How to Center a Picture Over a Couch

Mark the wall with faint pencil marks at the outermost back corners of the couch. Measure the distance between the two pencil marks, and then divide it by two for the center measurement. Measure from the leftmost mark to the center and mark it on the wall with your pencil. Measure from the center point to the rightmost mark to verify that your mark is in the exact center.

Measure the height of your picture, and then add 8 inches for the maximum picture hanging height. Hold a straight-edge level vertically at your center pencil mark. Adjust the level until the bubbles are centered in their windows. Draw a faint pencil line up from the center mark to the maximum hanging height.

Hold your picture against the wall at the pencil line. Position the picture so its middle is at eye level for someone in a seated position. Make sure the bottom edge of the frame hangs between 3 and 8 inches above the back of the couch. Make a pencil mark at the top edge of the picture frame, where the frame intersects with your vertical pencil line.

Turn the picture over and measure from the top edge of the frame to the hanging hardware. Most pictures have sawtooth hangers, D-rings or a wire suspended between two D-rings. For wire hangers, hook the edge of a metal measuring tape under the wire. Pull the wire taunt toward the top of the frame before taking the measurement.

Measure down from the pencil mark from Step 3 by the amount from Step 4. Mark the spot with a horizontal pencil mark that crosses your vertical pencil line. Erase the higher mark from Step 3 so you don't get them confused.

Install a picture hanger -- one that's appropriate for your wall type -- at the pencil mark from Step 5, according to the manufacturer's instructions. For angled picture hangers that attach to the wall above the actual hook, align the hook with the pencil mark. Erase all your pencil marks, and hang the picture on the wall.