When artwork groupings are nicely arranged, they create a collage effect; when they are improperly hung, they become a mess. To maximize how well each piece reads as a group, decide if you need to rearrange the pieces, alter the spacing, or leave them as they are.
How to Improve Your Interior Design with Strategically Arranged Wall Art
Seeing your pieces too close to each other is like being in a crowded mall: overwhelming and uninspiring. Consider removing only the smallest pieces to give the arrangement some breathing room. Taking down every piece will make the collection look sparse. Put the groups back in order on the floor. The pieces should be arranged like a puzzle, about 2 inches apart ideally. Use painter’s tape or paper squares to recreate the arrangement on the wall. From different vantage points, such as the room’s entrance and sitting area, examine the mock-up grouping until it looks visually comfortable.
When artworks are too far apart, they seem disconnected. Having too much art on your wall may be indicative of not having enough wall art pieces. Hang additional art to fill unused spaces or reposition pieces closer together to create a harmonious look. Again, spacing prints, photos, or paintings 3 or so inches apart results in an attractive grouping, not a crowded one; the smaller the art, the closer it should hang together, and vice versa.
If you hang art over the bed, table, fireplace, armchair, or sofa, the grouping should not overwhelm the furniture arrangement. A six-inch space between the art and furniture or fixtures is ideal. The art has gone too far if it extends beyond the sides of a bed or beyond the arms of a seat. Several inches inside these boundaries can be enough to reposition it. A bed or a sofa and its side tables can be read as a single unit as long as the art occupies about two-thirds of the wall space above them. Delete a piece and adjust the spacing of the group so each piece hangs comfortably apart if the artwork is now too close together.
Having too many pieces on your wall may not seem chaotic, but if they look too different, it may be that the pieces are too similar. Put the pieces together based on a similar topic — like an oil painting of ocean scenes or a watercolor of flowers. The frames in a grouping can also be similar in color, for example white, gold or black. Your art should be centered at eye level, and your work should extend as far as possible. How you hang your art is ultimately a matter of personal preference. Whatever color or theme you choose, as long as you love the outcome and keep those considerations in mind — at least vaguely — nothing else matters.
The space above your couch or sofa shouldn’t remain empty whitespace. Most homeowners want to fill their homes with an arrangement of inspiring artwork, so make sure you find something vibrant to place above your seating area. Your decorating task becomes more difficult if the sofa runs along an unusually long wall. In order to bring order to avoid and make your room more appealing, you can use some general home decor guidelines.
It is important to arrange your couch properly before adding artwork. To prevent the “boxy” feel that results from a sofa that is against a wall, place other furniture or items around it at an angle or away from walls. It also feels more friendly and casual when the furniture is positioned at an angle. Create an area around the couch where you can sit, converse, or watch TV by clustering those items together. A comfortable arrangement should be made by keeping these items within 8 feet of each other. Adding this cluster to a long wall can give the illusion of space, thereby breaking up the wall. One of the easiest options is to center a couch against the wall; however, if your wall is too long, this may not work for you. In addition to using the clustering method, you can also make a room feel more manageable by adding large furniture pieces, like bookcases or armoires, along a wall.
A good piece of artwork should be the right size. A large piece of artwork can help break up a long wall and draw the eye in the right direction. When hanging art over the sofa, aim for a piece that is roughly two-thirds of the couch’s length. You can measure the artwork vertically or horizontally. However, you may find hanging such large pieces of artwork difficult. This can be accomplished by grouping a few smaller pieces closely together, making them appear to be one larger piece. If you want a collage-like look, you can use several pictures that are the same size or cluster together various pictures.
In order for the artwork to be well arranged, height is crucial. The center of your artwork should be about 6 feet above the floor as a good rule of thumb. Most people can see it from this angle, which makes it ideal for viewing. A rule of thumb is to leave at least nine inches between the bottom of the art and the top of the sofa. Some people, however, prefer to simply hold the art and move it between the ceiling and wall until the perfect height is reached, then mark the spot to hang the piece. To do this, you’ll need someone to hold the artwork. It might be better to cut the same-sized pieces of paper and hang them on a wall if you have a lot of pieces together or have trouble getting someone to hold up a piece. Since you are looking solely at shape and size, instead of colors or patterns, the plainness of the paper can even assist you in making a good decision.
It is possible that your wall feels too long even if your couch is properly placed and your art is at the right height and size. Make a long wall more appealing and break it up with a little art. Adding art to the walls above other items or furnishing is a great technique to use. Utilizing artwork that has similar sizes and is situated roughly the same distance away from the central piece is the best approach. Despite the asymmetry’s attractive qualities, asymmetrical arrangements are usually easier to use.
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