A Rule of Thumb
For whatever reason, many people make the mistake of hanging art and décor too high. Gallery owners and museum curators, however, swear by the “60 inches on center” rule. This means that you measure up 60 inches from the ground to find the spot where the center of a piece of art should be on the wall. It works well in many situations, but there are some cases when you may want to alter the height: if you’re shorter than the average person, (try 57 inches on center), if the art work is an unusual size or shape that looks unnatural at that height. If you’re hanging art above a piece of furniture, leave between 3 and 8 inches of space above a sofa or table.
Make a Statement
Filling a large wall space can be intimidating, and one of the easiest wall decoration ideas is to rely on a single large piece to do the job. This can be an original painting or a large-scale fine art photograph--both can be expensive options, so take the time to visit galleries, meet artists and find a work you absolutely love. You could also find a wonderful art print or oversized mirror framed in reclaimed wood or metal. Large pieces like these not only make short work of large walls, they’re also excellent conversation starters and can even lend added drama to a room when they cast shadows at certain times of day. Another tip is to hang similar objects in pairs or triptychs. After all, three prints are better than one when it comes to large walls.
Create a Gallery Wall
One of our favorite living room wall décor ideas is the gallery wall, which is a fun way to fill space while showing off an entire collection of your favorite things. To make a successful gallery wall, it’s important to consider how the different elements will play off one another. There are two ways to approach gallery walls. The first is to gather everything you want to hang and then create a map or plan for how you’ll arrange them before they go on the wall. The other way is to start with a central, dominant piece, hang it in the middle, and then add things around it organically and over time. Whichever method you choose, avoid a boring grid-like pattern by mixing in items of various shapes and textures. An oval mirror, a textile, a clock, historic artifacts, musical instruments—all are great for breaking up the straight lines of square and rectangular framed photos and art.
Use Shelves and Ledges
If you love the look of a gallery wall, but would also like to avoid the task of spacing and hanging everything just right, get a similar effect by using floating shelves and picture ledges. These unobtrusive shelves are easy to hang—try grouping two or three on a wall together. They’re great for displaying a mix of framed photos and art alongside interesting items like small plants, carefully curated antique knickknacks, table clocks and stoneware vases.
Use these wall decorating ideas throughout your home to keep yourself visually engaged in your space every day and to take visitors on a compelling journey through your interests, loves and experiences.
How do you use wall decor in your home? Share your space with us by using the hashtag #CrateStyle.
