The "Sitting/Standing" Rule Changed How I Hang Art in Every Room
How and where to hang art has always been a popular topic for design writers like myself. That’s probably because bare walls are incredibly intimidating to most people. For as long as I can remember, though, the key art hanging rule was approximately 60 inches at center — meaning if you’re hanging one large piece of art on a wall, the center of it should be roughly five feet from the floor. The same applies to a cluster of frames and canvases, such as a gallery wall, where the center line of the grouping should hit that roughly eye-level mark.
But it wasn’t until I spoke with Aslee Livingston, creative director of framing and photo-book service Artifact Uprising, that this long-held notion was flipped on its head. While we both agreed many people hang their art too high, it wasn’t until Livingston expanded on the expert rules she picked up from her interior designer that I had to do a mental double-take.
“There’s a difference in your house between a sitting and standing room,” she shared, stating that the height at which you hang your art will actually change depending on how it is viewed. “If it’s a sitting room, such as your living room or even bedroom, the center line of your art piece or gallery wall should be at the standard five feet, or 60 inches. But in a standing room (think: a kitchen, hallway or entryway), you should shoot for five-and-a-half feet, or 65 inches.”
As soon as I heard this distinction, it made so much sense, like a word you never knew existed that perfectly defines something you feel often but struggle to articulate. How you experience your art (sitting vs. standing, for instance) should change the rules of hanging, but it wasn’t until Livingston enlightened me that it clicked. Design is all about the details, after all, and sometimes, even five to six inches can be the difference between good and great, aesthetically speaking.
I quickly scanned my home in search of pieces that never felt quite right, only to realize they were too low for how I was using the room. Think about how many times you may have stood in your living room, stepped back, eyed up the wall, hung a frame, stepped back again and it looked great when really, most of the time you’ll spend looking at said frame will be when you’re fully seated.
As for artwork, photographs, and mirrors hung above a piece of furniture such as your sofa, media console, dresser, or foyer table, the rules change a bit. If 60 or 65 inches makes sense with what you’re hanging, go for it — but if it’s tripping you up, Livingston suggests another guideline.
“If you’re going to hang something above furniture, you’ll want to leave no more than eight to 10 inches of space between the surface and the bottom of the frame,” says Livingston. “It’s tempting to hang it higher, but that’s all you need to make both things feel connected.”
And remember, if you have a single, small piece of wall art or decor and hanging it less than a foot above your console tables or credenzas seems silly, it’s best to add more to create an arrangement. One rule that hasn’t changed for me — even after learning the standing and sitting room rules — is that when in doubt, build up.
Further Reading
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