Well, that of course depends on who it's with, where it's placed, and how that place is used.
Visually, I think low hung art can almost always work as long as it's in a group. If it's part of a grouping that starts a bit higher, it can ground soaring ceilings, as in Casey's loft seen in pictures 2 and 3. The same holds true for spaces with white walls, such as in picture 4, where the art grouping spills over the bed and nightstands, reaching toward the floor. The effect takes the emphasis away from the expansive white walls, and places it on the bed arrangement just like a painted or papered accent wall. It can also even out a room that houses a bulky or attention grabbing piece, such as the black bookcase in picture 1, Casey's armoire in picture 2, or Melissa Warner's beautiful blue tufted sofa in picture 5.
Functionally, it may be a different story, and one that seems to be quite subjective. Beautiful as they are, the low hanging art in pictures 1-3 would probably be total goners in a house with curious young children, pets, or clumsy occupants— one tug or accidental brush up against the wall, and down they'd crash. However, above a high-backed, thick sofa as in picture 5, art need not abide by the general suggestion of 5-10 inches above....unless of course you're tall and prone to throwing your head back or if the artwork protrudes over the back of the sofa— unpleasant for sure. Bottom line: assess your living habits and those of the people who live with you before going for an ultra low look.
Other Good Posts on This Subject:
•How To: Hang Your Artwork and Not Screw It Up
• Getting Height Right
And now, what are your thoughts?
Images: 1: living etc., 2-3: Jason Loper for Apartment Therapy: Chicago, Casey's Loft Life, 4: Domino, 5: Victoria Pearson for House Beautiful
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well, I don't really know, but one of the cutest things I have ever seen was miniature art hung at doggie eye level above a friend's dog bowl.
As long as it starts off about eye level I think a grouping of pictures/paintings looks great hung lower. And if your hanging it above something lower (back of a couch, or in place of a headboard) I think it also looks great. One single painting hung by itself below eye level? Not so much...
Agree exactly with Sundaydrive00. Just silly, all alone down there. I would make an exception for the dog bowl. And the last photo, of what I think of as the Couch Problem (art hung near the sofa gets leaned on, art hung above head height looks weird) is why I never have a sofa against the wall...
Ironically, I just posted a comment under the Greek hotel cottages that there were a lot of pictures hung very very high like my Greek mother and I do. I never thought it might be a Greek thing, but either way, we both do that.
I also have a few pictures hung for the cats to enjoy. They have a Rocky and Bullwinkle poster over their food dish, for one thing. It fits them
I have no problem with positioning art lower than eye level. In our bathroom, where a towel bar and clothes hooks occupy most of the space, the framed art is on the floor leaning against the wall.
@lesova: my little Lithuanian mama did the same thing over her cat bowl. :)
The lowest I would go is if people could see it sitting down - if it's low enough they need to stoop, then I would raise it.
Well, considering how much time I spend on the floor with my kids, it's a great idea. But on the other hand, then I'm cleaning little hand prints off the glass. Still, think I might do it. Thanks!
My advice when hanging art above the couch is to have a tall person sit down on the couch while you hold it up to compare. It might seem "too high" but a person's head should never come anywhere close to brushing the edge of the art. When I walk into my living room, the painting we have there always looks a little too high, but it makes complete sense once my husband sits down.
I think art should be hung at whatever height the owner most enjoys it.
if youve got children, theres such a thing as too low... just sayin. haha!
@sistervashti
Oh my God, sistervashti. I’ve done the same exact thing with that poster. I’m so glad I’m not the only one.
I think it's better to err on the side of too low, than too high. I think a bigger art lower, as well as a cluster, can add some surprise and create strong base in the floor. I like to prop art on the wall, and I quite enjoy lower placements.
Hanging art low on a wall can be visually dynamic if it is done right. Treat groupings as if they were one piece and be careful to arrange the individual pieces so they create visual balance.
If you were going really low, I wouldn't place the darkest or boldest piece on the bottom as it could create visual weight and a falling or drooping feeling. I would leave a 'frame' of blank wall space around the grouping for some visual breathing space.
I think Casey nailed it in photo 2 and 3 - Hanging low on select feature walls and watching proportions to surrounding elements. In photo 3, I think he stopped at just the right place and took the dining table into consideration.
I have an angled ceiling (every room has a short wall and a tall wall) and most walls have a plate rail at 4'...I feel compelled to hang my art low!
It has to be a look. Toklas, Stein, et. al. sat art on the floor, leaning against the wall.
this is silly. To suggest there is a recipe or even guidelines?
There are great works of art on the floor, ceiling, etc.
Baroque painting in a black frame? what is the correct height for that? If someone is compelled to buy "art" then it is up to them to figure out where it belongs. I have some "art" in the bathroom. Is that a sin? How far above the tank should it sit?
If one is interested in "art;" if they are worthy of owning a piece, they should also have an idea where it should go.
Spot on, krunkinator and MsDonnaGirl.
I just moved into an apartment with nail holes so high, they are literally the height of the top of my door trim! I really want to know what in the heck they hung so high- all over the apartment. What did it look like? Do I even want to know? High hung art is also a huge pet peeve of mine. I might just want to leave it to my imagination. I just hope that maybe they used long wires to hang their art. :)
I'm with krunkinator.
It's art, not rocket science. And if someone gets freaked out by how high it is on the wall, they're potentially missing the entire point of what exactly is HANGING on said wall.
Having said that, I think if you can't see the piece of art well because it's too high, or if the person has simply hung it on an existing nail out of laziness when they moved in, there might be an argument against that.
But honestly, it's art. There's no formula for making it, certainly none for enjoying/appreciating it. There shouldn't really be one for displaying it in one's home.
I think the point of the post was not to impose rules on how a picture MUST be hung, but to suggest a way of hanging them that maybe some people hadn't thought of or had forgotten was a possibility.
I love the idea of hanging something at pet level. Cuuute.