How to Arrange Paintings

Assess the room where you intend to hang the paintings. Make a note of where the main features of the room are, the focal point and the most looked at walls. For example, the area above a fireplace or above a sofa are large areas that invite a painting to be hung. Conversely, the surface behind the door is not looked at and often hidden.

Identify the pieces of art you want to hang in the room. Bear in mind you might not be able to hang all of them because there may be a lack of space. Put them in the room so you and your helper can lift them up and plan where to put them.

Group together paintings that match. The paintings might have the same frame, be by the same artist, have similar colorings or painting style. You can position these paintings close by as they complement one another.

Position the largest painting first. This is the picture that is focus of the room, so position it on the most central area of wall. Ask your helper to hold up the painting in this approximate position, and then look to check that it suits this space. Use a measuring tape to mark out the middle point of the wall so you know where to hang it.

Arrange a smaller painting to each side of the larger to balance out the proportion of the bigger painting. Choose paintings that are equal in size so the arrangement is symmetrical.

Place a painting next to a window frame. Arrange the painting exactly half way up the length of the window frame to keep it balanced. If you have two smaller paintings position one up top of each other, making sure there is a small space between them.

Create a geometrical design on the surface of a large open space. Group together five or six smaller paintings in a checkerboard design. Hang them in this way to create an unusual visual display.

Hang an odd number of paintings in a row across the length of the wall. This allows space for a sofa below, or a picture frame around the edge of the wall.