We own a lot of art — specifically a lot of small to medium sized art — and when we moved in together last year, our individual collections collided. While struggling over what to do with all this art, we were also brainstorming about how to use the room-sized foyer which separates the living and dining rooms. It didn't take long before we had this idea — a large grouping of art that could grow as we collected more and/or decided to change the function of the foyer space...
Draft a Rough Composition
Since this was going to be a silly, function-less room (to give you a sense of scale, the previous tenant used it as a full office), we decided to create a furniture vignette from which our organic grouping of art would "emerge." The low-stance of our LCM Eames chair was the inspiration. Our art cluster would appear to float up from the chair, beginning small and slowly gaining in size and color. We also knew we would jump over the corner of the wall to imply that the collage was not bound in on any side.
This asymmetrical composition would give us a balanced look while still allowing us to add to the collage on a variety of sides. The same would be much more difficult with a composition like a square or rectangle which is what we see in magazines most often.
Arrange, Take Pictures, Re-arrange, Repeat
Once we had the idea for our composition, we brought out everything we owned and began grouping on the floor, looking for interesting relationships — complementary colors, shapes, variety of scale and density (how light or dark a piece is). Find a focal point (the largest, or brightest, or most colorful, etc.) and work outward from there. It's all about finding good neighbors. For example, our focal point is the "aeronautique espace" poster which has a rich blue background that looked the best when surrounded by pieces with a lot of white in them. Generally you want a mix of solid color and whiteness throughout your grouping to create a nice optical rhythm.
A word of advice: once you find something you sort of like, take a picture before rearranging it. It'll save you from a huge headache when you try to remember things you've already tried. Don't lose patience. Walk away for a few minutes if you need to see it fresh again. You'll know when you find a sweet spot.
Hanging: If It Looks Right, It Is Right
Once you've settled on a layout, photograph it for reference while you hang. Begin by hanging the piece which is the focal point of your design and work outward from there. Three guidelines for measuring: 1. Establish one standard distance between all pieces (ours was 3.5"); 2. Try to anchor each piece to an edge that has already been defined — we began by hanging the two little illustrations on the left of our blue poster so that they aligned with the top of the poster; and 3. Don't be afraid to break the rules.
Remember, if it looks right, it is right. Those same two little illustrations that align to the top of the blue poster happen to be closer together than any other two things in our grouping because we wanted them to hang within the width of the green poster they sit on top of. But you probably didn't notice that, you just thought it looked "right."
Completion is Relative
This is what our collage looked like after we were "finished." We think it's a pretty accurate representation of our initial sketch and we enjoyed it just like this for a few months. But, just as we knew would happen, we began to desire more function from our silly space and replaced the chair with a bench for putting shoes on and off. We also painted the walls a soft white, hung a light and rearranged a few pieces on the walls...
This is what our foyer looks like now and we're still open to the idea that things will shift and change as we continue to change, ourselves. The wonderful thing is that our asymmetrical, growing composition allows us the freedom to add to and take away whenever we want!
Other Great Picture-Grouping How-Tos:
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
More importantly, what's Bacon's take on it?
view LilyC's profile
This is a really great post and a great how to in hanging and you are so right, if it looks right, it usually is and to not be afraid to break the rules (good for many things but once you know the rules, there will be times when you NEED to break them here and there).
I will, once I get the other 4 done a grouping that will hang either horizontally or vertically depending on whether I get the living room re-arrange or have to leave it as is and that's 8 black album frames with not quite full sized reproductions of 60's era Jazz LP covers from Blue Note. If the couch remains on this wall, they'll be hung horizontally in 2 rows of 4 each. If I can re-arrange the furniture, I may find that doing it vertically in the same manner is what I'll do.
view ciddyguy's profile
great post
view Vicadin's profile
Question: When you get the hankering to change up the arrangement, do you fill in the nail holes, sand, and repaint? Or do make sure the new arrangement obscures your old nail holes? Or, as I'd be wont to do, leave the holes as the are and slowly go mad?
view Veruca's profile
Bacon!
view rockypondgirl's profile
Thank you! I am moving into a new place at the end of the month, and planning to do just this with my art. These pointers will be very helpful!
view rainyday's profile
might get pricey but you could consider the 3m command velcro strips. do all of the above steps. place the velcros on the back both the part that is stuck to the frame and the other velcro part stuck to it. When it is time to put that one up use something as a spacer (a piece of foam core for example cut to 3.5" or whatever else) lay that up against the frame you are going from, butt the new frame to the foam core and stick the new frame on the wall.
no holes, you can taker it down easily and if you have a few piece that are similar sizes and you put the velcro in the same spot always, lets say 2" from the top, you could switch the images al around.
view jmorey's profile
Bacon's supervising.
view Pixie's profile
I move pictures around all the time. A top decorator gave me the tip that if you rub a bar of Ivory soap over the nail hole, it fills in the gap and appears to be the same color as the wall (assuming the hole isn't huge, of course).
view Lisa (Montreal)'s profile
Is it me, or do the pictures on the left adjacent wall look like afterthoughts? I think I'd have arranged the pieces to cluster out from the corner so that the two displays flowed together...
view bepsf's profile
Everybody loves Bacon :)
view sunrise's profile
Bacon hugs!
I think hanging a bunch of pieces on the wall that are not all that interesting or truly loved pieces just to fill a wall is like putting a bunch of furniture into a room to fill the space. The random hanging is become more contrived than it set out to be. I only like seeing this if it is truly chaotic like the space is or truly interesting pieces to drag your eyes around with interest.
But then again I am more of a gallery style art or photography hanger it just works best with the few pieces I love, but the photography gets changed out from time to time.
view LoriSF's profile
Thanks so much for this post (and the Bacon pictures!) - my husband and I have been struggling with the same issue of how to deal with our diverse, and yet very loved, collection of pictures. These tips will come in super handy (especially the point about taking pictures).
I really like this composition as it's personal instead of stylized and sterile.
view Hannala's profile
This is lovely! I've been studying groupings to try and integrate more of it into my spaces, and this is a wonderful guide. Thanks!
view Charmedseed's profile
What is that poster with the three people? It looks Matisse-like, but I've never seen it before.
view st@cy's profile
Uhg! It always looks so easy, but then when you start thinking about it, it always turns into a daunting task!
Do you have any cohesiveness thoughout the images that you've hung together, or are they random as well??
I have a lot of photos and prints that I want to hang like this, but I get the feeling that they are TOO different and wouldn't go together very well.
view revolution9's profile
I'm with revolution9. I find that when I try to use a random assortment....it never has the great blend other people seem to be able to pull off with so much ease. Enjoyed the post.....WANT the dog!
view baileyb's profile