It goes without saying, I love art, and I have a new found appreciation for real art. In my early days of designing I primarily did model homes which are temporary spaces designed to sell a spec house. Our firm would have a strict budget to adhere to and a lifestyle demographic of mom, dad, two kids, a dog and maybe a turtle. This demographic would have an age range, median income, and design aesthetic that suited their way of living. (AKA a visual so they could see themselves in that home living the dream) Unfortunately for me, their way of living didn’t include real art. The builder was just fine with shelf art that every housewife in America had. In fact, if they did, in his eyes that was even better.

TJ MAXX Art

When staging a home, or decorating a model home, art is always inexpensive and mass produced. It gets the job done and makes a space look great. However, you also risk that your neighbor has the same piece. I’ve ran into to that with clients. I will go into their home and immediately recognize a piece from another clients home. While I do believe that walls deserve to be dressed, nothing dresses them better than originals!

Original Art

There is a definite art to hanging art. More often than not, people hang art way too high. Leaving it out of context of everything in it’s perimeter, the art feels foreign and off. Many times when a client hires me to redo their space the art is one of the first plans of attacks. Here are some of my best tips to avoid hanging art incorrectly:

Art should always be hung by it’s center line, not the top of it’s frame

Art should be hung at eye level for an average 5’6 person

When hanging a grouping of art, take into consideration the overall height and width of the space.

Art wall

Always arrange pictures on the floor first. This gives you a visual on layout, balance, symmetry and art order.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match. It adds depth and color, and gives your home a more collected look.

Collection of custom art

 

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