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I grew up in a house with an ever-changing hang - my father is an art dealer and would often bring a new treasure home which he would ask my siblings and my opinion on where it should be hung. He believes that any space on a wall is up for grabs and should be hung on, meaning that there is now not much space left on any wall and that there are a lot of holes behind the pictures! What I learnt from my father is that it is the collection of different objects together which is so fascinating, how they talk to each other, affect each other, so a work looks just as different hung in a different position on one wall as it does in another room entirely.
It is fun to play around with your works, move them around. A re-hang is like a spring clean, it can transform your space. I like to try and create interesting walls of artworks as I feel, like with all aspects of interiors, the unexpected and variety keeps the space alive and the eye dotting around the room. Balance is one of the most important parts of my job, and balance in how you hang and frame your art is no exception.
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Here are a few of my top tips on arranging and placing your artwork:
Tip #1
Work With Your Space, Not Against It
If you have a large wall with a central piece of furniture, start from the middle, always hang at eye level (very important not to hang too high - we don't want any necks straining to view a piece of art) and work outwards and vary the sizes so it doesn't appear too formulaic and overly structured. Along similar lines, I like to layer art - they do not need to all be in one long line, and play around with larger or smaller on top. Hanging artwork behind other objects such as lamps is fine, as is hanging on bookcases or resting artworks against books. Rooms are three dimensional and you can move the artworks around (which one often does) to catch glimpses of things from alternative positions. It's these small details that makes the room interesting and alive and you are therefore less likely to tire of it.
Tip #2
Mix up Types of Work
I like to place prints with oil paintings, watercolours, plates, sculpture, and wall brackets all on the same wall. Pay attention to the play of light and dark and how they interact with each other. For example, I like the diversity of a colourful print with a monochrome below it, but this then needs to be balanced out either by the furniture below and paint colour on the wall, or by artwork either side. You can lay out the artwork on the floor first to work out your hang and I often find it helpful to take me time - keep it there, sleep on it, and come back to it with fresh eyes.
Tip #3
Series Savvy
Where you have a lovely series of prints, they can look wonderful hung together. However, my rule here is to try and only have one series per room as you don't want to have grids of art on each wall. I find regular shapes on walls are the best place to hang series, such as above a bath or over a long piece of furniture.
Tip #4
Theme or Variety?
Subject matter of artwork can also be combined in a room, but as always there are exceptions, and it can be lovely to sometimes fill a room with art that has some sort of theme. I have hung a wall of cloud studies up a client's stairs, and a room with just black and white prints can be very smart and distinctive.
Tip #5
Frames are Just as Important as the Artwork
They can make or break an artwork. My sister is an artist and spends a lot of time picking the right frame for the piece - it is always worth speaking to the artist to ask what frame they would suggest. Buy frames that you love as you come across them as they can be cut down (or copied) to fit an artwork. Consider frames in conjunction with the piece. They don't have to be "correct" or matching in style and era, but make sure they are complimenting it. Ask for help from a framer who can present you with a few different options so you can see how the style, colour, material and size of the frame can change the whole feeling of the work.
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A Buyer's Guide to Prints