How High to Hang Pictures - Finding the Perfect Height for Your Pictures

Understanding the Importance of Proper Picture Hanging

When artwork is hung correctly, it enhances the overall look and feel of a room. It can create a sense of balance and harmony, and it can draw the eye to specific features of the space. Hanging artwork correctly can help to preserve it for years to come, and even reduces the risk of safety hazards. This is especially important for valuable or fragile pieces. Are you wondering how high to hang pictures? We can advise!

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Height

STAS picture rail

A simple rule of thumb to hanging art at the right height is to place the center of the art object at 60″ to 63″ above the floor. From there you can adjust accordingly for the overall height of the ceiling or height of the furniture over which the art will hang. This measurement provides a great base-line starting point and a good foundation to hang your art at the proper picture hanging height. Of course you can find the centerpoint of your frame by dividing the full height and full width by two. The point at which these two measurements intersect is the centerpoint. Use a tape measure to hang your art correctly, it’s an invaluable tool!

Wall Space and Room Aesthetics

Hanging pictures at the right height is important for both the aesthetics of your walls and your room as a whole. When pictures are hung at eye level, they create a sense of balance and harmony, and they can make the room feel larger. They can also be used to highlight architectural features or create a focal point. Additionally, the pictures you choose to hang and the way you hang them can reflect your personality and style.

Eye Level Rule and Visual Balance

The ideal height to hang artwork is so that the center of the piece is at eye level. This is usually around 62 inches from the floor. However, you may want to adjust the height depending on the size and style of the artwork, as well as the height of the ceilings in your room.

Furniture and Wall Groupings

How high to hang pictures? Avoid hanging pictures too high or too low above furniture. A good rule of thumb is to hang pictures so that the bottom of the frame is 6-12 inches above the top of the furniture. This will create a visually appealing and cohesive look. When hanging multiple pictures on the same wall, try to group them together in a way that creates a sense of balance and harmony. You can group pictures by size, color, theme, or frame style. You can also hang pictures at different heights to create a more dynamic display. Instead of one big painting, you can also hold several small pieces together to get a collage, which together with your furniture, brings warmth to your room. Note the color scheme. For example, hang cool tones together, and the warm tones in another place. If you are hanging multiple pictures on the same wall, try to hang them so that the top and bottom of the pictures are aligned. More picture hanging ideas?

Step-by-Step Guide to Hanging Your Art

A short guide to hanging your art with STAS picture hanging systems. Please consult our video’s and/or installation guide provided with your picture rail for more detailed information!

1. Gathering the Right Tools

  • Drilling machine
  • Pencil or marker
  • Screwdriver
  • Tape measure
  • Level
  • Hacksaw (optional)
  • Soft cloth (optional)
  • Rubber mallet (optional)

2. Measuring and Marking

hanging pictures

Using the STAS drilling template, measure where the holes should be, drill them carefully and insert the plugs. Then screw in the clip screws and click the rail on them. In case it’s difficult by hand, put a soft cloth over the rail, and lightly tap the rail with a rubber mallet.

3. The Hanging Process

Install the hanging system over the entire length of the wall, it looks great and allows you to use the entire wall to hang decorations, increasing the flexibility to move things around. Measure the length of your wall and shorten the rail if necessary; the rail can easily be cut to size with a hacksaw! STAS also has corner caps that you can use on the corners of a wall. Get your STAS hooks and cords to hook into the picture rail; hang or rearrange your items fast and easy

Troubleshooting Common Hanging Mistakes

picture hanging height

Art that is hung too high on a wall is a common mistake. So, how high to hang art? When there's no relationship to the furniture and it requires you to tilt your head way back to look at the piece of art. Picture frames should therefore be hung about 8" from the back of your couch or sofa. Note the symmetry. Hang it in the middle of a sofa, or in the middle of a wall, or in combination with other paintings. Another common rule is to hang art / frames at eye level. But what is the best exact height to hang a picture? Some people are bigger than others, so whose eye level should you use? Moreover, every work of art comes in a different size, is there a different way to handle hanging a large picture frame than a small one?

Fixing Crooked Frames

If you want to hang different items that differ in size and weight, there is a chance that the photos will tilt. A simple way to solve this is to use 2 cords instead of 1. With 2 cords you can hang frames straight underneath each other. You will have to ensure that the frames have 2 hanging points. Does this tip not work? Then you could move the hanging point to the back of the frames. A suspension point that is mounted too low on the frame can cause the frame to rotate and move forward. Unscrew the hanging point from the frame and reinstall it at the top of the frame. Have a look at our picture hanging hardware!

There's a good chance you'll have leftover cable when you've finished hanging your frames. You can cut off the remainder, or choose to roll up the remainder and tie it behind the bottom frame. If you want to tie the remainder, you can tie a knot in the thread or tape the remainder to the back of the frame with some tape. A collage without a visible picture hanging cord looks a little nicer and even helps prevent your photos from tilting!

You apply STAS spacers or the STAS no-tilt set to the back of your frames so that they are at a perfect distance from the wall. They are self-adhesive and made of soft material so that you do not damage your wall.

Dealing with Different Wall Types

picture hanging height

The best way to mount a picture hanging track on a particular wall type is to use the appropriate hardware and installation method. Here are some tips for dealing with different wall types:

Drywall: Drywall is the most common type of wall in homes today. To mount a picture hanging rail on drywall, you will need to use drywall anchors, available in the STAS drywall eXpress picture rail set.

Concrete, brick or plaster: Concrete or brick walls are very strong and durable, but they can be difficult to drill into. To mount a picture hanging rail on a concrete or brick wall, you will need to use a concrete drill bit and universal plugs.

Tip: In new or to be renovated buildings, you can have a picture hanging system built into the wall or ceiling like the STAS plasterrail.

How high to hang pictures small or large

For most pictures, hang them so that the center of the picture is at eye level, which is usually around 57 inches from the floor. Larger pictures, you can hang them a bit higher, so that the top of the picture is just above eye level. Small frames can be hung a bit lower, so that the bottom of the picture is just below eye level. The most ideal is a picture rail across the width of a wall. Then you can always vary in height and place without damaging the wall. Hang a painting as close as possible to the wall, otherwise a distorted image will arise.

Accentuate Your Artwork with Lighting

Every painting deserves a good spot! Art lighting is necessary in order to make it perfect. STAS’ picture rail lights are specifically designed to easily be mounted on STAS picture hanging rails. They are typically low-profile and have adjustable heads so that you can direct the light exactly where you want it. The color temperature of the light can have a big impact on the overall appearance of your artwork. Warm light can create a cozy and inviting atmosphere, while cool light can create a more modern and minimalist look. You don't want the light to be so bright that it overpowers the artwork, but you also don't want it to be so dim that it's difficult to see. For these reasons, we have WiFi led armatures that can be controlled via an app and/or a remote control.

Back to Picture hanging overview.

Image