Interior designer Liette Tousignant always found hanging artwork one of the most challenging aspects of her work.

"Hanging pieces perfectly without creating numerous holes in the walls was a problem," says Tousignant, "and I finally started looking for a tool that could help me do it right the first time!"

When she realized no such product existed, she and her husband, Kelly Krake, invented the Hang & Level. This picture hanging tool is designed to hang pictures, paintings, mirrors and more quickly, easily and accurately.

First, you place your picture or other item on the tool’s hook, position your item and tool on the wall and press a button to mark exactly where the nail or hook should go. Then you can hang your item and level it using the tool.

The Hang & Level works with all types of picture hanging hardware including picture wire, sawtooth hooks, D-rings and keyholes. It comes with a nail or hook market, two levels and a ruler.

Tousignant has lots of advice for would-be picture hangers too.

"You should hang items on picture hooks rather than nails," she says. "Items hung on nails can easily slide off the nails and break. If you’re hanging a small or light item, you can use one hook, but for larger, heavier items it’s best to use two hooks."

If you want to hang items one on top of the other, Tousignant suggests starting by hanging the lowest item first.

"Generally speaking," she says, "hang your artwork so the centre of the piece is at ‘standing eye level’ or about 150 cm to 165 cm up when measured from the floor.

In a room where you are sitting most of the time, like an office or living room, hang some of your pieces slightly lower so you can enjoy them while you are sitting, at about 105 cm to 120 cm."

Hanging two or three pieces side by side, perfectly level, used to be a tour de force, says Tousignant.

"That’s why step art was so in vogue years ago. But now, hanging artwork horizontally with Hang & Level is a cinch."

When hanging picture frames of different sizes side by side, you can align them in a number of ways: top aligned, centre aligned or even aligned at the bottom.

Once you’ve arranged your items, hang the middle one first. Use the tool to measure equal distances and then level them all when you’re done.

The Hang & Level is available at hardware stores across the province.

...hanging artwork horizontally with Hang & Level is a cinch."