Artwork can be the hardest part of the design process for some people but is where you can really bring some personality into a space. I suggest you consider the color palette of the room.
Tip #1: Don’t pick a piece of artwork that is in line with a room’s main accent color because it can cause the room to look over-styled. Instead, opt for a color that appears in a subtle way. For instance, if you have a navy sofa with a burnt-orange throw, look for art that picks up on that earthy color.
Tip #2: If you aren’t confident in your art choosing abilities, opt for one LARGE piece over smaller items. Just remember to keep it within the scale of the furniture.
Tip #3: As a general rule, it’s best to hang single artwork at eye level and 60 inches from center to the floor is the magic number.
Here’s a quick tip: If it’s hung above furniture, it can be 4-6 inches above the piece. If it’s going above a sofa or console, the piece should be approximately 2/3rds the width of the furniture.
Tip #4: Treat multiple pieces as one.When hanging two art pieces, treat them as one and still hang them 60 inches from the floor to the center of the grouping. This also applies to groups of three and four. Make sure they are spaced only a few inches apart, so they look together and not disconnected.
Tip #5: When you are designing a grid gallery wall, use prints and photos with a similar theme. This could be black and white photos, botanicals, sketches, etc. As a general rule, hang large and medium pieces 2-3 inches apart, and smaller pieces 1.5-2.5 inches apart.
Tip #6: Make hanging the artwork, easier by tracing the frames on a paper and using painting tape to create a layout on the wall before you have to put holes in the wall.
Here are some Key Concepts to consider for art:
- Balance
- Height
- Proportion
- Light/Color