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We just moved into our first house and I am excited to finally be able
to decorate the walls! Can you offer some advice?
By Cat Hackman of Room 4 Refinement
On a recent shopping trip I marvelled at all the choices available of
things we can hang on our walls. From wire art, candles, baskets, drawings
and kimonos to huge reproductions of paintings mounted on canvas. But it is
perhaps not always obvious that we can hang other items (other than framed
pictures or paintings) on the wall, such as interesting collections.
Collections - Just as in accessorizing (grouping collections
of at least three together), you would also hang a collection on walls. For
example, I used to own several antique duck decoys. At one point they were
placed on the floor or on shelves. Then I got the idea to hang them up in a
group on the wall in our entryway. The ducks were now more visible and
became a great conversation piece as people are coming or leaving the house.
Other interesting things for your walls are collection of straw hats or
baskets, bags, antique weapons or tools, a collection of antique keys or a
wall of travel memorabilia. The key here is the word “collection” which has
impact. A single smaller item on the wall is often lost, or gives the
appearance that you just did not know what to do with it. Also, don’t allow
the items to compete with other things in the room or nearby walls, or no
one will see them. Less is more, especially when displaying art or
collections. A collection also has more impact if the colours are unified.
For example, if you have a wall of photo frames, you should choose one
colour for the frame, for example black, even though you may have different
types of frames.
Hanging Collections & Art - There are many rules around
hanging art on the wall. The most common mistakes are: hanging art too high,
the art is too big or small for the wall or there is too much art, or too
many different kinds of art. Often I see two pieces hanging on walls that
make a corner (corner crowding) and because the art is so close together,
they void each other out. You can’t enjoy either piece.
Remember, you don’t have to hang all the art that you own. Instead, rotate
it. It’s ok to store some for retrieval during another season. Also, there
should always be one wall in a room that is bare, where you can rest your
eye. If a wall is narrower than 36” the wall should be art free. If you hang
different size art in a row it should be 2 - 4” apart and you need to line
it up either at the bottom, the top edge or centered. I prefer the bottom
usually.
For more decorating advice, contact Cat Hackman, interior refiner at
www.room4refinement.com |
