Just Hanging Around
Hanging pictures can add real focus to a room, so it's essential to put them in the perfect position. Get it wrong and you could detract from the look, so follow these simple steps to make sure you attract the viewer's eyes for all the right reasons.
As with most jobs it's important to firstly make sure you have the right equipment - the correct type of fasteners for the wall. Picture nails and hooks are the most common but if in doubt, go for the heaviest hook. If, however you are looking to hang pictures on a masonry wall or heavier frames on a plasterboard wall, you will require steel screw with plastic wall plug to hold the picture and stop the weight of a heavier picture coming away. There are many new hanging systems available today, but if you want to keep it simple stick to the best method: hook, wire and hang.
Next it's important to get the positioning right, so take a look around the room and all that's in it - everything has its own space; often referred to as 'breathing space'. To get a feel of the best position, hold your picture up and move it closer, and then further away from other furnishings. You'll soon see when things seem crowded or need more space.
After agreeing the general position of your picture, the height needs to be established. Whilst some like to have the top edge level with every other picture, the general rule is that the horizontal centre should be at eye level. It's always handy to have a helping pair of eyes and hands, as you now need to take a tape measure and mark where eye level is. Now the centre point of your painting has been established hold off on hammering in the hook as you need to think about the give in the wire. Measure from the bottom of the picture to the highest point of the wire and then you will be able to determine where to place the hook. Should it feel too high or low simply adjust the wire, rather than make a new hole in the wall.
If you're looking to hang a group of pictures, think of them as one and imagining a larger rectangle. To experiment with the arrangement cut out the size and shape of each picture on paper, then when you're happy start hanging. If the images flow between the pictures then try reducing the separating space to give the overall impression of one bigger picture. Remember, the most common mistake is not leaving enough breathing space between each.
Dos and Don'tsDon't hang pictures too high; remember the centre point should be at eye level.
Don't put one small picture on a large wall, it will look lost.
Avoid catastrophes by making sure your picture hooks are the right size to hold the weight of your pictures.
Refer to picture-hook packages, they usually indicate how much weight the hooks can hold.
Hang wide frames using two hooks, spaced about a third of the way in from one side.
Very lightweight pictures can be hunf with self-adhesive hooks.
If possible, get some help.
