Art advice
Where to Hang Art in the Home
We explore various strategies and tips to help you display your artwork in a way that not only enhances your living space but does justice to the art itself, too.
Erin Peacock
Monday 8 January, 2024
Art is more than just a visual delight; it’s a reflection of your personality, a conversation starter and is often the ‘soul’ of your home. Perhaps you’ve received a new artwork over the holidays, or are planning on treating yourself at an Affordable Art Fair in 2024. But, once you’ve got the goods, where and how should you hang your cherished pieces to truly let them shine?
It can be difficult to find the perfect spot for your beloved new artwork, so we thought we’d seek some expert advice from one of our galleries. Here, Art Angler’s Jason Dick explains how to place artwork within your home to maximum effect.
How can art transform and enhance a room?
Art can transform a room in a variety of ways, but it all starts with what style you connect with. At Art Angler, our first step is to discover the artists our clients like. Once we’ve narrowed it down, the next step is to determine the scale and orientation of the work the client is looking for. Oftentimes, if we don’t have an exact size and shape available, we can present multiple pieces in a variety of layouts (for example diptychs, triptychs or stacked) to fit a particular space as needed.
A really vibrant and colourful palette, in a fun fresh style, such as the work of Xavi Carbonell, can bring a new level of energy to a space. Whilst a piece by Gloria Saez relays a strong sense of serenity and offers that feeling of “escaping” back to the quietness of nature, which a lot of people look for in art. They want a peaceful space to come home to after a long day of work.
Can you use art to bring together the style of your home?
Art is a fantastic way to bring together themes and styles of interiors. People who are searching for specific colours to work with the palette of their home often come to the gallery. Perhaps it’s a tone, or a specific shade that will play off or complement other pieces within the space. Or maybe it’s a specific burst of colour or contrast they are searching for. Thought out properly, the right piece of art can transform and complete the design of any space. Although it’s important to also note that art can of course stand alone to great effect.
Why do you think we should hang art in the home?
There are lots of reasons to hang art in your home as mentioned above, but the most important reason for me is that art speaks to us without words. When we connect with a piece it brightens our lives. It’s an endless story to explore and discover at our own pace, and in our own space. It can energize us, relax us, change our mood, and all that’s required of the viewer is a simple glance.
Why not start planning the art in your home? Taking note of the curation at our fairs might inspire you to recreate similar colour palettes, subject themes or complementary materiality.
How do you decide where to hang a specific artwork?
This depends on whether you have any specific goals in mind for your interior space, but it always helps to consider the function of the room. What seems appropriate in terms of style and subject matter according to how you use the room?
Or maybe you have specific goals for the artwork itself – a strong statement piece, a pop of colour, freshness and power, or would you prefer the tranquility and calming effects of a more traditional landscape scene? And do you have a preference for palette – cool? warm? Are there particular colours you feel strongly about and want to highlight in your home?
Finally, you have the basics to consider, like how high or low to hang in a space based on visual perspectives. Typically works are hung with the centre of the work at eye level, but those rules can be bent to create a more harmonious overall environment.
Main image: Important curatorial decisions being made at Jackon Pensa Price‘s stand at Affordable Art Fair Melbourne 2023.