Good Questions: Hanging Artwork from Crown Molding?

Sarah sent in a good question: Wondering if you have any advice on how to hang artwork from crown molding? I have attached the art on both sides using fishing line and hooked it on using the picture frame attachments (creating a triangle), but it the art leans away from the wall as opposed to hanging flat against it. Am I doing something wrong? Or is that simply supposed to add to the charm of hanging from the crown molding?

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Email questions and pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to:
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Please share your tips and advice with Sarah in the comments...thanks!

Image: Pasadena Crown Molding from Inviting Home

Comments (10)

It will lean away from the wall when you hang it from a piece of molding above, there's really no way around that. To minimize the leaning, attach the wire/string/whatever closer to the top of the picture. Traditionally they would be hung at a pretty substantial angle away from the wall, but no one seems to like that look nowadays.

posted by elissa on May 12th 2009 at 4:06pm
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I can't quite picture your situation. Many older homes, particularly if they have crown molding, also have a picture rail (a thin piece of molding that looks integrated into rest of the plasterwork), but it is the widest-extending part of the crown molding, so pictures hang either flush or slightly downward sloping. If the pictures don't hang as flush as you'd like, you could affix a piece of cork or something to the back of the frame to bring the picture into alignment.

posted by enmnm on May 12th 2009 at 4:06pm
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You don't hang anything from Crown moulding...

You hang it from Picture Rail using Picture Rail hooks:

http://houseofantiquehardware.com/s.nl/sc.13/category.142/.f?gcid=S14464x018&KEYWORD=picture%20rail%20hook&partner=ypc&s_kwcid=TC-7361-45574555012-A-36596457512

...and yes, it will lean away from the wall if the hooks on the back of the picture frame are too low - Reposition the hooks higher up the sides of the frame and your artwork will lie flatter against the wall

posted by bepsf on May 12th 2009 at 4:39pm
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picture rail hooks are also available here:

http://www.rejuvenation.com/typepagePicture%20Hardware/templates/houseparts_group.html

i have a LOT of artwork/objets d'art to hang and don't want to ruin my newly-painted walls, so i am using the picture rail method.

posted by rouquinne on May 12th 2009 at 4:56pm
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bepsf --- you beat me to it.

posted by kimg924 on May 12th 2009 at 5:08pm
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If I had crown molding that ornate, I would paint the molding itself in a neutral blend of colors and not hang any pictures at all. Then again....I'm a bit boring when it comes to too much picture hanging.

posted by baileyb on May 12th 2009 at 7:30pm
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Can someone explain how to use picture rails? Do they have to go all around the room like molding?

posted by LizzardtheBlizzard on May 13th 2009 at 10:11am
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i'm not putting my picture rails all around the room, but the two other walls have a large picture window on one side and the open archway to the tv room on the other.

i have decided to put them about 3 inches down from ceiling height. when i get them painted and in place (and a new digital camera), i will have to post pics to my Flickr account.

posted by rouquinne on May 13th 2009 at 11:12am
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Does anyone have links to some photos of good use of a picture rail? I'd like to see various types if possible, and get an idea if this would look well in my small Cape Cod house.

posted by kuroneko on May 13th 2009 at 12:50pm
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PS: don't use fishing line, use picture hanging wire, please.

posted by stt64 on May 15th 2009 at 11:32am
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