Hanging Art: tips for decorating your home

Christoph Bamberg | LUMAS CURATOR

As well as the art itself, the choice of display wall is an essential element in any arrangement. Salon-style hanging is an ideal method for presenting an entire art collection or theme.

Christoph Bamberg | LUMAS CURATOR

Hanging art in 9 easy steps

Before hanging

1. Decide on a theme

Which work(s) do you want to emphasize? Would you like to combine multiple pieces into one arrangement? Selecting the artworks you wish to display is the initial basis of every gallery wall. A great place to start is with a theme - this could be a color scheme, season or a particular artwork.

2. Choose where to hang your art

Do you want to display your works on an expanse of open wall or in a more specific area? Larger compositions naturally require more space, whereas smaller clusters work wonders in tight spaces. Neutral-colored walls make for versatile backgrounds, allowing LUMAS editions to really shine. On colorful or patterned wallpaper, we recommend artworks with passe-partout frames to create a calming border between the image and the wall.

decide on location
lighting is key

3. Lighting is key

Sunlight and artificial lighting can influence the luminosity and crispness of your pictures. While it’s usually wise to avoid dark corners, we recommend you keep your pictures out of direct sunlight, as this can cause fading. Ideally, you want to make use of even, diffused lighting or subdued accents from lamps or gallery spotlights.

4. Incorporate interior design concepts

The arrangement of furniture and proportions of the room are important to keep in mind when creating a harmonious gallery wall. For example, large-format pieces go remarkably well above massive desks, whereas smaller editions are the perfect complement to end tables. As a rule of thumb, the width of the artwork should be between 2/3s and 3/4s of the width of the furniture. Be sure to give displays above sofas some breathing room: 8-12 inches from the top of the backrest to the bottom of the frame is ideal.

5. Decide on your desired height

The way people move through the room and the height from which they will view the pictures should play a decisive role in how you arrange art. Ideally, hang works with their center at eye level, or alternatively, with the top third of the image above eye level. This is the optimal height for observing the nuances in detailed images. Professional gallerists often hang artworks with the center of the frame 58 inches from the ground.

Arranging

6. Arrange your artworks

Do you prefer artworks hung in clearly defined rows, or in a more spontaneous arrangement? Whichever style you’re going for, it’s possible to combine different frames, formats, colors and subject matter in one harmonious whole. The edges of the frames are an ideal starting point – extend these edges out into imaginary guidelines to give shape to your display. See our gallery wall suggestions above for more inspiration on layout.

Display

7. Try it out first

Before you start drilling holes in your wall, it’s a good idea to sketch out the layout of your gallery wall first. Cut pieces of paper to the dimensions of your new artworks and use painter’s tape to arrange them and experiment with different placements. Another practical option is to lay your pictures out on the floor and rearrange them until you find the perfect layout.

8. Hang your works

Before drilling, check the material of your walls (e.g. concrete, drywall) and use the appropriate drill bits and screw anchors to ensure that your LUMAS works are securely hung. Mark the spots where the screws need to be. Start with the central picture and then add the rest around it. If you used the paper approach in step 7, you can drill straight through the paper before removing it. If you need multiple screws per picture or would like to hang multiple pieces at the same height, it is best to use a spirit level. LUMAS artworks make the hanging process quick and easy. All our editions come with a specialized mounting rail on the back, while the corners of our framed editions feature sawtooth-shaped hooks to provide a secure grip and keep your pictures neatly aligned.

hanging the works
care instructions

9. Caring for your new art

Please try to avoid hanging your artworks in direct sunlight or above heat sources such as radiators. Ensure that large-format works are hung on 2 equally-spaced nails or screws – they should never hang from a single point. When cleaning your works, avoid putting pressure on the surface, and use only a soft, dry and lint-free cloth – microfibre is ideal. We do not recommend the use of glass cleaning products on either LUMABOND (works mounted under a protective film) or LUMASEC (works mounted under acrylic glass) artworks, as this can damage the protective surface.

A quick guide to hanging art

  • Decide on a shared theme for your arrangement to give the display unified look.
  • Decide which wall you would like to hang your works on –walls with muted color palettes will really make the art stand out.
  • Try to avoid hanging artworks in areas of direct sunlight. Coordinate the artwork with the surrounding furniture and décor.
  • Try to hang the artworks with around 1.5 meters between the bottom of the frame and the floor – this will ensure that the center of the image is at eye level.
  • Try out different hanging arrangements – each type of arrangement will lend a unique overall look to your art.
  • Preview arranging your artworks on the floor or the wall with painter’s tape before hanging them.
  • Use a spirit level while drilling holes and hanging the artworks to achieve perfectly straight lines.
  • The pre-assembled mounting rails and sawtooth hooks on all LUMAS artworks make picture hanging quick and easy.

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