes you commit design mistakes that make a room look more hideous than rebellious.
Such mistakes are commonly made when you’re hanging wall art.
Wall art comes in different forms, from an art print you can buy in unique stores as you pass by Phoenix to an original Monet or piece by any of your favorite Masters. The options are seemingly endless, and there is art to suit most every taste. Moreover, displaying your artwork also leaves lots of room for creativity.
However, even those who truly have an appreciation for painters, photographers, and other artists sometimes make mistakes when displaying a piece of art. We’ve outlined these art-hanging no-nos below so you can avoid making them in the future.
1. Hanging art too high
Looking at art should make you feel something, but that feeling shouldn’t be neck strain. Hanging an art piece only to find that you’re straining your neck just to see it is a common mistake. Apart from the discomfort to the person looking at it, a piece of art that’s hung too high can also make you feel as though the wall it’s is looming over you.
One trick to try? As a rule of thumb, framed art should be hung at average eye level. In the U.S. that means the average eye level is 5 feet or about 60 inches from the floor.
2. Choosing the wrong scale
Imagine an 8 x 10 framed art hanging on a huge empty wall. Now imagine the reverse and you have a painting as tall as you and thrice as wide hanging on a wall in a small space. Both look ridiculous, right?
The art of displaying wall art also has something to do with scale. That is why when buying art, you should take into consideration the wall you’re hanging it onto and the overall size of the room it will be hung in.
3. Selecting artworks that are too “matchy-matchy”
One of the most common go-to design moves is to choose pieces of decor that are in the same color palette. This is a good trick as it ensures the room has a good flow. However, wall art is your chance to break free from the confines of color palettes. So, don’t feel like you’re limited to displaying wall art in matching hues. Bring in fresh colors through the piece you’ll choose so that it stands out and becomes the focal point of a room.
4. Filling your walls with art
When decorating, remember that not every wall or surface needs to be filled with an art piece. In fact, negative space is essential in interior design. If you’re an art collector, this can be a tough dilemma for you. Just keep in mind that this restriction could lead to having a lovelier home.
Now that you’re aware of some art displaying mistakes, you’re less likely to make them. So go ahead and purchase that piece of art that caught your eye and display it the right way inside your home.