You've chosen your print and taken the time to select a frame that complements and protects your art. But how are you going to style your work in your home?
As a general guide, museums hang artworks at approximately eye level, the industry standard for this being 150 centimetres from the floor. This system works well for prints that are displayed next to each other in one horizontal line and indeed, this is the first layout that we often think of when hanging works of art. It's the most common display format we see in galleries, where works can be spread freely along uninterrupted white walls. Yet the walls in our homes aren't quite as expansive, with pieces of furniture, cabinets and heating elements popping up here and there to break up the wall space. At Studio Parga we see these patchwork wall spaces as inviting and enjoyable, and we encourage you to play with these areas of wall when displaying your prints. Below are some simple tips that can help you in doing this.
When it comes to larger areas of wall, works can be displayed at all levels on the wall, from high up near the ceiling down to where the furniture or the floor begins. They can be packed in close to one another to create a busy and energetic display, or they can be hung with breathing space between each work to create a calm but rhythmic layout. If you prefer a long and wide horizontal layout then try aligning the tops of your prints on the same level, instead of aligning the centre of each piece. This helps to add rhythm and interest to the display as the bottoms of the prints rest at different points on the wall.
A tall and thin section of wall needn't be discarded as too narrow for displaying art prints. Instead, it can be elongated by placing portrait-format prints vertically up and down the section. This can work particularly well next to a doorway, where these spaces can often be found and where we might naturally pause before opening the door, stealing a moment to admire the prints as we do so.
Don't be afraid to hang big works in small spaces and small works in large spaces. A big work in a small space can help to fill a previously overlooked nook or cranny with colour and vibrancy, while a small work on a large wall can draw people into the space to take a further look, thus filling it with people, creating an inviting and social space.
You don't always need to centre a work above a piece of furniture or an object. If you're hanging a print above a chest of drawers, for example, consider hanging it to one side - this will leave you room to place another taller object alongside it, such as a vase or a bunch of flowers, without this blocking the view of the print.
While fitting a certain size of work into a certain sized space will naturally influence our choices when styling prints in the home, it shouldn't be the only factor that comes into play. An alternative way of organising prints is to consider the colours and tones of both our homes and our art. At Studio Parga we particularly enjoy prints that have been placed to complement another accent colour in the home. For example, instead of hanging a neutral print above a neutral sofa so that they blend together, choose a print with a splash of red to compliment the red cushion on the neutral sofa. By picking out these accent colours a real sense of vibrancy and joyful energy can be brought to a home.
In short, make having fun and trying new approaches a priority when styling your prints. Don't be afraid to experiment with contrasts, rhythm and colour in your choices, all of which will help you to fully express your personality in your home. And don't worry about making the "wrong" decision. Remember that prints can always be moved around the home, rotated or exchanged with other works as your living space evolves over time. This flexibility is inherent to the joy of creating a home and having it grow and change over the years just as we do.