Picture hanging is certainly not an exact science. What I know about picture hanging I have learned the hard way as it has always been all about trial and error and still is. I apologize to all my clients out there - for when I didn't hang your artwork right on the first try. Anyhow that's what led me to invent Hang & Level; so I could take the frustration and guesswork out of hanging picture frames. Throughout this site you'll read and learn from my mistakes and the mistakes of others who have decided to share their own experiences. So go ahead and share your mistakes with us so we can all learn from these hair-pulling experiences. We've all had them so consider it free therapy!
You have probably heard this one a million times before, but don't hang your artwork too high. You don't want your neck to get a kink!
Don't scatter your art collections around the house in hopes that it will look like you have more. Keep your collections together otherwise it's not a collection and you wouldn't want your art suffering from separation anxiety!
Don't feel like you have to hang every piece of art you own. Store extras away and take them out when you're ready to up-date your wall decor. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Don't hang art on every wall of a room. You should keep at least 1 wall free of art to allow your eyes to rest and to give the art you do have hanging, the attention it deserves.
Don't hang mirrors above the fireplace if it reflects an ugly or stained ceiling, a doorway, a bathroom door or a messy wall! It just draws attention to features you would rather not see.
Don't display art on walls that get lots of sunshine. This will cause the colours to fade and your art to be ruined over time.
Don't hang expensive or sentimental pieces of artwork in a bathroom as the moisture from your steamy showers will destroy them.
Don't try to match your art to your furniture or to your walls. Buy pieces that complement your decor, but most importantly buy what you really like. Furniture is often replaced over time, but artwork is timeless.
Don't use the same nail holes the previous home owner left behind to hang your artwork. Recycling is great but why repeat someone else's mistakes?
When moving to a new home, don't hang your artwork in exactly the same spot you had it in a previous house. If you challenge yourself and hang your artwork in different locations, it will feel like you own brand new pieces.
Don't hang something too small above the sofa. The art gets overwhelmed by the weight and scale of the sofa. In this case it's your art that's hard to spot.
Lastly, don't think you have to hang your artwork on the wall studs as they are never where you want or need them to be. Stud-finding is an out-of-the house activity!
@Liette Tousignant (Liette Tousignant is a Calgary-based wall decor specialist who has learned picture hanging the hard way and went on to invent the "Hang & Level" picture hanging tool (www.hangandlevel.com),which takes the frustration and guesswork out of hanging picture frames exactly where you want them - the first time - and with no extra holes.) For more information or to order the Hang and Level picture hanging tool visit www.hangandlevel.com.
