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Decor: The art of placement

The best ways to display your style

Whether you're into sculpture, representational art or silk-screen prints, the artwork displayed in your home is a reflection of you and your personal style. Selecting where and how to best display your favorite pieces can be a challenging task, but we're here to help. Read on to see how to display and hang your art for a professional look at home.

<u>Choosing your art </u>

Selecting the right art for your home is just as important as hanging it perfectly. Kevin Colbert, owner of Colbert Custom Framing in Chicago's southwest suburbs, says your personal style will likely determine what type of artwork an area needs. "Each room has a feeling to it, an emotional need combined with a physical one that's related to size and shape," he says. "You want to find a piece that fills both of those needs."

<u>Size and scale </u>

If your piece will be displayed over furniture like a sofa or table, it should fill at least half but no more than 75 percent to 80 percent of the wall space above, Colbert says. "The space to the left and right of the piece shouldn't feel as big as the main piece," he advises. "The space around should feel as if it frames the artwork."

<u>Grouping </u>

When assembling a grouping of items to hang, Ahearn suggests the group be viewed as a single unit. "Do not place things too far apart from each other," she says. "Use your hand, fingers closed, to determine the spacing between pieces. In smaller areas, you may want tighter spacing of 1 to 2 inches." Don't rule out including accessories, such as sconces or shelves, as part of a grouping.

<u>Symmetry or asymmetry? </u>

"Symmetrical placement in groupings is ideal for pieces that are similar in size, shape and subject matter," Ahearn advises. Consider asymmetry when designing a group of prints that may share one element, like subject matter or color scheme, but differ in size and shape. Ahearn urges homeowners to keep at least one common thread in large groupings, such as frame style or subject matter.

<u>Long hallways </u>

Homeowners can create volume in long hallways by hanging artwork horizontally. Ahearn suggests alternating items such as wall vases with artwork to add dimension and length.

<u>Height </u>

When hanging artwork, interior designer Julie Ahearn advises avoiding hanging it too high. "Hang your artwork so that the center point of a piece or grouping is at approximately eye level," says Ahearn, owner of Ooh La La D&#233;cor and More in Plainfield, Ill. "In hallways or foyers, determine eye level while you're standing." In rooms like the dining room, consider hanging artwork lower since you'll be sitting down while viewing it. When working over something like a mantel or couch, Ahearn advises hanging art 3 to 8 inches above the item.

<u>Tools for the job </u>

Ahearn recommends using the correct tools when hanging artwork at home. Consider whether the walls are drywall or plaster, as well as the size or weight of the piece. Expansion or toggle bolts are best for heavy pieces or shelves and can be found at hardware stores. For smaller items, picture hangers likely will do the trick.

<u>Practice first </u>

This is especially important for groupings of several items. Using Kraft paper, trace your pieces and cut them out. Ahearn advises using painter's tape to secure cutouts to the wall to test your design. "You have the flexibility of moving the paper pieces around &#8230; until you have the arrangement the way you want it," she says.

<u>Recruit help </u>

Don't go it alone when hanging artwork at home; it helps to have someone hold pieces for you to visualize how it will look once hung. "Recruit a family member, friend, or hire a local decorator to help," Ahearn says. Having another set of hands is a necessity for a professional end result.

<u>SIDEBAR</u>

Framing, matting and lighting

Framing

What do you like? Knowing what you like is most of the battle when choosing a frame. "We train our staff to ask customers whether they consider themselves traditional or contemporary," says Kevin Colbert of Colbert Custom Framing.

Work with the art: Colbert advises choosing frames that work with the colors in the art, not your home d&#233;cor. As long as you're selecting frames that align with your personal style, they'll fit wherever you place them.

Matting

Get dimensional: Including a bottom mat with the more traditional top mat allows for added dimension. "Using a light-colored top mat, with a darker bottom one, visually moves the viewer into the art," Colbert says.

Color and contrast: "It's important to understand how color and contrast work together," says Colbert, who says the top mat color should be a monochromatic extension of the art itself with a slightly different tone.

Lighting

When to light: Consider lighting when you have a piece that is very important or when it will be the focal point of a room.

What to use: New lighting advances over the past few years allow for cordless, museum quality lighting at home. Light-emitting diode (LED) products are battery operated and carry no concern of heat or ultraviolet damage to the art, Colbert says.