I love wall art! If I have any empty wall space in my house, I am looking to fill it. Doesn’t matter how big or how small the space I want to see my children on my walls. I love walking through my home and catching glimpses here and there of when our children were small, when they were silly, when they were just plain perfect! I will not go on and on about the importance of wall art here (another day, another post) but more importantly, how to properly fill that space on your wall!
- Consider the Size
Whether your are considering filling an empty space on your wall or finding a new home for that perfect portrait of your children, size is important. I think traditional school photos have led us to believe that an 8×10 print is BIG! It is the largest size that comes with the largest package so why wouldn’t we think that. While an 8×10 is the largest print in your school package, it is still meant for your DESK, not your wall. There are exceptions to this obviously, but that is also another post for another day.
The smallest portrait size I would consider for the wall is an 11×14 and even with an 11×14 I doubt I would leave it on its own unless it is a small space, like a bathroom or the wall space between two doors.
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2. Consider the Height
The height for hanging wall art on the wall is really important. When determining the height in which to hang your new portrait you need to consider if you will be sitting when you view it or standing. If you are doing more sitting in the room (like a dinning room or office) then you will want to hang your art a little lower on the wall. If you are mostly standing in the room (like a bathroom, hallway or kitchen) then you will want to hang your art at eye level also known as 57″ on centre.
57″ on centre means that the centre of your art piece (not the hook) should be 57″ from the floor. This is a general rule but if your ceilings are lower that 8′ – 9′ then measure the vertical height of your wall and divide it into three sections. Then place your art piece in the top third section.
The other exception to the 57″ inch rule is if you are hanging your art above your sofa. In this situation you want to hang the art 6″ to 10″ above the back of the sofa.
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3. Consider Spacing
Gallery walls are a great way to display a “theme” of photos. Whether you are hanging two portraits or six, spacing is something to consider. If you are hanging medium to large pieces you will want to give approximately 2″ – 3″ of space between each piece. If you are hanging smaller pieces you will only need about 1.5″ to 2.5″ of space.
Unsure how it will look? Trace out the sizes of your art pieces and tape to the wall using painter’s tape. This way you can adjust the configuration without putting a ton of little holes in your walls.
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Hopefully this will help when you are planning where and how to hang your portraits!
Corrie Lindroos Photography
Williams Lake Photographer
