The Art Of Hanging Art Courtesy of Nielsen & Bainbridge
	Picture-perfect walls in 3 easy steps.
	Your home is an expression of who you are, and your walls are your own personal gallery.  They should reflect your interests, your personality, your memories – your life.  Fill a wall with faces of those you love, or of places you’ve traveled to.  Group framed artwork for a wall filled with color, or go with black and white for a dramatic gallery effect.  Remember, what you choose to frame, and how you choose to hang it, is completely up to you. Hanging art is easier than you think.  All it takes is a little creativity and planning.  Below are helpful hints and creative ways to make your walls say everything you want them to.
	1.  Plan Your Layout
	It’s important to achieve the right balance between your wall space and the frames you want to display.  Larger frames can stand alone, but smaller frames should be grouped together for impact. Clustering several works together will enrich any space. Choose the pieces you want to use.  For visual interest, use frames of varying shapes and sizes and hang frames both vertically and horizontally. Lay it out on the floor first.  The simplest way to create a grouping is on the floor.  This gives you the chance to arrange and re-arrange without making holes in your walls. Think of the arrangement as one large picture.  The most effective groupings are large oblong shapes.  Arrange the pieces from the border of the shape to equal the space you have measured off.  Play with the interior space.  Change the pieces around. Check the balance.  Step back and look at the arrangement.  Make sure you balanced the heavier and lighter pieces, as well as spread color throughout the grouping.  How do the frames look next to each other?  Re-arrange until you feel the group is visually balanced. Measure the distance between the pieces on all sides.  The grouping should be centered in the space (equally distant from the ceiling and the anchoring piece of furniture).  Measure the distances between the pieces carefully and write them down.
	2.  Create A Display
	Clustering For a display with impact, start with your largest frames in the center as a focal point.  From there, surround the frames with smaller frames for a balanced grouping.  To create visual interest, hang frames at varying heights.
	Staircase Want to create visual drama?  Hang your frames following an upward angle such as a staircase.  Use larger frames as an anchor, then complement them with smaller frames.  Hang frames at varying heights, but be sure spacing between the frames is equal to create a balanced look.
	Leaning Art Not all pictures need to be hung – arrange a group of frames in varying heights on a mounted ledge to create a striking display.  Overlap frames and vary spacing for a casually elegant effect.
	3.  Hang Your Art
	Hang art at eye level where it can be easily seen and enjoyed.  That can be at standing or sitting eye level, the choice is yours.  Hold the art against the wall where you want to hang it.  Start with its center five feet high from the floor, then adjust it to your preference.  For a reference point, make a small pencil mark on the wall at the top center of the frame. Never just hammer a nail into the wall!  Choose the appropriate hanging device based on the composition of your walls and the weight of your art.  Always hang art on two hooks and two wall hangers for even and level support.  Heavier pieces should be hung with D rings. Place the hooks, lay your frame face down and pull the hanging wire toward the top of the frame in two spots the same distance from the top.  These spots are where the hangers will be placed.  (The further apart they are, the closer the art will be to the wall.) Measure the distance between these two spots, as well as the distance between one of them and the top of the frame. Transfer these dimensions to the wall starting with your center mark. Install the wall hangers at the two hanging spots. Begin hanging with the central piece, using it as a reference point for all the others.