I've been thinking that it's time to do another Tips + Tricks post and this particular topic has been circulating in my head for probably the past year. It's something that is very important to me, however, ever time I try to sit down and write about it I don't even know where to begin.

I was reading on The Creative Mama (written by Stacy Woods) this morning and it finally gave me the push to sit down and write this out. She has included some fantastic info and pulled together a great collection of images that should inspire you with many completely different looks. Below I'll outline a few guidelines that I've come up with and at the end I'll share some of the images that Stacy blogged about. You can check back here to read her original post. BTW- check out the creative mama site anyway. Tonnes of great articles, DIY projects and resources to inspire you. You'll love it, I promise.

Though there is no one way to hang art, (the amount of possibilities are really endless!) there are a few guidelines to follow:

1) Your images should have a presence and balance.

When looking at the wall/display, it should catch your eye and pull you in and make you want to look and appreciate it, without going overboard and making it feel creepy with larger than life family portraits or so overwhelming that you can't stop looking.

2) Spacing should be balanced for eye line, not exact space.

Let me expand. If you have 12 foot ceilings and want to put a nice large image behind your couch in the living room, you'll want to put it up 4-5 foot from the floor to keep the center of the frame at eye level rather than centering it between the floor and ceiling. Also keep in mind that you want to allow some room for people's heads when seated on the couch. Ideally bottom of the art work would be just at the top of an average person's head. When people are sitting on the couch you don't want them to be blocking the bottom portion of the image.

3) Look online for inspiration before you even print your images.

There are sooo soo many different ways to display art that you are not confined something boring like 2 8x10s over the mantel anymore. Look on different decor sites to get ideas - then once you have a plan, pick your images. Or, if you insist on a particular image or two, research hanging methods that would work with the amount and sizes of images you have. Remember that the way you display the art either enhances or takes away from the effect.

4) Measure twice, nail once.

Take time to think about the spacing and hardware before you start making holes in the wall. Large images require pretty heavy duty hardware which means bigger holes in the wall. If you stick something up and then change your mind or realize it needs to move over an inch or the hardware makes it hang higher/lower than anticipated, you'll either have to repair and repaint, work around it by putting something else over it, or just leaving the space there (which actually subtly takes your eye away from the actual art) Measure twice, nail once. Need I say more?

5) Bigger is often better.

Things tend to shrink dramatically once displayed on a big open wall. A 5x7 or 8x10 may look nice in your hand, but put it on a wall by itself and it will look like it shrunk a size or two. When preparing for an art exhibit last year, I hired a carpenter to make me custom frames from reclaimed barn boards. I decided on 16x20s, thinking that with 18 of those there would be a great presence to them. Believe or not, even at that size they didn't look big enough. If I had to do it again I'd go even another size or two up from that.

Now, I'm not arbitrarily going to throw out numbers and sizes for your space because it's not a rule that "If it is above the mantel it needs to be 24x36 inches" - it's all about what space you have and the look you are going for. Just keep in mind that it takes big pictures (or lots of little pictures) to fill a big wall. If you are unsure of what sizes to get, cut out some cardboard or find something around the house that is similar to the size you're thinking of and get a friend to hold it up for you. You'll be able to get a much better sense of how it fills the space. It takes more time in the planning stage, but could save you a lot of time (and money) in the long run.

6. Invest in quality frames.

Again, this is something that can make-or-break the art. Using quality framing enhances the quality of the image. Also, if you would like to be able to use these frames for years to come (and change the images every so often to update), pick frames with good hardware on the back and strong edges that won't chip or show wear.

I've made a new friend named Krista. She is incredibly nice and I'd highly recommend that you go here to get your framing done. She has great selection, wonderfully sweet service, you'd be supporting a local business, (and if you go before the end of August you can see my exhibit! :P) Check out at Cornerstone Custom Framing and Gallery

----------------------

So, I've talked about framing. I'm going to quickly touch on four other ways to display the art and then I'll leave you with that. If you have questions, you know where to reach me :)

1) Hanging. See the pic below. Many ways to do this - As cool and sleek as tight wire and pro hardware, or as DIY easy as twine, thumbtacks and paper clips.

2) Storyboards. Here you can display a lot of pictures without the cluttered look (and costly expense) of multiple frames. Check out the ones I do here.

3) Shelves. If you can't commit and want to keep it fresh, this is a great idea. What I love about this is that you can add other stuff too. At Christmas time you can throw a few decorations on the shelves as well... In the summer you can add a vase of flowers. It doesn't all have to pictures. Changing the images themselves, and then also the order on the shelf, keeps it always looking new and fun.

4) Albums. Have your photographer design a beautiful leather bound (or other durable material) album and leave it on the coffee table. Guests love looking through pictures!

Now, on with the inspiration!

Photo courtesy Apartment Therapy / Southern AccentsPhoto courtesy Martha StewartPhoto courtesy of Pottery BarnPhoto courtesy of Pottery BarnPhoto courtesy of Pewter and Sage

Photo courtesy of Domino Magazine (via Apartment Therapy)

Here's a shot from Stacy's house...I will leave you with Stacy's fabulous method for hanging art:

"You will need:

• kraft paper
• hanging hardware for your frames (including hammer and nails)
• painter’s tape

1. Arrange your framed photos on the floor or large table.  Take your time, and create a display you love!
2. Once you have a pleasing arrangement, trace each frame onto kraft paper.
3. Carefully measure the hanging hardware on the back of each frame from the top of the frame – mark in pencil on the corresponding kraft paper.  (Measure twice, nail once!)
4. Tape the kraft paper to the wall to match your arrangement, and drive a nail through the mark you’ve made.
5. Rip the paper off the wall and hang your frame in its place!

Two other quick tips and tricks resources from:   Pottery Barn   |   Martha Stewart

 Good luck with your projects!

Join the facebook group    |    Contact me    |    Join the Creative Mama Facebook page