What is the “right” height to hang a frame?
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We try not to deal in absolutes (we are a completely custom business, after all), but when it comes to how high to hang a frame, we do have some solid recommendations to help guide you. Here, we answer all of your questions so you can put up art with confidence.
It’s easy to say you should hang art at “eye level,” but whose eye level is the question–especially if you live with someone who is a very different height than you. We suggest hanging your art so that the vertical center (the mid-point between the top and bottom of the frame) is at about 57 inches above the floor. That goes for single pieces, like photos, paintings, and posters, as well as multi-frame arrangements like gallery walls. Museums and galleries use this rule of thumb and if it works for them, it’ll almost certainly work in your home, too.
To center your art at 57 inches, measure the height of your piece or arrangement, divide in half and add that number to the 57-inch to mark where the top of your frame should be. Check out our tips for hanging with a hanging wire, sawtooth hanger, or corner brackets (for large pieces) for a perfectly aligned frame.
What height to hang frames depends on what’s around them, too. If you’re hanging frames above furniture like a couch, bed, or desk, we suggest the bottom of the frame should be 7 to 10 inches above the top of the furniture. But pay attention to the particular piece, too: A super low-slung couch, for one, might look best with art floated higher than 10 inches above its top, or it might make sense to hang your art 7 inches above the top of your computer monitor–not the desktop itself.
It’s logical to think that art should be hung higher in a room with particularly high ceilings, but we suggest the same rule of thumb of 57 inches off the ground for the vertical center. (You should never have to crane your neck to take in artwork!) Of course if there’s room, you can stack more pieces up from there, but anything hung up high will be more difficult to see.
Think of a gallery wall or grouping of multiple frames as one big piece. Whether you’re hanging a ready-to-customize gallery wall (ours come with very handy life-size hanging guides which allow you to align the entire arrangement at once), getting creative with our Gallery Wall Design Service, or an eclectic arrangement of your own, the same rule applies: 57 inches or eye level to the vertical center. For example, when hanging three pieces vertically, the center of the middle frame should be at eye level.
Pro Tip: A measuring tape and level are essential tools for hanging, but a second set of eyes is also very useful when finding the right height to hang a picture.
There are, of course exceptions, to every rule. Hanging scenarios are as unique as your style and there are plenty of ways to hang your art. One exception to the 57-inch rule is the hanging height in a hallway, since you’ll experience the art standing and at a closer range. Here, you should opt to hang frames a little higher: We suggest 60 to 66-inches above the floor. Do you have particularly low furniture? You may need to adjust. Really large artwork? It may need to come down a bit. If you’re unsure, go a little lower.
