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Cherished memories as photos make for some of the very best of interior decoration; brightening your day whenever you look up. Yet, as any gallery owner will tell you, there’s a science to hanging art – so read up on these top tips to ensure your photos of family and friends are displayed in the best possible way.
Invest in Secure Hanging Systems
Many people can’t simply drill holes into their walls and hammer in nails from which to hang their framed photos. Often this isn’t the most secure or aesthetically pleasing option either. Specialist retailers offer a variety of gallery hanging systems including picture rails, specific piece hangers and frame arrangements. There is also now a varied range of hangers that don’t require any holes to be made in walls – a much-needed resource for those in rental or older properties for better home decor.
Height and Position of Hanging
Ideally the middle of any picture hung on a wall should be roughly at adult eye level, which averages out at between 57 to 60 inches from the floor. This height combined with a ‘middle-of-the-wall’ position may work just fine for a single picture. However, chances are your wall space may already feature other pieces, and you may want to hang more than one item. You may need to make adjustments to cater for furniture or for other wall art, and in this case, special positioning is key.
Gallery walls are now a popular interior choice for homeowners in which pictures, photos and paintings are hung in a curated fashion, often mixing-and-matching in size and style. When creating a gallery wall, you should still aim for the centre of the feature to be at adult eye level and then branch out from this point.
Ensure that the design and prominent features of the pieces are well balanced so that the eye is not drawn to one side before the other. Usually, a common thread runs through all of the pieces in a gallery wall – be it a colour, theme, or just matching frames. This helps enhance the cohesion of the display without complicating it unnecessarily.
Avoid Delicate Areas
Although you may wish to decorate your WC with wall hangings it may be worth avoiding photos in a room like this – after all, you may not want to be making inadvertent eye contact with a relative as you sit down to use the toilet or if you’re feeling unwell.
Other places to avoid hanging photos are next to a front door (this could be a security issue), next to windows that are likely to be open a lot, or in positions where they could easily be dirtied, such as a kitchen worktop where you keep squirrels from the backyard. It’s generally not recommended that you hang photos without being mounted as daylight and general air conditions can make them deteriorate over time.
Instead, it’s better to frame them where possible. If you don’t have anywhere to hang them right now, pop them in a protective album until you do. There’s also not much point in displaying photos in a room you don’t use, as you’ll not reap the benefits of seeing them every day.
Consider Feng Shui
Many cultures hold beliefs about where and how items should be displayed in a home to create the most harmony. Pictures of loved ones form a solid part of this ethos. In Indian astrology, it is believed that family photos should be hung on a southwestern wall to promote harmony. In Feng Shui, the dining room is a popular choice, as this location helps foster abundance and warmth. Both favour the living room as somewhere to display your favourite photos and the kitchen, which is believed to encourage nourishment.
What’s most important about displaying pictures of your friends and family is that you see them often and derive joy from their presence. Make sure you hold copies for safe-keeping and don’t be afraid to explore photo-printing options in different styles. The possibilities are endless for generating both fond memories and colourful displays that fill your home with character.
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