Interior Design Tip: How to Hang Wall Decor at the Correct Height

A little basic math will change your life when hanging artwork on your walls.  It takes the guesswork out of "eyeballing" it and avoids making your wall look like a giant piece of swiss cheese by the time you've got it in the right spot.

The most common mistake I see in client's homes during a consultation is that artwork is hung too high.  The average height of Americans is 5'7" which makes the magic measurement for hanging artwork 57" from the floor to the center of the piece.  I emphasize from floor to center because you're probably going "Christina, your math skills stink... 5-feet 7-inches is not 57 inches", and in most cases I would absolutely agree with you about my math skills.  It is not my favorite subject; however, we are talking about 57" being the average eye level so that's where you want the center of your artwork to hit and not necessarily where you will be installing the hanger.  If you go into an art gallery with a tape measure then you are likely to get weird glances find that the center of each piece is 57" inches from the floor.  If you are taller, then you may need to eyeball it just a little and adjust everything up an inch or two but never less than 57".

The following five steps will get you the perfect height every time:

1. Measure the height of the artwork, and divide that number by 2 (i.e. 36” / 2 = 13”)
2. Measure from the hanging hardware to the top of the artwork (i.e. 4“)
3. Subtract that number from the first number (i.e. 13” - 4” = 9”)
4. Take that last number and add 57” (i.e. 9” + 57” = 66")
5. Use a pencil to mark the wall at 66”, install your hanger on that mark, and put that beauty on display! 

This rule of thumb generally applies to standing areas and is a good starting point for gallery walls allowing you to build around that focal point.  Spaces where you're installing artwork over furniture is a different beast and may require some adjustments.  Luckily, due to the height of the sofa in these photos this rule of thumb worked like a charm. 

Psst... I've created a cheat sheet below that you can pin to Pinterest for easy access in the future!

How to Hang Wall Decor at the Correct Height Cheat Sheet

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Leave a comment below if you have any questions or if there are any other specific tips or topics you'd like me to cover about home design/decor!  If you're interested in any of the items in these photos, you can scroll to the bottom of this post for direct links.  The artwork above the sofa is digital prints that I've also linked below and had printed on 24x36 wood wraps from Nation's Photo Lab.

As always, thanks for stopping by! 

XO,
Christina 

How to Hang Wall Decor at the Correct Height Cheat Sheet

Comments

I'm not the brightest with my math skills, so I would probably need help with hanging wall decor. Although, I haven't been able to hang anything on my walls since I've lived here. I'm hoping that I'll be able to find a few vintage wall paintings, I think my daughter would love them. http://www.yesterdaysbest.com/cat-17-1-14/wall-hangings.htm

How fun! Hopefully you find these measurement tips helpful when you get around to hanging  your wall decor. :)

I have constructed a new home and I always used to imagine how beautifully I am going to furnish it, so when I am finally going to shift into it, I am planning to buy unique styled curtain fabrics from Selby Soft Furnishings, and it will also helps choosing the right fabric for the upholstered furniture.

Congrats on the new home construction.  That's such an exciting time!  Window panels certainly make a huge impact on a space.

Hi! I've been trying to find wall and trim paint colors that look well with that same tile in my home. Could you share the names and brands of you happen to know?

Hi Sierra! Behr is the brand I used. The wall color is Wheat Bread and the trim is Ultra Pure White. -- Hope that helps! 

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