What about putting it on the floor as Art for the 5th Wall?

The only ones that don't either look like a mistake or like you just got interrupted in the midst of hanging a picture are numbers 6 and 9. And maybe 10... ish.

Not a fan of 3, 7 or 8 but like the rest!

It all looks crammed, cramped or out of proportion. Reminds me of Fran Lebowitz quote, something like there's a reason in all these years no one's ever put lime juice on scalloped potatoes.

i don't really like any of them.

As a gallerist, I have overseen the hanging of work both in a gallery setting and in private homes and I strongly object to examples 1 & 2 of "unorthodox" hanging methods. I understand the context of this post regards decorating with art, but if you're actually bothering to collect work, and it doesn't matter if it's a $200 painting from a grad student or a $2M blue chip artist, it's a disservice to the artist/yourself/your home to hang a piece poorly. 1 is an impractical method of hanging if the door is going to see any kind of use. There's also no hard, fast rule about not hanging work that's too big on a wall that's too small. It's simply counter-intuitive and, again, there are concerns regarding practicality as the works can potentially be knocked off the wall by passers-by. If the work is dramatic and sculptural, sure, it makes sense to put on oversized piece on an undersized wall. However, the example provided looks like someone hung paintings/drawings that were too big for that wall because it matched the room/the chairs. The only reason to ever consider hanging work like that is if it happens to be a last resort because every inch of your wallspace is already covered with a piece of art. (Also, it's fairly conventional to lean things or hang work salon-style.)

Seconding everything Jojofunbun said. Also, I've never been anywhere where pictures that were leaning against the wall didn't sooner or later get knocked over (and in a couple of cases ruined) by a bouncy dog or toddler, or an overly refreshed party guest. I did try it a few years back with a couple of very large framed prints rather than drill anchors into the plaster wall of a rental. Saw some photos and realized it just looked like we hadn't finished moving in.

Am I the only one who thinks framed art sitting on a chair or on the floor just looks like they haven't gotten around to hanging it yet? I cannot stand this "look."

I loved this post - brilliant ideas. The statues was my favourite. It's good to think outside the fox.

I am with the majority here. Most of these look like you just haven't gotten around to hanging them yet.

The door one would be fine as long as it is on a door that you don't use or is unusable. I could totally see myself accidentally flinging it open and damaging the art and/or wall in the process. I find the chair one just confusing though.

I am okay with leaning as long as the art is proportionate to the space and out of the way of harm (drafts, dogs, children, clumsy adults, etc.) as previous posters have said.

So many over thinkers. Do what you love and how you love.

Hmm... I actually kind of like most of these. The practicality would keep me from hanging on a a much-used door, but I really like the look.

What awesome, out-of-the-box ideas! Why didn't I think of hanging a piece of art in front of a bookcase so I couldn't use it for books or storage? Also, that painting surely needed to sit in that chair way more than a guest or family member would.

And I just love that 'lean art against the wall' look. Nothing says 'I just moved here' quite like it.

Never been a fan of the over-bookshelf idea. There's just something so awkward and impractical about covering up your shelving.

I like leaning a piece against the wall in the right context. In Sex and the City, Carrie always had a bunch of overlapping artwork on top of a mid-century credenza that I really liked. The blank expanse of wall above it helped emphasize the long, low profile of the credenza.

I think it's fine to lean art against the wall or hang it on the front of a bookcase. It's all about context.

Thirding (is that a thing?) everything Jojofunbun said.

Not one of those ideas would work for me either practically or aesthetically. But I guess this is truly the definition of a First World Problem, so I can't get too riled by it.

Not a fan of the majority of these (trying to eliminate "clutter" in my new home) but 6 and 9 were really simple and inspiring. love the idea of putting things in front of pictures on a shelf - not revolutionary, I know, but it definitely made me rethink the display of the dozens of pieces of art my boyfriend and I have.

And 9 is gorgeous though I don't know how much it might cost to do a custom frame job that size.

I like all of the photos but the one hanging on the door. As an artist and a friend of many artists, we leave our art propped against the wall out of practicality. We also tack up our sketches and studies as seen in the second photo. And no, you won't offend the artist if you prop a painting against the wall as long as you love it.

I guess it depends on if you want your space to look like a gallery or studio. I prefer the studio.

As an Artist I have to say placing ART behind a door or on a shelf behind a stack of books is NOT unconventional it is INSULTING ! ART is NOT an accessory like a throw pillow , I suppose you might advise putting a Lalique Figure in the Kitchen with the spices ? That is IF YOU KNOW WHAT LALIQUE IS ! Perhaps in the future Apartment Therapy might run an article of this nature by the ART DIRECTOR First before printing ! Consider your hand Slapped , Laurent Giroux

Ooof! These are terrible! How disrespectful to the artists who painted them! And why bother having a book shelf with books if one is just going to cover the books up with paintings?! On a chair?!? Are you kidding me?! Well, I guess I should now go ahead & prop some of my collected works up against the trash can in my kitchen. Or, prop one up against the toilet tank. I mean, there's all that wasted space behind the lid when it's in the up position! The dog house out back could use some art work! Ah, ok, I'm getting snarky now. I'll leave now.

You people are such prima donnas. I have art hung on my walls and propped against walls. I have lots of collected art and don't have a ton of space to put it so I stick it where I can. I like it and think that if someone came in my house judging me like you people apparently would do I would defintely not want to be friends with you.

@Laurent - I love art and appreciate it, but I still think that once someone buys a piece it's theirs to do with how they choose be it hanging on a door, painting over it, etc.

Why would someone hang a framed painting in front of a bookshelf full of books?

<3

I love my art and my kids. Most of these suggestions are totally impractical if you have both in your home. But I really am looking for ideas as I have limited wall space and lots of art and lots of kids. Well...more art than kids. Perhaps another post?

I like most of them. I temporarily placed a piece of art beneath the console table in my entry when I moved in, and I like the look of it so much it's still there10 years later.

Art sitting on the floor, on pupose, always looks staged and affected to me. It's like someone wants to project the "I'm so busy I can't put this up" image. There's no way to appreciate a work down there, leaning at angle. You're just showing the world that you have art. Any art.

The epitome of this was my utterly unsophisticated MIL, who was given one very small, very minor piece of original, framed art. She kept it on the floor, leaned up against the wall...with the price tag on the frame!...for ages. She wanted people to see how much it cost, and would have had to remove the sticker if she put it up.

@ Rural and rueful: LOL! Your MIL sounds like a friend I used to have. She drove me nuts because she ALWAYS left the price tags on EVERYTHING she bought- whether a chatchki from the Goodwill (with the yellow sticker that said "$2") or a lamp from IKEA. If if came with a price tag affixed she left it on. If the price tag was originally attached to the bottom or back of something she would remove it & attach it to the front or top so that one had no choice but to notice it. Why would someone do that?! I guess I should have asked her. But I eventually got too weirded out by her habit & let the friendship dissolve. Then I had to move away. I wonder how she would have reacted if I had the guts to ask. Does anyone else know someone like that & have you asked them why?

I guess putting my husband's framed poster of David Hasselhoff in the bathroom is a great disrespect to the actor? If someone owns it, it's theirs to do with as they please. With that said, I have to repeat the sentiment that some of these placements seem rather inconvenient if you have young children and/or pets.

I don't like the look, but if others do, more power to them.

I like the door and the blanket. Casual, cozy, but not too affected. Nice.

I'd love some tips on getting some nice looking cheap art in Australia. Most of the sites I find are American and have massive shipping costs or wont ship internationally.

Our walls are pretty plain and classifieds never seem to have anything worth buying second hand.

from 1 - 10: certainly not, absoutely not, under no circumstances, possibly, no! no! no! no! yes, yes

Put art wherever and however it brings you joy and inspiration and tell those who don't like it to go home and stare at their own pieces.

Shouldn't this be "10 unconventional PLACES to hang art?" I was hoping for an alternative to framing art...

"10 Unconventional Ways to Hang Art"
I didn't expect to see art hanging on walls, but apparently others did. I personally wouldn't do any of these in my home, but I appreciate the notion.

There's only two I like on here... 4 and 6. They seem the most complete to me and I'd actually use these ideas in my home. My boyfriend and I hang our stuff on the walls, except for a few pictures on the mantle and one resting above on a door frame and this might seem tacky, but if there's not a nail already in the wall we just use clear tacks, even for the framed work (we'd eventually like to get frames for everything). I also like the idea of small, self-standing picture frames which we have on our bookcases.

@thedanman, have you tried Etsy? It's international and I bet there are Australian artists trying to make a living whose art you could afford.

If you lean art or prop it on the floor, please don't try to get the artist to fix it when the dog scratches through it or you've inadvertently kicked it. Personal responsibility is key here.

@ rannbug- A "framed poster of David Hasselhoff in the bathroom"? Disrespectful? I'd say not. But freaky? A bit.

I like them all.

What about easels?

@ecuadoriana1 - it was either that or the trash can. Inside it, not propped up against it. ;-) I am more into Klimt than the Hoff's artwork. But, hey... first world problems.

@ rannbug: Oh! I thought you meant an actual poster OF David Hasselhoff. LOL! Whew! That's why I thought it was freaky. The last thing I'd want to do is do my doo in front of the Hoff! Maybe dems freaky eyes be followin' me all over the room! Woooooo..............

@ecuadoriana1 - you're still correct. It is a poster of David Hasselhoff. Framed. And yes, it's freaky, but the sacrifices we make for the sake of humoring our spouses.

http://www.universalposter.com/posters/index/artist/david-hasselhoff

I guess technically this is the "artwork" of Universal Studios, so my bad. And the bathroom was the only place I'd allow it to be. Would rather not have it in the kitchen or our living area, but I digress...

Practically speaking (& I don't typically, but propping pictures against my wall has made me), I've probably had about 4 really nice pictures become casualties! They have either fallen, been kicked when someone walked by or my cats have run by them/behind them & the result is shattered glass everywhere & me thinking "damn! I should have hung that already!" SO A HUGE THUMBS DOWN FOR THAT DECORATING IDEA!

Abigail Ahern has 'borrowed' a LOT from this post this morning ... without crediting you

http://abigailahern.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/creative-ways-to-display-art/

I don't understand why hanging art on a door would be insulting to the artist - I have a great print I have hung on the front of the bathroom door, which is great as when the bathroom door is shut (most of the time) I have some great art to look at rather than blank white, as the door acts as an extra piece of wall. When you are living in a small apartment without much wall space, you do need to be a bit flexible and creative about how to hang art, but I agree with a lot of the other posters that it's a bit pointless and not making the best use of limited space to hang art on a chair (thereby meaning you have lost a seat) or across a bookcase!

Abigail Ahern has 'borrowed' a LOT from this post this morning ... without crediting you

http://abigailahern.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/creative-ways-to-display-art/

@ZOE99 boy I wish I could search by size on Etsy, I've just spent the last hour browsing Australian artists, and everytime I find something I like it's the size of a post card :(

Some of these ideas are interesting. I sat a print in a chair once because I couldn't decide where to hang it and then my husband and I like it so much, we decided to keep it there! There are also some cases where it could be nice to prop a large piece up on a wall. It's best to hang your art in a place where it can be seen and where it will be properly supported. Here's some advice on hanging art if you need some tips!

http://www.easyart.com/content/features/house_doctor/hanging_art_tips.ghtml

Most of those are a real no-no for me. But 4 and 10 I actually really like and have similar things at home. Being a renter who isn't allowed to drill holes in the wall....well you just get creative. I also use my bookshelf's top shelf to display art and there are always a couple of paintings on the entryway credenza.
There's a sense of transience in this type of arrangement. I get bored of displayed photographs and paintings quite easily as well so I like changing as soon as I find something new and the new paintings might not fit pre-existing hooks. Plus, I really like the boho/artist's studio/ work in progress look. I don't like my space looking completely 'done' or finished.

But paintings on the floor? no, no, no, no. It looks like you've found it in the trash and you've just letf it there till you can sell it on ebay.

there's really an advantage of hanging art. When professionally done, it’ll show the natural edge and beauty of your home.

1, 2 and 3 look like crap.
4 and 8 look sloppy/lazy.
7 just looks weird.

About the only ones that look decent are 6, 9 and 10, although I don't know that any of them really look great, just not weird. So I don't know how much that really says.

Sorry, AT. This is a misfire...

I think there is a difference between "prints" and actual pieces of art. A "print" I would have no trouble hanging up anywhere- side of fridge to hide the ugly marks left by a previous tenant, to cover a hole in a door left by a previous tenant that the landlord hasn't gotten around to repairing, etc.). But an actual piece of original art- whether by someone famous or not- would be a little insulting to the artist.Or just downright tacky. But a Matisse print? Or a framed foto of the HOFF- yeah, could be hung in a bathroom, propped on the floor of the bathroom, ceiling, whatever. But NEVER an original. That's where I draw the line. (but that is just the artist in me talking. I think I would be a bit offended if I was in someone's home & they had one of my collage works propped against the wall. I'd probably want to help them decide on a good place to hang it!)

I've done all of these at one time or another. To avoid holes in the door, use one of those over the door hangers and then add some removable strips at the back of the picture to hold it in place.

I hate the majority of these trends.

Laurent Giroux, i'd like you to consider your face slapped.

Well, #7 proves good art won't improve a hot mess!

No....just, NO.

Laurent Giroux - easy there, boy.

I can't afford to buy any "real" art. I'm paying down a home equity loan and saving for retirement. But if I could afford to buy "real" art - I'd damn well hang it on a door if I wanted to. When I buy it, I buy the right to do anything with it that I please - hang it over my toilet, prop it in my toolshed, use it as a backdrop for some funky iron machine parts I found at the flea market.

You say art is not an "accessory." Well, I would argue that it is precisely that. It's the ultimate accessory - a thing with no practical use, and whose only purpose is to please the eye of the one who displays it. The only value in a piece of art comes from the viewers and the whims of the market of the moment. Beyond the costs of the canvas and paints, there is no inherent value in colors smeared over a piece of fabric. (And no inherent difference between a painting and a dirty canvas dropcloth.) It's all imaginary and fleeting: the monetary as well as the spiritual value in a piece of "art."

Don't take it so seriously - or you'll decidedly lose the joy.

I've leaned art for a while before figuring out how what I wanted to do with that piece or that wall, and it always looked so much better and more complete after I'd hung the art.

Hanging something in front of that embroidered textile is a shame. It looks like the Pulkari is in good condition and having something in front of it will ruin it.

As for the rest - the voices of the art establishment represented here are why avoid most of the art scene. All together now... ART with a capital A. Ugh.

I would never hang a painting on the back of a door (forcryinoutloud it's a work of fine art, not a poster, and I'm no longer 14.)

I also wouldn't put a painting on a chair, as it seems likely to get knocked over or slide down and smash on the floor.

The idea of framing your sofa with paintings is interesting, but I would take more care in balancing the composition of the works, to make them look better "fitted" into the space, and less hodgey-podgey. Cramming a large painting into the corner of a mishmash art-mural doesn't do any service to the painting. If you have art on the wall, you ought to help it be seen in the best possible way, not the least.

I like the idea of framing a massive swatch of paper, and then hanging a smaller painting in the center; it really set off the work nicely.

The one with the fabric hung behind the painting was really eye catching to me, I think because it was so nicely contrasting. I would be sad to put a hole into a lovely artisan fabric though.

Thank you, @Mary B C! I wanted to say something but couldn't articulate it as well as you did. I don't personally like some of these, but I don't personally have to live with them. Most of my "art" is hung traditionally. I do have two pieces propped on top of a short bookcase. I love the way they look layered against each other. Neither of them is anything precious- a framed poster and the other is some vintage postcards. My art, my way.

I have a couple of pieces of original art that are simply too heavy to hang safely...those are on a bookshelf and on an easel, and I love the look of both of them. Other overlooked places for art--on the fridge (it's not just for children's art), and on cabinet doors, especially on a TV cabinet/wardrobe. Also, in a window, especially if it's a window in a room where you need a little extra privacy. Also, don't forget art in your outdoor spaces!

"I love the idea of hanging art on a column that's just a tiny bit narrower than the canvas. Rules were made to be broken." You know what else was made to be broken? Art hung with protruding edges that lead people to snag it and knock it off the wall.

With this zeal for approving unconventionality for unconventionality's sake, I'm honestly surprised not to have seen examples of art affixed to the ceiling or hung with the image facing the wall.

@Mary B C - Well said.

What I don't understand is why there are so many negative comments on not just this post, but on many of the posts on AT. Isn't this site about design, trends, ideas, etc.? Keep an open mind folks and realize that just because something isn't you, it isn't necessarily bad.

As an artist and curator, all of these suggestions, with the exception of the small statue prints on the bookshelves are really bad. Don't use it these ideas. It will make your home look amateur and incomplete. Art is not a second thought. Make room for it.