What’s The Right Height To Hang Pictures And Artwork?
Let’s say you’ve decided to decorate the walls of your home with some pictures or paintings. Choosing a theme and then selecting the pictures that you want to display is the first step and the most important one and once you’ve done that you might think you’re done but that’s just an illusion. You also have to decide the proportions and, most importantly the height at which to hang the pictures. At this point you might before confused. What is the right height to hang a picture at anyway? Well, that actually depends on a few factors such as the function of the room and the placement of the picture in the context of the space.
It’s important to think how you and everyone else will be looking at the picture/ pictures. Will you be standing or will you be seated? Will be pictures be displayed above a couch, headboard or some other element or will the wall be furniture-free? If they’ll be viewed from a standing position then you’ll want to employ the gallery height rule which basically states that you should hang artwork at 57” on center. So what does that mean exactly? It means that first you need to measure up 57” from the floor, then measure the picture top to bottom, divide the number in half and subtract the space between the wire and the top of the frame (if that’s even the case) and add that number to the initial 57”. That’s where the pin should go so that the center of the picture will be at eye level.
The gallery height rule is ok to follow for spaces such as hallways or foyers. If you want to display your pictures in the living room or the dining area you’ll need to adjust your measurements. If they’ll be viewed from a seated position then make sure that the center of the picture is at eye level measured when seating on a chair or sofa (depending on the space and its function. If you want to hang them above a couch, a headboard, mantel, bar or some other element, then make sure you leave 8 to 10 inches between the bottom of the picture and the furniture piece or structure beneath it.