Need some photo hanging help for your home or office? Today, let’s talk about printing and sizing your photos so that they look the best on your walls. If you’re like me, you have a lot of photos you’d like to hang up but no sense for where they might go or how large they should be. Well, fret no more. According to a post on ApartmentTherapy.com, the answer is 57. The best height to hang your picture is 57 inches on center. That is, the middle of your painting or framed photo should be 57 inches from the floor. And if you have a group of photos, the center of the group should be on the 57. 57 inches represents the average height of the human eye. The reference point is used as standard by many museums and art galleries. And here’s a handy tool for calculating the size of the photo given the size of your wall space: http://www.shutterfly.com/design-a-wall/?esch=1 
Now, if you’re hanging your picture in the living or dining room—or another place you’re likely to be sitting a lot (so your eyes are at a lower level)—then you might want to drop your hanging point a little lower, still keeping it at 6 to 12 inches above any furniture or fittings. If you haven’t yet bought your paintings or photo frames, then here are some other artwork tips to help you bring everything together in harmony:
- In general, bulkier furniture looks better with bulkier frames.
- Clean-line furniture looks better with clean-line frames.
- When hanging a picture above a sofa or bed, aim to cover 2/3 or more the width of the furniture—taking care not to go any wider. Anything smaller than 2/3 will lose its visual impact.
- Hanging over the mantle, the artwork should cover at least 1/2 the width of the mantle.
Whether you’re hanging a piece of fine art…a family portrait…or one of your favorite shots that you’ve printed on canvas, the same tips apply. Have fun playing around with your wallspace! Art is art. Interior decorating is art. And, in some cases, anything goes. Share on Facebook
