1. Find something you love
Hanging a Picasso in your home might be impressive to visitors, but what if it’s not your style? Or perhaps you’ve been gifted a family heirloom that looks more like something your great-aunt would hang in her house. Don’t get hung up on the fact that art needs to be fancy and cost a pretty penny. Instead, find a piece that speaks to you and that you will love for years to come.
Prints by local illustrators or up and coming artists make for great inexpensive art pieces – why not purchase a few (usually sold at gift stores) to hang as a collage together in your home? Or browse your local gift store for postcards or even wrapping paper by local illustrators – these can make for surprisingly impressive art pieces.
Another idea is to create your own artwork – pick up a few art supplies from an art store and get your whole family painting. Alternatively, a visit to Artjamming studio is a great idea where art resources abound.
We also recommend visiting thrift shops, flea markets and visiting that family member who is downsizing – you might be surprised at what great art pieces you might find here for next to nothing.
2. Framing It Like a Pro
Unlike inexpensive art, a cheap frame can very easily look exactly that: cheap. And it can make your art piece look tawdry. Yet, we know that getting a piece professionally framed comes at a hefty price tag too. So, what do you do?
The secret is to find the middle ground: we suggest purchasing frames from a reputable framing company or opting for a frame from your favourite home décor retailer that is made from solid wood – plastic frames can easily look cheap and ugly.
Another key factor to consider is the colour and style of the frame. Thin, block frames in a neutral colour (white, black or the actual wood that the frame is made from) is a classic choice that will add a touch of elegance to your home, and will also be on trend in many years to come.
Lastly, add a piece of matt white paper as a border between the frame and the art piece. Many professional framers do this when they frame expensive artwork to make the art piece pop even more within the frame. Your art supply or stationary store can assist you with the right paper or a border.
3. Hang It Like A Gallery Curator
How high is too high and how low is too low, and where exactly is the sweet middle point? Yes, hanging an artwork is no game. If you hang it too high on a wall, it can make a space feel smaller as the ceilings will appear lower to the eye; and if you hang it too low, no one will be able to fully appreciate it.
The rule to keep in mind when hanging an art piece is that you want it to be at eye level – so that everyone can look at it! Generally speaking, most people’s eye-height is somewhere between 155cm and 160cm from the floor. So, in essence mark somewhere between 155cm-160cm from the floor on your wall, and then make sure that the hook of the art work is at the centre point of that.
But what about when you want to hang a group of pictures on the wall? This style is actually better known as “Salon Hanging”. Start by arranging items on the floor. Choosing a central piece that will hang in the centre – this can either be the biggest piece or one of the bigger pieces, and should stand out on its own but also not detract from the other pieces.
Arrange the images from large to small as you move to the perimeter of your arrangement; meaning, the smaller pieces should be on the outer edges of the arrangement. Also keep in mind that our eyes generally start viewing from left to right, so it’s important to keep pieces with more weight – either in colour or size – to the left.
Once you’ve worked out your ideal positioning, start by hanging the centre piece – this piece’s hook should be in the centre of the wall you’re hanging on and in the centre of the frame, and between 155cm and 160cm from the floor; from here on, you hang the pieces outward, carefully measuring the same space between frames.
