Monthly Design Tips!
IF WALLS COULD TALK
One popular trend in home decoration today is the gallery wall -- a wall on which you hang multiple pictures and other pieces of art. The problem is, how do you decide where to place the pictures?
Decide which wall you want to group your pictures on. Gather all the pictures you wish to use in the room, and work out the placement. Often the grouping will be centered at eye level when hung on the wall. Remember that you want your eye to travel naturally from picture to picture, rather than jumping from one to another.
With several pictures, the only space large enough to experiment is on the floor. Place the pictures so they seem to be roughly enclosed in a large invisible rectangle. If you are hanging the pictures over the sofa, the area should be about 2/3 or 3/5 the length of the sofa, either larger or smaller than the sofa. Try various combinations, always keeping in mind that you want the end result to be proportionate to the existing furnishings and the space in which the pictures are hung.
When your pictures are within the imaginary framework, you can attempt a little elasticity, raising one picture above the frame, balanced by one dropped below. After you have them suitably arranged, cut kraft paper to the size of the pictures and carefully tape them on the wall with masking tape according to your arrangement to help you better visualize the proportions. Now you can rearrange them as necessary.
Important canvasas or prints should dominate the wall, either alone or with smaller prints or accessories that play a minor role. When proper attention is given to proportions, arrangement, and scale, unrelated paintings and accessories blend to add personality to your room.
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Christine D'Alessio · phone: 719.533.0802 · fax: 719.599.8311 · Colorado Springs, CO · decoratingdiva@coloradodecorators.com