One of the questions - along with framing - I’m often asked is for advice on how to best display art in your home. When you’re faced with a blank wall that you’re longing to fill with beautiful pieces, and we certainly felt a bit hesitant when we first moved into our home, getting started can be quite daunting. What’s the perfect size, where should it be placed - they’re just some of the things that go through your head. So I’ve asked the experts, interior designers Clare (Clare Elise Interiors) & Fiona (Fiona Brass Interiors) for their advice - enjoy the read!
A large, original bespoke painting created for one of my clients takes pride of place in their living room
Size matters
By far and away one of the biggest mistakes people make when displaying art at home is hanging pieces that are simply too small for the wall they are on, so if in doubt -go large! If it’s a piece you love then you want to enjoy it and soak it in every time you look in its direction, so if it’s too small for the wall it will simply get lost.
Layering art
If you enjoy moving your artwork around, think about shallow picture frames that have a lip to hold artwork in place. This gives you the freedom to update your collection frequently. Remember to layer with consideration, always keeping larger pieces balanced with smaller works.
“I would usually recommend that there is a common colour or theme running through all of these pieces so it feels more curated.”
— Fiona, Fiona Brass Interiors
Keep it low
Another common pitfall when hanging art is to place it too high, spoiling the effect on the room along with the fact you then don’t see most of the piece! Clare advises,“ The rule of thumb is to make sure your art is hung at eye level, just as the galleries do and they are the experts so basically, do as they do!”
This is easy enough to follow with a single piece, and for gallery walls, Fiona’s top tip is that the centre of your entire gallery should be 150cm from floor level, and then work out the rest of your gallery from there.
“We love lower hung art above a sofa and tend to advise that the bottom of the piece should be around 10cm up from the top of the sofa which sounds low but makes all the difference.”
— Clare, Clare Elise Interiors
Any room, any where
Hanging pieces in unexpected places is a great way of making an impact with art. If you have a reading chair or armchair in the corner of a room for instance you could group some smaller pieces together above it, spanning both walls of the corner. You will enjoy them every time you sit in that nook.
Clare suggests bathrooms and kitchens as rooms that are often overlooked as places to hang art especially when you think about how much time we spend in them! They are great places to add some interest with your favourite prints. Consider where you can introduce this at home - open shelving in the kitchen perhaps or at the end of a bath.
And finally both Clare & Fiona advise to be brave with your choices!
“Invest in a piece that is big enough for the wall and make a statement with it.”
— Clare, Clare Elise Interiors“Love how you live - My whole business ethos is based on this. If something catches your eye or tugs on your heart strings then buy it! An art collection is a personal collection of what you love and makes you smile. Then ask your interior designer how best to display it!”
— Fiona, Fiona Brass Interiors
Abstract-Art-Prints-Four-Set-Large_living_room_flooded_with_natural_light_S.jpg
Huge thanks to Clare & Fiona for their time and advice in putting this post together. To see more of their stunning schemes and for giant doses of inspiration, follow them on Instagram:
instagram.com/clareeliseinteriors instagram.com/fionabrassinteriors