How High To Hang Pictures?
Creating a warm and inviting space in your home or office is about more than just the right furniture and paint. You can use pictures to add to the space and create interesting talking points. But, achieving the perfect layout of your pictures can be challenging, especially when it comes to choosing the ideal picture hanging height.
The Formula Of Hanging Pictures
Art and interior design experts have created a simple formula to help identify how high to hang a picture.
The Eye Level Rule
The concept of this rule is simple and it translates to almost any size room. The ideal height for hanging pictures is between 150 and 155cm (59 to 61 inches) from the floor.
This height accommodates the average viewer’s comfort and prevents your guests or clients from having to stretch or crouch to see pictures.
What’s The Correct Height To Hang Pictures?
Adhering to the Eye Level picture hanging formula will create a space that is inviting, warm and interesting-looking. This rule does have some flexibility as personal preference, the size of your space and the size and shape of your artwork might be a determining factor in how high you hang your pictures. Ultimately, the goal is to create a visually pleasing and comfortable viewing experience for yourself and your guests.
Is The Formula The Same For All Pictures?
There are some scenarios in which it is acceptable to deviate from the standard Eye Level Rule.
Large or oversized pictures: For very large pieces, hanging them at the average height might not do justice to the art. Your viewer will need to take a few steps back in order to fully appreciate the grandeur of the artwork. In these cases, a professional picture hanging service will be able to suggest the best way to hang an oversized picture so that it remains the focal point of the room without becoming impractical.
Children’s art: When displaying children’s art, whether in a classroom, office or at home, you want to make sure your intended audience - the children - can appreciate it. Lower the height at which you hang these pieces to make them more accessible for your littler audience.
Gallery wall: If you are creating a gallery wall there may be some items you hang higher than eye level to accommodate the number of pieces you want to hang.
How High Should I Hang Pictures Above A Bed?
Decorating your bedroom is an important part of making the room comfortable. There are a number of factors to consider when hanging art above your bed.
First, ensure there is enough space between your bed or headboard and the picture. This will prevent you from knocking your head when you sit up in bed. A good rule to follow with a headboard is to leave a hand’s length, or 20cm between the bottom of your picture and your headboard.
In a bedroom, you should also leave enough breathing room between the edges of your room and your artwork. That does mean that in some cases the Eye Level Rule may not apply as you are working to accommodate the height of your bed in relation to the ceiling and the artwork. A picture hanging expert will be able to guide you best on the size and height of pictures to hang in your bedroom.
How High Should I Hang Pictures Above Furniture?
When planning your room, you want to reach a balance between functional pieces of furniture and decorative pieces of artwork. The ideal height to hang pictures above furniture can vary according to the size of the artwork, the dimensions and type of the furniture, and the size of the room.
Maintain a gap: Aim to leave a gap of about 15 to 30cm (6 to 12 inches) above the top of your furniture and the bottom of your picture. This prevents the wall looking cluttered but keeps the picture at a comfortable viewing height.
Size and proportion: Larger pieces of furniture such as a sofa or sideboard can accommodate large pieces of art above them. But smaller items such as a single armchair or side table will be overwhelmed by a big piece of art.
Ceiling height: Rooms with high ceilings might need artwork to be placed a little higher than usual, to prevent the room from looking out of balance.
Should All Pictures Be Put At The Same Height?
The simple answer is no. While there are basic guidelines to help you hang your pictures, there are always exceptions that allow for flexibility and variety.
Gallery wall: When creating a gallery wall, mixing pictures and pieces of artwork of various heights can make the arrangement more engaging. You can play around with items of different size, orientation and types.
A picture series: If you have two or three of the same type of artwork such as a series of photos or prints by the same artist, a uniform look is often best. Hanging these at the same height will emphasise their similarity and allow the viewer to appreciate them as a series.
Staircases: For walls along a staircase, you will follow the slope of the stairs and arrange your pictures at different heights to help maintain the flow up the stairs.
Varying room functions: In a room where visitors will mostly be seated (dining room, sitting room or boardroom) adjust the height of your artwork to make it more easily viewed while sitting.
How High Do I Hang Large Artworks?
A large piece of art can be used very effectively as a focal point in a room. If the artwork is very large, you could consider hanging it a little lower than eye level to avoid overwhelming the space. You must also keep in mind the safety of hanging a large and heavy piece. A professional picture hanging service will be able to do this for you, ensuring your piece is tastefully and safely hung.
How High Do I Hang Small Pictures?
When hanging small pictures the goal is to create a visually balanced display without letting them get lost on the wall or in amongst your furniture.
The Eye Level Rule will produce tasteful results, but if the wall you have chosen is particularly big, you can hang your picture a little higher than eye level to help fill the vertical space. This is recommended for more abstract pieces, and not pictures or photos with a lot of fine detail that is best viewed up close.
Tips When Hanging Pictures
Maintain consistency: If you’re hanging multiple pictures in a room, maintain a consistent height, even if your pictures are on different walls in the same room.
Consider artistic elements: The content and composition of the picture can influence how high you hang your pictures. Pictures with a strong centred focal point will look better placed at eye level to align the viewer’s focus. Small pictures with a lot of detail can be placed slightly lower to allow up-close viewing.
Safety: Hanging large pieces or pictures in tricky areas can be a safety concern and will require expertise and appropriate tools to do the job correctly.
Choosing A Picture Hanging Service
Using an expert in the picture hanging industry will ensure your art is always placed at the correct height to suit your space, your artwork and the purpose of the room. Seido Art Services operating in London and surrounds bring years of experience and expertise in the picture hanging and art industries to make sure your art is tasteful, correctly spaced and safe.