How to Decorate Around a Painting

You finally found the perfect piece of art you want in your house, and you're ready to hang it up. There are so many ways to place and appreciate your new art so that you don't end up putting it somewhere where it seems out of place. By putting your art in the correct spot and complementing the colors, your art will jump off of the wall into the rest of the room.

EditSteps

EditPositioning the Painting

1. Make the painting the focal point of the space. Put the painting in the center of the wall that you want to hang it on and decorate the room around the painting. The center of the painting should be hung at eye-level. However, if you plan on arranging different pieces around it, you may want to hang it off-center. ^[1]
   
   • For the bedroom, the painting should be hung either above the bed or on the wall that faces the bed. The painting should not be wider than the bed as it will look too large.
   • The painting should be above the couch or across from the couch in the living area. If you’re hanging a painting above the fireplace, be sure to have a heat guard in place so that the painting doesn’t get damaged when you light a fire. A mantle should be able to guard the painting against heat damage.
   • For gallery walls that aren't symmetrical, your main piece doesn't have to be hung in the center. You should place it somewhere near the center area of the gallery, but not directly in the middle of the area where you're hanging all of the art. It should be about eye-level.
2. Place the painting equal distance between windows. If there are windows on the wall where you want the piece, plan to put your painting or gallery between the windows leaving the same amount of space on either side of the painting. Your paintings shouldn't be placed where window curtains would drape over them. ^[2]
   
3. Hang the painting on the wall. Unframed canvases can be hung using canvas-hanging hardware that you can purchase from a hardware store or art store. A framed piece can be hung with a wall hangar and nail or screws drilled into the wall; you can find these supplies at most convenience stores or hardware stores. Place a nail through the wall hanger, and nail it into the wall using a hammer. A power drill or screwdriver can be used to affix a screw into the wall. ^[3]
   
   • Especially heavy pieces may need to be hung on the studs since the weight can't be supported just by nails in the drywall. Find the studs by using a stud-finder, then drill heavy-duty screws into them to hang the piece on. ^[4]
4. Keep the area free of anything that might obstruct the art. Your art should not be blocked with furniture or other objects like tables or decorative pieces. This is the main visual piece in the room that everything else will be based on, and you want everyone to see it.
   

EditArranging Art around the Painting

1. Trace other pieces of art on paper to help you arrange them on the wall. Cut out the pieces, and use tape to arrange the pieces on the wall. Move the pieces around until you’re satisfied with their placement. There should be a focal point that is eye-level, but it doesn’t have to be directly in the center. ^[5]
   
2. Arrange these pieces around the main painting. If you put the smaller pieces in an uneven pattern, you should leave at least 3 inches between each frame. Put heavier pieces near the bottom or around the edges of the configuration. Because people read from left to right, their gaze tends to go from left to right. Your main pieces will be better appreciated if that's the first thing that people focus on. ^[6]
   
   • Use a laser-level to draw straight lines on the wall vertically and horizontally if you’re making a symmetrical pattern.
   • You can use frames for your art that are all the same size or different sizes. You can create a gallery wall using identical frames for each piece, but the art in the frames will have to be the same size.
3. Vary the pieces you include in the gallery. A gallery wall doesn’t just have to include paintings. It can include art, photos, and decorative pieces. If you’re creating your gallery wall with a variety of objects, be sure to stay within a color theme for the objects that also matches with the furniture in the space. ^[7]
   
   • Vintage family photos can and your own baby photos can add a personal touch to the gallery wall.
   • There are specialty frames available for vinyl records so that you can display your favorite records.

EditDecorating the Room

1. Bring the colors of your art out into the rest of the room. Matching pieces in the rest of the space to the colors represented in your art will make the whole room feel like it's a cohesive unit. You can do this by buying decorative accessories, other art pieces, or curtains that have the same colors as the main painting. ^[8]
   
   • A black-and-white painting would be complemented with black and white furniture or accessories. A piece that has mostly bright, funky colors can be matched with pops of color from pieces throughout the room. Pillows and rugs are easy to match with your art.
   • You can complement the painting by matching most of your furniture to it. A painting with a gray background and hints of blue and red would look great in a room with a gray couch with red or blue throw pillows
2. Paint the walls or accent walls with a color featured in the painting. Identify one of the prevailing colors in the painting and experiment with using it on your walls. You can use certain websites and apps to virtually color the walls of your room to see if you like the color. ^[9]
   
3. Mirror the lines in the piece of art with your furniture and accessories. Art with strong lines would be matched well with a couch or headboard that is straight and not curved. Colorful, wavy abstract art could be complemented with objects like contoured vases and lamps. Houseplants and flowers that mimic features in the art could also help bring the painting to life. ^[10]
   
4. Highlight your art by lighting it. Putting some extra light on your painting with a nearby lamp or track-lighting can make it stand out from the rest of the room. Arrange lamps, candles, a bright nightlight, or other lamps like a Himalayan salt lamp near the painting to draw peoples' eyes to it. ^[11]
   

EditTips

• Thrift stores are great places to find a variety of decorative pieces and picture frames that can be hung on your wall.
• Don’t be afraid to paint decorative pieces that you like with the appropriate type of paint so that they can better match your gallery.

EditWarnings

• Don’t overwhelm the space with color or patterns. Keep your walls relatively light so that the art and the pieces that match the art are eye-catching.

EditRelated wikiHows

EditSources and Citations

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