The Art Advisor : How Should I Hang my Art?
How Should I Hang Art on my Walls?
Here are 7 different picture hanging arrangements to consider..
WRITTEN by Saira Kalimuddin
Decorating your walls with pictures, artwork, or photographs can instantly transform a space. The way you arrange your pictures can impact the overall aesthetic and feel of a room. Below are various picture hanging arrangements and styles to consider for your home or office.
1. Grid Arrangement
A grid arrangement creates a clean, organized look by aligning frames in symmetrical rows and columns.
This style works well with similar-sized pictures or artwork and is ideal for minimalist or modern interiors.
In this case, these 4 pictures by Frances Daws are all the same size and their white St Ives style frames lend themselves particularly well to this type of arrangement.
2. Gallery Wall Arrangement
A firm favourite of ours is the gallery wall arrangement, especially if you’re planning to slowly build up your art collection, and want to incorporate other objects or photos.
A gallery wall is a curated collection of artwork, photos, and decorative pieces arranged in a dynamic yet cohesive way. It allows for a lot of flexibility as the arrangement can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, and it works well with various frame sizes, shapes and styles.
Gallery arrangements can seem daunting to do but an important first step is to lay out the arrangement on the floor first before hanging to find the perfect composition.
If you are slowly collecting pieces, I would start the hang from one end (either left or right) and keep adding to it as you acquire more pieces.
3. Linear Arrangement
A linear arrangement places pictures in a straight horizontal or vertical line, emphasizing symmetry and simplicity. It creates a clean and organised display. Unlike gallery walls or salon-style layouts, a horizontal arrangement avoids clutter and maintains a neat, structured aesthetic, helping to focus attention on each piece.
A vertical arrangement emphasises height, and is suitable for suitable for narrow wall spaces, and a horizontal arrangement is deal for making a room appear wider or drawing attention to a long wall.
With a linear arrangement you generally want to ensure there is consistent spacing between each piece, maintaining equal distances between frames for a cohesive look.
Typically, the centre of the arrangement should be at eye level, around 57 to 60 inches from the floor.
4. Leaning Arrangement
Instead of hanging, this style involves leaning framed pictures against a wall, bookshelf, or mantelpiece. This method is casual and flexible, allowing for easy rearrangement.
It doesn’t require any hooks or nails which makes it great if you are living in a rental house or apartment, or if you enjoy changing your art regularly but don’t want to keep adding more holes to your walls.
You can layer different frame sizes for depth and dimension. The large leaning picture frame or artwork should go in the back while smaller frames should be dispersed in the front.
You can buy picture ledges specifically for this purpose, like the one in this image here.
I found a really useful article by Kelly Elko on this here.
5. Cluster Arrangement
A cluster style arrangement groups multiple frames closely together, creating a unified and engaging focal point.
Unlike the gallery wall, you don’t have to have lots of pieces to have a cluster. You could even start with just 1 art piece and build it up from there as you acquire more pieces over time.
Don’t worry about being too precise with spacing. You want your cluster to have quite a casual and informal look, so the arrangement can be asymmetrical and quite ‘loose’.
It is also fine to have lots of wall space left empty around the arrangement.
Here is a great article I read by Danielle Blundell with a 4-step technique on how to create a cluster wall.
6. Diptych and Triptych
A diptych (two panels) or triptych (three panels) involves splitting a single artwork across multiple frames. This style creates continuity and adds drama to a space.
Pictured above is a captivating abstract triptych composition that unfolds across three individual panels, available to purchase within our collection here. The artist has used a sophisticated colour palette where hints of black intertwine with warm tones of brown as well as delicate shades of grey. The colours weave into one another fluidly, and each panel is very well-balanced.
7. A Single Statement Piece
A single large piece of art can serve as the focal point of a room. This style is simple yet impactful.
A single large piece naturally draws attention and anchors the space, making it the star of the room.
It gives the eye a clear and immediate focus, reducing visual clutter.
With this there is no need to worry about multiple frames, spacing, or composition—just hang one piece at the right height (typically 57–60 inches from the floor to the centre).
8. To Sum it All Up…
The way you choose to hang your pictures can affect the ambience of a room. I will say this though, no matter what arrangement you go for, adding pictures to your walls and shelves with instantly give your room personality. If your space is looking a little cold and could use a little uplift, have a look at our collection for lots of interesting original artworks.
If you need advice, suggestions or guidance around what pieces to choose, or perhaps even how to hang a group or a single picture, please do email me at info@discerningpalette.com. Shanti and I are always happy to help and give any advice we have at no cost to you. You are welcome to send in pictures of your space(s) and we can guide you along.
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On a Separate Note
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