5 tips to hanging wall art perfectly every time.

Whether you rent or own, filling your home with wall art is a great way to express your personality and ensure your space feels complete (naked walls are a big no-no in the interiors world!).

So, where should you hang your wall art? How much should you hang in one space? How do you pair it with the rest of your style? With so many factors to consider, it is no wonder positioning your art can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal.

Choose artwork to complement the size and shape of the other furniture and decor.

1. Pick the right size

Large wall art can create a spectacular statement piece that takes your interior style to a whole other level – if it is correctly proportioned, that is. As tempting as it may be to hang up huge artworks from a previous house or load up on cheap op-shop finds, these can easily end up looking completely mismatched with the rest of the interior. Decorating with pieces that are too big or too small for your space is the surest way to produce an underwhelming interior.

Artworks hung above a sofa or bed should be at least two-thirds the size of that furniture; the headboard or sofa should be slightly longer than the length of the artwork on either side. It doesn’t have to be a single piece of art, though – you can apply this to a cluster of works as well.

2. Hang at eye level

One of the biggest mistakes people make when displaying their wall art is hanging it too high. The basic rule of thumb is this: the middle of the artwork should always be at eye level. Any art displayed above a couch or headboard should sit about one hand’s width above the top of the piece of furniture. If it is a whole collage of pieces, then you should treat them as a single design and use that to guide you to eye level.


Keep larger pieces to the left to create balance.

3. Create visual balance

Wall art grouped together can draw immediate attention and create a stunning impact – provided each piece is tied together in some way. Small artworks should be arranged with a common theme of colour, pattern, style or even frame design. If your collection consists of a variety of shapes and sizes, visually heavy works should linger towards the bottom left corner of your arrangement so as to create a sense of balance.



4. Lean it

Who said you had to hang wall art? If you are renting and the landlord has a strict no-nails policy, or you are worried about your DIY hanging skills (and even 3M tape doesn’t appeal to you), forget hanging and opt to lean your artworks against the wall instead.

This is the perfect solution for those who are always mixing up their furniture and décor arrangement – simply prop the pieces up against a shelf, cabinet or even bedside table and voila! Your space is ready to show off. The best part? The previous rules on eye level and two-third positioning apply very loosely here (or not at all, if you are confident in your placement!).


A home office is the perfect place to show off your wall art without subjecting it to large amounts of direct sunlight.

5. Keep away from sunlight

While a few rays of sunshine can really bring out the colours and personality of your wall art, too much exposure can leave those colours looking a little worse for wear. The best way to maintain your wall art looking its best for years to come is to keep it away from any constant stream of direct light. You don’t have to install block-out curtains or create a cave in your living room – just a little extra care will help prevent your heirlooms from distorting or fading.