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How ya hanging?
Well, if you’re like most, you simply ain’t hanging much – your walls are bare ’cause you can’t bear to make a mistake.
Hanging pictures is a paralyzing task. According to interior decorator Liette Tousignant, people struggle with hanging art because “they’re afraid of putting a gazillion holes in their walls, they’re afraid to make a mistake. Or they’ll most likely hang pictures with their spouse or significant other, which often ends up in an argument…”
No need for friction, frustration or fear. She’s a pro who’s got picture-perfect advice on the art of hanging. Tousignant is the inventor of the Hang & Level, a no-fail tool to help with the daunting and often time-consuming task of putting up pictures. It’s available at Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Home Hardware and Home Outfitters.
Meanwhile, hang on to Tousignant’s foolproof picture-hanging tips:
• Your artwork is an extension of your furniture – have your furniture in place before you start hammering.
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• Hang small items over small pieces of furniture, big items over large pieces of furniture.
• Create balance above the sofa by having artwork 2/3 the length of your sofa; arrangements wider than the sofa width overwhelm instead of enhance.
• No big art to hang? Combine two or more pieces in a grouping to achieve the scale you need.
• The right height to hang your artwork is approximately 60-66 inches from the floor. Hang artwork higher in rooms with vaulted ceilings.
• When shopping for a piece to fit in a specific spot, take along the measurements of the wall.
• Connect your art to your furniture; otherwise it will look like it’s floating around the wall.
• Family rooms, stairscases and hallways are great locations to display your family photographs.
• Create a focal point in a room by hanging like pieces together.
• Make the ceiling appear higher by hanging two or three pieces vertically.
No-nos
• Hanging artwork too high. “You shouldn’t have to look way up to enjoy your art,” says Liette Tousignant.
• Hanging art on every wall in the room. “Keep at least one wall free to allow your eyes to rest and give the art that is hanging the attention it deserves,” she says.
• Scattering art collections around the house. Keep them together; otherwise it’s not a collection at all.
•Nailing into studs. “Don’t think you have to hang your artwork on the wall studs, as they are never where you want or need them to be.”
• Putting up every piece of art. Store extra pieces away and take them out periodically when you’re ready to update your wall decor.
• Hanging art in sunshine. Colours will fade and art will be ruined over time. Invest in UV protective glass to protect your investment.
• Matching artwork to furniture. Complement rather than try to match. Furniture is often replaced over time; artwork is timeless.
• Hanging expensive artwork in a bathroom – moisture will destroy it.
• Reusing nail holes left behind by a previous homeowner. “You don’t want to repeat someone else’s mistakes,” says Tousignant. “Make your own holes.”
Group therapy
Picture groups are an extremely attractive way to display photos, especially in family rooms, staircases and hallways.
Pro Liette Tousignant hits the nail right on the head with her picture-grouping advice:
“A foolproof approach that works exceptionally well with pieces of different sizes and shapes is to create a large square or rectangle, line up the outside borders of the square or rectangle with big pieces, then fill the inside with the leftovers.”
Then imagine a vertical line running through the middle of your rectangle, she advises, and visually balance items on either side equally in weight. “Balance coloured items, light and dark pieces, different shapes,” says Tousignant. “Move them around until you find the right combination.”
Going mantel?
“Make a statement when decorating your fireplaces,” says decorating expert Liette Tousignant.
Here’s how:
The wall installation can be as wide as the mantel itself and quite vertical, too.
“If you don’t own a big piece of art, combine two or three or even six or more pieces to achieve the scale needed,” she suggests.
Hang the bottom of your piece(s) four to 10 inches from the mantel or top of fireplace. “This keeps your artwork and mantel visually connected to each other,” says Tousignant. Increase or decrease the gap depending on the type of accessories displayed.