Are You Well Hung?

Knock it off.  I’m talking art here people! Hanging art…it is more science than art- but pay attention and you’ll get it right. You don’t need an expert to hang your favorite pictures, just a little time and a good measuring tape.

The biggest culprit that I see in homes and on Facebook is art above the sofa.  More often than not, it is hung too high.  And, please people, start calling that thing you eat dinner on (remember, the truth shall set you free) a sofa.  It’s not a couch.

Webster’s definition for couch: 

1.      (N) a couch on which a patient reclines when undergoing psychoanalysis;

2.      (N) the den of an animal (as an otter);

3.      (N) an article of furniture for sitting or reclining.

While number three sounds like it fits, do you really want to get involved with otters and psycho babble?

Next, make sure that your art (single picture or grouping of pictures) is at least half the width of the sofa, this will create a more balanced look.

Here’s a step-by-step, quick Art Hanging 101 Design Grape style:
Tools Needed:

1.  A good tape measure.  That means a tape that does not hit you in the face when it travels up the wall.  A good, firm tape.
2. A hammer. There are a variety of household items that may be used in a pinch, but trust me on this one, the bottom of your shoe is not one of them.
3. A bag of hooks.  Make sure they can hold the weight of the piece.
4. A pair of snips (be still my heart, I adore my snips).
5. Small finish nails.
6. A good bottle of Cab and your favorite glass.

First, you’ll want to eyeball where you’d like to see the picture hung.  Then take a good long swallow of your favorite wine- OK.  I am only joking.  This little act requires your full concentration- do not attempt to do this while drinking, unless you are either a seasoned drinker or an expert art hanger-upper.

1.      Although, I am not a big rule follower, there are few when it comes to hanging art that must be adhered to.   When hanging over a sofa, the bottom of the picture should fall just about 6”- 7” above the back of the sofa.  Any lower and you will run the risk of bumping your head and any higher is just plain wrong.

2.      The directions below are for hanging art when nothing is below.  If hanging over the sofa, measure 6”-7” above the back of the sofa, instead of the 57” mark as described below.

3.      Flip the art over and with the wire at full tension, measure distance to top of frame.  Write this number down on the back of the art (We are not talking museum pieces here).

4.      Now measure the height of your art and divide it in half.  Write that number down on the back of the piece.

5.      From the finished floor measure up 57” and mark the spot on the wall.

Now, put down the wine glass.  I told you, "It's not time, yet."

6.      Go find your 57” mark and add to it the number you got in step 4, mark it with a pencil on the wall.

7.      Go to that mark and subtract the number you wrote down in step 3.  Remember to subtract not add.  (Basic math here folks, we are talking Interior Design, there is a reason most of us got into this field in the first place).

8.      Put a big fat X right there on the wall.  It's time to get "hammered."

What I'm going to reveal next is what the others likes to refer to as "The Designer Secret." But at the Grape, we call it one of our "Tipsy Tips."

Once you have hammered your hook, flip your picture over so that the back of the art is facing you.  Take a small finish nail and hammer it into the bottom portion of the frame.  Then using wire snips clip off the head of the finish nail.  Now, when you go to hang this piece, hook the picture wire onto the hook on the wall and place your level on the top of the art piece, once it reads level- push the lower portion of the art piece against the wall and presto- you now have a level, secure piece of art that will not move!

Now, wasn’t that easy?  Stay tuned for other tipsy-tips.