Picture hanging/arrangement

[BikeBookBread]

Yesterday, DH and I had a difference of opinion as to how we should hang two largish pictures in our living room. They were placed over our love-seat. They are similar subjects (vintage bicycle race photos from mountain races in Italy and France). They are different heights and widths, but have the same black frame and matting. I said the bottom edges should be flush. He thought that would look "stupid". He said because they were different dimensions they should be off-set. I said THAT would look "stupid". I then suggested they should be aligned on their horizontal center axes... We compromised with that one (almost...)

 

We're both pretty mature, huh? :lol: So, all of you talented interior decorators, which of us were right? Were either of us right? Our furniture is a mixture of Danish Modern and Mid-Century Modern, with relatively clean lines and the furniture is arranged in 90* angles...pretty "squarish" if that matters at all.

Edited August 9, 2010 by BikeBookBread

[Parrothead]

Without seeing the pictures, the space and the furniture, I'd say vertically off set, smaller photo above larger.

[BikeBookBread]

Without seeing the pictures, the space and the furniture, I'd say vertically off set, smaller photo above larger.

 

I posted pic.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Editing because I've seen pic.

 

No, you can't line them up by bottoms OR middles imo. They either need to be on different walls OR WAY set off (like one set a foot higher than the other) and even that is iffy because they are SO close in size but not....

 

I'm still not an interior decorator but....

Edited August 9, 2010 by 2J5M9K

[BikeBookBread]

If I'm understanding, I wouldn't have these two pictures as THE pictures on the same wall.

 

 

No other wall choice... we used have one of those cool, modern metal picture rails but it was so heavy in our home in Tucson that it pulled out a chunk of the wallboard. We didn't want to risk that happening at this rental home.

[Marylou]

I chose "other" because I don't htink they look good the same wall. How about one pic gets 6 months of the year and then switch it to the other?

[Perry]

.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Perry

[ChristusG]

I don't think they look good side by side. If both pics have to be on that wall, then I'd put the larger picture on the left, up higher than what it is now.....then I'd put the smaller picture on the right, lower than the other and even with approx the middle (or lower) of the other photo.

[JFSinIL]

If they were the same size, I'd go off-set. Since one is bigger than the other, I picked the middle choice.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I definitely think they would look better offset because of the differing sizes.

[orangearrow]

I would put the larger of the two centered above the loveseat.

 

The other, I would put on that little wall you can see in the picture - right beside the window.

 

They're just -->thismuch<-- too close in size to be right next to one another, imho - no matter the arrangement.

 

:D

[Brenda in FL]

My husband would love those pictures - and - we would also have an argument about how to hang them. (We still have several pictures to hang - sigh - more disagreements).

 

If they both have to be on the same wall - I'd offset them and possibly try to add a third (smaller) picture? Perhaps a cycling photo of one or both of you?

Edited August 9, 2010 by Brenda in FL

[Meriwether]

When Dh and I married 10 years ago, our first big argument was about hanging pictures. He is well over six feet tall and thought he should look UP at pictures. We've moved twice since then and picture hanging still gives me angst. I don't even have to look the first 3 times he positions a picture - I just say "lower". At least now we go through the routine jokingly, kind of.

[LisaMarie6]

If they both have to be on the same wall - I'd offset them and possibly try to add a third (smaller) picture? Perhaps a cycling photo of one or both of you?

 

Yes, this is what I was thinking. An odd number usually works better especially when you are working different sizes.

[Ferdie]

I like them together. I would put the larger one on the left hand side and you need to bring them down lower - like 5-6" off the top of the loveseat. Then I would hang the other one on the right centered horizontally off the larger pic. Hang them close together too - like an inch or two apart.

 

Great furniture, colors, floor by the way. I love your room!

 

Here is an excerpt about picture hanging height:

 

"5"-9" above large pieces of furniture like a sofa or headboard or above the objects on a table or console. When in doubt, go low. Hanging them too high makes for strained necks and the infamous floating effect that vexes so many of our readers.

 

If you're like me, once an idea pops into your head, your instinct is to accomplish it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately when it comes to picture-hanging that impulsive tendency often translates into lots of nail holes and awkwardly hung frames. The easiest way to get it right the first time is to cut out templates of the frames and hang them in place with masking tape so that you can step back and get the full effect. This is especially effective if you're hanging a group of frames. I would only add that using masking tape rather than nails may save you a few nail hole mistakes."

[MariannNOVA]

Good grief, BBB! We were in Alexandria yesterday looking at houses - I will have to give you my cell - dh and I could have come over and made this even more confusing and STUPID!:lol:

 

Hang things (display things) in odd numbers. The two prints (which happen to look beautiful, btw) should have something between them or something.

 

Go to the Ballard's website (www.ballarddesigns.com) and look for ideas - that will show you in a much more understandable than I can explain it.

 

I will PM - there is a fun thing going on this Thursday and Friday evening and Saturday afternoon for your dds. We are going on thursday evening.

 

Ciao!

[Scuff]

I orignally thought they should be centered at their middles or offset. But looking at the pictures, I don't like them together. They're too close in size. If they were very different or the same, it would be ok. But being so similar and a slight bit different, they just look off.

[Momling]

They're cool pictures, but I'd only do one of those on that wall.

[Harriet Vane]

I don't think those picture look right side by side. The loveseat is small enough that one picture hanging above would look good. Put the other one elsewhere.

 

If you really want the two pictures together, hang one way higher than the other so that they are on a diagonal.

[BikeBookBread]

Yikes...doesn't anyone think they look good together? I know the rule of 3s is the general rule, but there are times when 2s look fine together, as well - especially in a very linear and "less is more" environment. Anyone? Anyone?

[Marylou]

Yikes...doesn't anyone think they look good together? I know the rule of 3s is the general rule, but there are times when 2s look fine together, as well - especially in a very linear and "less is more" environment. Anyone? Anyone?

 

Okay, I'll be blunt, I guess :D

 

I really, really, really think they don't look good together! There, I said it!

[Marylou]

And yes, less is more, so just choose one ;)

[Crissy]

I wouldn't hang those together as they are. I would re-frame the smaller of the two so the sizes match if they must hang together.

[fhjmom]

I would either go with one of them alone if you want a cleaner look (you could always change them out from time to time if you truly have no where else to hang the other one) or make a grouping by offsetting and adding more smaller pictures. The slight difference in sizes is too close but not close enough to be pleasing as the only pieces in a pair.

 

BTW, it's not just the size difference but the difference in colors is also bothersome to me, so offsetting these two alone would not help with that, IMHO. They need some other pieces to tie them together better.

[BridgeTea]

I think the pictures work well together because of the heavy black matching frames on both. Together they are a good balance for that (cute!) boxy, heavy little loveseat. My instincts would have been to hang them flush at the bottom with the smaller one towards the "inside" of the room (like you have), but possibly the two of them both a tad bit lower, depending on heights of people, the ceiling, the furniture, etc. I think one picture alone would look too...lonely. Or floaty. It's my understanding and experience that even busy photos can go together in close proximity with that heavy framing. It's broken up enough for me, and I don't handle visual clutter well.

 

I'll go vote, now. Flush at the bottom, I say.

 

PS: I love that funky little red chair! That's a treasure.

[StephanieZ]

As my mom is an art fiend with a house full of art (and she insists on arranging my art and my brother's art whenever we move into a new home, lol), I can confidently answer this one. I chose other. :)

 

You are supposed to line up the visual focus of each picture at eye level. So, if you look around the room, the focal points will all be at eye level. Yes, this means that you have to choose whose eye level you are pleasing, a tall person or a shorter person.

 

If you cluster several things together (say a grouping of smaller photos), then you'd choose the natural visual focal point of the grouping and then treat the entire group as one item visually.

 

HTH

[DesertDweller]

I don't think they look good on the same wall. If you can't put them on separate walls, I'd only hang one of them. Put the other away.

[BikeBookBread]

Okay, we can end this thread now. I'm getting the drift. The horse is dead. So they don't look good. My ego is starting to get bruised. 27 people to 1 (me) :)-

[OnTheBrink]

I have no opinion on the pictures, but is that red chair a real Barcelona chair? I AM SO JEALOUS! I love those chairs! I love your red leather sofa! Can I come live at your house?

[BridgeTea]

psssttt: read post 25...

 

And read your poll results.

 

Mostly, does it work for you the way it is?

[BridgeTea]

psssttt: read post 25...

 

And read your poll results. You are not quite alone!

 

Mostly, does it work for you the way it is?

[BikeBookBread]

I have no opinion on the pictures, but is that red chair a real Barcelona chair? I AM SO JEALOUS! I love those chairs! I love your red leather sofa! Can I come live at your house?

 

NO,m but I WISH!!!!! It's not real! It's a "tribute" version :lol: AKA knock-off, but a pretty good one. We have two of them, which normally go side-by side, but the arrangement of this living room is just strange on all counts, hence the apparently-ugly side by side arrangement of the bike pictures. DH is adamant that he wants BOTH bike pictures up, and there is just no other place to put them. Not one place.

[Ellie]

When hanging a group of pictures/artwork of different sizes and shapes, it's best to have one vertical line and one horizontal line.

 

Now you can have a poll about what "eye level" means. :D

[BikeBookBread]

When hanging a group of pictures/artwork of different sizes and shapes, it's best to have one vertical line and one horizontal line.

 

Now you can have a poll about what "eye level" means. :D

 

THAT'S WHAT I SAID to DH!! He just wouldn't have any of it. I really wanted them flush on the bottom, but he thought it'd look "stupid" as I stated in the OP. I thought that would make the best of a hard situation.

[TKDmom]

I'd say vertically off set, smaller photo above larger.

 

 

This is how I generally line up pictures of different sizes.

 

But they're probably too close in size to make it work well. I'll vote for re-framing the smaller, adding a third, or only using one. ;)

[May]

Great pictures but I don't like them together. They seem somewhat overpowering for the smaller sofa.

[BikeBookBread]

psssttt: read post 25...

 

And read your poll results.

 

Mostly, does it work for you the way it is?

 

It isn't totally heinous, but I think it could be better. My teeth don't itch every time I walk by...

[BikeBookBread]

This is how I generally line up pictures of different sizes.

 

But they're probably too close in size to make it work well. I'll vote for re-framing the smaller, adding a third, or only using one. ;)

 

Can't afford a re-frame at this point -- they were quite high-end frames. When we bought the prints, there weren't 3 of this genre. Come to think of it, the size thing was an issue when he bought the pictures and had them framed. I remember thinking it would be hard putting them together. They looked kind of cool on the stainless picture ledge, but he won't hang it in this home.

[TKDmom]

They looked kind of cool on the stainless picture ledge, but he won't hang it in this home.

 

 

Oooh, oooh, oooh! Could you put up the ledge, but also hang the pics up so that they only look like they are resting on the ledge? It might help to lessen the strain on the dry wall.

[OnTheBrink]

NO,m but I WISH!!!!! It's not real! It's a "tribute" version :lol: AKA knock-off, but a pretty good one. We have two of them, which normally go side-by side, but the arrangement of this living room is just strange on all counts, hence the apparently-ugly side by side arrangement of the bike pictures. DH is adamant that he wants BOTH bike pictures up, and there is just no other place to put them. Not one place.

 

Would you mind sharing where you got it?

 

I sat in a real Barcelona chair at one of the Smithsonian museums, and it was so comfortable, I almost fell asleep in it! I've always loved them, but never knew where to find one that's not quite as $$ as the real thing.

[BikeBookBread]

Would you mind sharing where you got it?

 

I sat in a real Barcelona chair at one of the Smithsonian museums, and it was so comfortable, I almost fell asleep in it! I've always loved them, but never knew where to find one that's not quite as $$ as the real thing.

 

We bought ours at a store in Tucson called, "Copenhagen". I think there are similar stores throughout the US which carry the same lines. In SLC there was "Copenhagen West" and in Seattle area there is "Scan Design". I bet you could call any of these stores and find a similar or sister store in your area.

[DarlaS]

I'd stick one to the left of the window and put two smaller pics one over the other (lined up top and bottom) next to the other.