While there’s no denying the wall power of a single, striking artwork hanging centre stage in a room, gallery walls, or salon hangs, are playful ways to bring a seemingly disparate group of pieces together. As well as bringing a mix of colours and textures to a room, it’s also a clever way to elevate less special pieces, by hanging them alongside more valuable works (hello, Picasso). But how to achieve a display that looks cool and creative, rather than simply cluttered? Here are seven points to bear in mind.
An entryway, a staircase, or the main wall in a living room are all strong candidates for a large-scale salon hang. A smaller collection of just a few artworks can also look effective in a powder room, a home office, or above a bedside table. Consider whether the wall will receive direct sunlight during the day, and how the collection will be lit in the evening: for example, by ambient lighting from pairs of wall sconces or table lamps.
To bend the rules, first get to know them. Usually, gallery walls have a few focal pieces around which the entire scheme is built. Typically, the centre point of these pieces should be 57 inches (or so) from the floor. The gap between frames should be 3 to 6 inches and the ideal distance between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the lowest frame should be between 6 to 8 inches.
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“I would say a mixture of mediums is nice,” says Holly Beazley, creative director of interior-design firm Elicyon. “It’s good to combine some sketches on textured paper with oil paintings and acrylic paintings. And try not to put everything behind glass, because you can get too much light reflecting back at you. If the arrangement is hung opposite a window, you can use museum-grade, anti-reflective glass. I also like to frame objects in tray frames – it could be a special little artifact, a piece of pottery or some pressed flowers. Keep the curiosity levels high.”
A grid-style arrangement of artworks of the same size and style – for instance, a collection of line drawings or botanical prints – has a smart, tailored effect. A more loose and freestyle salon hang allows artworks of different shapes and sizes to be grouped together, and also gives the flexibility of adding to it as new works are collected. A general rule with such an arrangement is to start with the largest artwork and work outwards. “Think about your centre lines as well,” advises Beazley. “You want to make sure your overall formation is centred within the width of the wall or above the furniture beneath.”
Those who prefer a more streamlined look might prefer to use the same frame treatment for each artwork to unify gallery walls, particularly a grid-style themed arrangement. However, some, such as curator Kate Bryan, head of collections for Soho House, recommend mixing different styles of frames for a more interesting effect. “Art lives by contrast,” she says. “If you have all your artworks in white frames, you just stop seeing them after a while.”
“Choose the frame that suits each artwork the best,” agrees Holly Beazley. “We often play around with different frames; we might layer different mount boards within the frame too, to draw out a particular colour from the piece. If you make each piece sing, then collectively your arrangement will look stronger.” Frames with anti-UV glass will help to protect artworks from sunlight, and acid-free backing board is essential to prevent works on paper from curling, especially in hot, humid environments.
When opting for a looser salon-style hang, it’s important to work out exactly where each piece should go before making holes in the wall. Start by laying them out on the floor, ideally on a large white sheet, and take a photograph of the arrangement from above. Try different arrangements until you are happy with the layout.
When it comes to gallery walls, safety and beauty go hand in hand. Large or heavy artworks will need a fixing that is drilled into the wall, for security. Smaller, lighter artworks can be hung from a simple nail or pin. Adhesive strips can be a good option for smaller works as they can be removed without damaging the walls, allowing arrangements to be changed easily; although Beazley warns against using them long-term. “There’s always the option of installing an artwork bar or rail if a client is concerned about damaging a wall finish by banging in nails,” she adds. “You can get some discreet fixings and hang the artworks from clear wire, or go for decorative bronze bars and chains. You can hang works above one another from a bar, although you need to go with more of a regular grid approach.” The options are endless; the key is to take your cue from the art, and let it play the starring role.
