Monday, April 23, 2007

Getting The Hang Of It

Installing artwork in your home can be confusing. How high should the picture be hung on the wall? How do you decide what goes where? What does symmetry, line, and balance mean?

Oft times artwork is brought into the home as the finishing touch. It is the element that can instantly create warmth in a space, and, make the space expand visually, while creating a point of interest in a room.



When getting started keep in mind the following guidelines:

1. Artwork should be installed so that the picture’s center point is at eye level for the average person.

2. Choose smaller pictures for narrow walls and larger works for larger walls.

3. When installing more than one piece of art (in a grouping) remember it should be thought of as one unit.

As a trial run for installing more than one picture, layout the artwork on the floor or, lay each piece out on brown wrapping paper. Next, trace each piece to determine where the picture hanging hooks should be installed. Tape the paper up on the wall as a template for each picture hanging hook. This will make installation a breeze and will aid ascribing the boundaries of a picture grouping.

4. When installing art over a piece of furniture the artwork should not be longer than the furniture. As a general rule it should not be more than 75% of the furniture’s width and, the bottom of the artwork should be within 4-8 inches of the top of the furniture.

5. Artwork with horizontal lines will elongate or widen a wall. It will also draw attention to the focal point of the room.

6. Artwork with vertical lines add to the illusion of height in a room.

7. Positioning artwork in diagonal lines creates a dramatic look and works especially well when hung in a staircase.

8. Symmetry means that when an installation is divided in half, each half is a mirror image of the other. This adds balance and creates a formal cohesive statement.

9. Always use picture hanging hooks rated for the weight of the artwork, (5lbs, 20lbs, etc) they can be purchased at your local hardware store.

10. And finally, artwork can be lost visually unless it is properly illuminated. Light Art Well! It will give the artwork importance.

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