Q: Help me fellow Apartment Therapy readers!
I planned out this collection of photos / art / vinyl records on paper before committing it to my newly painted living room wall, but unfortunately started nailing too high, and you can see the result. Though I do like the collage itself, I now hate how weird the placement makes it look. So here's my question - which of the following four options should I choose...
Sent by Wondermart
Editor: Oh Wondermart, we sympathize with your plight. That collage is definitely too high- so frustrating when you've done so much work to plan it out perfectly! We're opening this up as a survey so vote away readers, and if you pick door number four, please post a comment with your suggestion below.
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I would either hang some more below or just start over. If you hang more check out thrift stores for vintage paintings.
That very black piece is too dominant relative to the rest of the arrangement -- it's like a black hole -- and it's too short for the space it's in. It needs to break the lower horizon. If you have a comparably wide framed piece that's longer and lighter colored art, try switching it out, and then adding a few more small pieces around the bottom periphery. You may be able to get it right by simply adding more / different framed art to the mix, moving the balance farther down the wall.
Don't start over! You're off to a good start. Just add some elements below the existing ones. Show us the "after" please!
Admit you made a mistake - fill the holes and move everything down. Whenever I try to "fix" something when it doesn't comeout the way I intend it to I end up hating the fix even more.
Start over!
I had the same thought as j_rae - just extend the collage downward with some additional pieces.
If you have more to add below - great.
But my preference is to move everything down - and while you're at it, give everything a bit more space to breathe.
BTW: Love your MC-Country Loveseat with the paired Commode tables and (brass?) lamps!!!
I think you should move them down, but rework the collage. The lampshades will become part of the arrangement, and will throw the rest off.
I used to have this kind of arrangement, but even bigger.
I would move it down, but I disagree with the above. I think the lamps can stay out of it, but you might have to futz with the lamps themselves a little-farther over on the tables maybe.
I would also recommend using paper cut to the size of the pieces and taping them on the wall so this doesn't happen again! Only take one paper template down as you hang it's artwork. Then move to the next one.
If you add more pieces, I think you'll end up annoyed at the "second choice" stuff being the stuff at eye level and most noticeable. If you go with this idea though, I would add only a little more now to pull the collection downward, and then I would plan to let it grow more slowly and organically over time as you find stuff you really like.
I think I'd see if I could find a way to redesign the collage so that only some of the items would need to be lowered, and others could stay put. Like maybe take those three small pictures off the top, and put them down below, as a start.
That said, I do think part of the problem is that the pictures are a hair too close together, and I don't know if you could fix that without taking everything down and starting over from scratch.
How about a thick shelf underneath arrangement? Remove the small frame on the lowest part on right. Find a few turquoise blue items (vases, bowls, candlesticks...) to match foot stool and place on shelf. That organized display on shelf will be a nice contrast to the fun/chaotic frame display.
~Tracy @
http://www.dailydecorator.com
Add more on the bottom.
i agree regarding too close together i also am not keen on that little one bottom right. so maybe best to either try to keep a few if possible in place and work around that or start from scratch?
Take them down, replan and rehang. They are too high, and you'll want the focus to be on particular pieces.
My initial thoughts when I look at it?
There are too many small things, and you need another large one to anchor the look.
I agree that the all-black is distracting, too different from the others, and takes attention. If you want it to do so, make sure it's at a focal point. (Look up the "rule of thirds" and put the object people are drawn to at the appropriate intersection!)
I hate to quote Martha Stewart (and I'm sure she didn't pioneer the idea), but DEFINITELY use old newspaper or brown wrapping paper to plan the hanging. Cut one piece exactly the size of each collage object, and then move them around with masking tape until they look exactly as you want them to. THEN plan and hang.
To be honest, I really don't like the trend of hanging lots of stuff non-rectilinearly on a wall - especially lots of small stuff. It could be psychological: it always reminds me of cutesy-cutesy housewifey stuff that was just passe' enough during my formative years to make me think "UGH!" But it could also be that all these small things give the eye no place to rest, no focus. Most often, these just don't seem to "pop," to me, and they rarely balance the large furniture pieces they're typically highlighting.
So, call me OCD; I can take it. I'm on vacation with little money and lots of time, and the recent AT post on oversized prints in small spaces gave me love. I had to play around a little (in poorly-executed PaintShop) with this space, and giant stuff instead of a lot of small stuff:
Lovely portrait from the other post:
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb99/mbc1963/bighead.jpg
A big, graphic print:
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb99/mbc1963/russia.jpg
An old, copyright-free book illustration, printed and mounted on foamboard:
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb99/mbc1963/bird.jpg
To me, the single, large focus makes the room. I'm getting all inspired and tingly. :D
Mary
just add more stuff to the bottom
Take it down and rehang it. I'd also lose the black piece, it's too "heavy". The comic picture (looks like one) on the far right is a good piece to build around. Add one more large piece to the arrangment. In general, hang art with the bottom of the frame about 6-8 inches from the top of the piece it's going over. I don't care how high the ceilings are, the art needs to relate to the piece it is above. Good luck and post when you change it, whatever you decide.
The arrangement is very nice, but much too crowded. Take it down, space it out to fill more of the wall space-the top of the arrangement is at a good height. Spaced out, the whole will look less jumbled.
I love art collages and the elements you are using are great but you do need a new formation.
Because of the existing furniture layout and the length of your wall it would be better to do a formation that's more vertical and also asymmetrical (since your side tables are the same size with the same lamps. it would be very dull to do a symmetrical formation.)
I find the best way to get a collage right the first time is not only put it down on paper (keeping in mind the ratio of space between each object) but laying it out on the floor directly below where you're hanging it. Since you've already goofed once a further suggestion is to cut paper the exact size and shape of each item and arrange it on the wall using tape (like painters, electrical or photography so not to pull any paint with it when removed). This way you can arrange and rearrange until your heart's content without doing any more damage to the wall.
even as a compulsive hang-and-rehang-'til-it's-perfect-er(?), i say leave it as is. i'd just install a shelf beneath the arrangement and put a cute doo-dad or two on it. (just make sure the shelf depth is short so you're not knocking your head on it when sitting on the sofa!)