The art of getting the height right
The effortless look of a gallery can seem hard to achieve at home, yet a great deal of it comes down to hanging pictures at the right height. British housing makes that harder than it sounds, because a Georgian townhouse with soaring ceilings, a compact Victorian terrace and a modern flat all need different answers.
A picture hung at the wrong height disturbs a room. It can make the ceiling feel lower, and it leaves a favourite piece looking awkward and overlooked. This guide gives practical solutions for British homes.
The quick answer
For a single picture, or the centre of a group, aim for 57 to 60 inches (145 to 152cm) from the floor to the centre of the artwork. That is about eye level for the average adult, and it works in most homes.
The golden rule
The figure is not arbitrary. It corresponds to average adult eye level, so that people standing in the room can look at the picture comfortably, without craning up or peering down. It is the baseline, and the rest of this guide is about when to depart from it.
Adapting the rule
Above furniture
The commonest mistake is to position a picture in relation to the ceiling when it should relate to the furniture beneath it. Above a sofa, console table, sideboard, bed or mantelpiece, forget the ceiling.
Put the bottom edge of the frame 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20cm) above the top of the furniture. The two then read as one arrangement. Hung higher, the picture floats, disconnected from what is below.
Proportion matters as well. A substantial sideboard or a wide headboard can carry a large picture. A slender console table looks best with something smaller, hung nearer the 4 inch mark.
Picture rails
Many period houses have their original picture rails, the mouldings that run round a room a little below the cornice. They are a practical asset and often go unused. Hang pictures from them with rail hooks and cord or picture wire.
The centre of the picture should still be at about 57 to 60 inches from the floor. The advantage of the rail is that you can adjust a picture, or move it along the wall, without touching the plaster. It is also the traditional way to hang a group that you expect to rearrange.
If the rail is very high, you may prefer to hang pictures on the wall below it in the ordinary way.
Stairs and hallways
On a staircase the viewpoint changes with every step. Measure the height from the stairs, not from the floor at the bottom. Keep the centre of each picture at about eye level above the tread it hangs over, so that the pictures climb parallel to the stairs. Stand halfway up to judge the effect.
In a long hallway the standard rule applies, but mind the scale, because a small picture is lost in a long corridor. On a landing, treat the wall like any other, and go a little lower if the landing is small or the headroom low.
Gallery walls
Treat the whole group as one picture. Find the visual centre of the arrangement and put that at 57 to 60 inches from the floor. Hang the central piece first and work outwards, never from a top corner inwards.
Planning
- Lay the frames out on the floor and try different arrangements.
- Draw round each frame on newspaper or wrapping paper, cut out the shapes, and tape them to the wall with low-tack masking tape.
- Keep the gaps between frames consistent, at 1.5 to 3 inches (4 to 8cm).
- Use a spirit level throughout. Crooked frames spoil the effect at once.
- Consider the outline of the whole group, which should be in proportion to the wall and to any furniture below, just as one large picture would be.
Fixing to different walls
British walls vary a great deal, and the fixing must suit the wall.
Plasterboard
This is common in houses built since the 1960s. Ordinary wall plugs do not hold in it. Use fixings made for hollow walls, such as spring toggles or metal or nylon cavity anchors, chosen for the weight of the picture. Check the rating on the pack. Better still, screw into a timber stud.
Solid brick or stone
You need a hammer drill, a masonry bit and wall plugs. Match the bit and the screw to the plug. Expect dust, and hold a vacuum cleaner nozzle just below the drill to catch it. Push the plug in fully, flush with the wall, before driving the screw.
Lath and plaster
Found in houses built before about 1940, this is fragile. Plaster on thin wooden laths can crack and crumble when drilled. Go carefully. Light pictures can hang from picture hooks with fine pins. For more weight, find a timber upright to fix into. For valuable or heavy pieces, take professional advice, or use a picture rail.
The tools
- A tape measure, ideally marked in both metric and imperial.
- A pencil, for light marks.
- A spirit level. A 60cm one is ideal for groups.
- A hammer, and hooks and fixings to suit the wall and the weight.
- A drill, masonry bits and wall plugs for solid walls.
- Picture wire or cord, and D-rings for the backs of the frames.
- Low-tack masking tape, for planning.
- A detector for hidden pipes and cables.
Final considerations
Scale and proportion
Be realistic about what suits the space. A tiny picture on a big wall looks insignificant, and an oversized one can dominate a small room. In a compact room, one well-chosen picture of medium size is often more effective than a cluster of small frames. Consider the visual weight of the frame as well as the picture.
Light and safety
Keep valuable pieces and watercolours out of direct sunlight. A picture light adds focus and drama, particularly in a room with little daylight.
Always use a fixing rated for the weight. An overloaded hook is the commonest cause of accidents, which can damage the art and the wall and hurt someone. If in doubt, choose a stronger fixing, and take professional advice for heavy mirrors, large canvases and valuable works.
Conclusion
Start from the centre at 57 to 60 inches. Relate pictures to the furniture beneath them. Use picture rails where you have them, measure from the treads on a staircase, and plan gallery walls on paper first. Know your wall, use the right fixings, and keep a spirit level to hand. The result is a home where the pictures look as though they belong.
EasyFrame offers a wide range of made-to-measure frames, and with long experience we can advise on the right frame for your artwork. Call us on 01234 856 501 or email sales@easyframe.co.uk. We are always happy to talk, whether or not you want to buy.