10 Helpful Guidelines for Decorating Walls
Of all the guidelines for decorating walls, the one that matters most is how high to hang wall art, because hanging it too high is one of the most common mistakes in any room. The museum standard, often called the 57-inch rule, is a great starting point, but it's often quoted without its exceptions, so people apply it above a sofa and get it wrong. These 10 helpful guidelines for decorating walls explain how high to hang wall art in every situation, starting with the rule and then covering when to break it.
Key Takeaways
- On an open wall, hang wall art with its centre at about 145 cm (57 in).
- Above furniture, the furniture sets the height: leave 15 to 25 cm.
- Treat a gallery grouping as one piece and centre the whole group.
- In stairwells, follow the slope of the stairs.
- Measure to the hanging point, not the top of the frame.
Wall Art Hanging Height Chart
| Where | How high to hang wall art | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Open wall | Centre at 145 cm (57 in) | The museum standard |
| Above a sofa | Bottom 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) above the sofa back | Furniture sets the height |
| Above a console or sideboard | Bottom 15 to 25 cm above the top | Leave room for a lamp to overlap slightly |
| Above a bed | Bottom 15 to 25 cm above the headboard | Avoid hanging heavy pieces where heads rest |
| Dining room | Centre slightly lower, around 135 to 145 cm | Viewed mostly while seated |
| Stairwell | Centre about 145 cm above the stair line | Follow the slope of the stairs |
| Children's room | Lower, to the child's eye level | Use lightweight frames |
| Gallery grouping | Centre of the whole group at 145 cm | Treat the group as one piece |
10 Helpful Guidelines for Decorating Walls
1. Start with the 57-inch rule
Galleries hang wall art so its centre sits about 145 cm (57 in) from the floor, roughly average standing eye level. Some designers go up to 152 cm (60 in) in rooms with higher ceilings. Use this for any open wall with no furniture beneath.
2. Above furniture, let the furniture decide
This is the exception that trips people up. Above a sofa, console or sideboard, hang wall art with the bottom edge 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) above the furniture. A tall sofa back might push the centre above 145 cm, and that's fine: the art and furniture should read as one unit.
3. Size wall art to the furniture below
Height and width work together. Art above furniture should be about two-thirds of the furniture's width, so a 210 cm sofa suits roughly 140 cm of art or a grouping.
4. Don't chase high ceilings
High ceilings tempt people to hang wall art higher, but people's eyes don't move up with the ceiling. Keep the centre near eye level and use scale instead: choose larger pieces, or stack two pieces vertically, to fill more of the wall.
5. Follow the stairs in a stairwell
On a staircase wall, keep each piece about 145 cm above the stair below it, so the arrangement rises with the steps. Lightly mark a diagonal line parallel to the stair slope, and align the centres or bottom edges along it.
6. Treat a gallery grouping as one piece
Centre the whole grouping at 145 cm, not each frame. Keep 5 to 8 cm between frames, and above furniture, apply the 15 to 25 cm gap to the lowest frame.
7. Hang lower where people sit
In dining rooms, home offices and reading corners, people mostly view art while seated, so hang the centre slightly lower, around 135 to 145 cm.
8. Lower it in children's rooms
Hang wall art at a child's eye level so they can enjoy it, and choose lightweight, shatterproof frames with secure fixings.
9. Align with neighbouring pieces
Where several separate pieces share a room, line them up along a consistent centre line or a consistent top or bottom edge. It makes the room feel planned, even when the pieces differ in size.
10. Measure to the hanging point
The most precise way to get the height right is to work out exactly where the nail goes.
The nail-height formula
- Start with 145 cm (your target centre height).
- Add half the height of the frame.
- Subtract the distance from the top of the frame to the hanging wire pulled taut, or to the hook.
- The result is the nail height from the floor.
Example: for a 60 cm tall frame with the wire 8 cm below the top, 145 + 30 − 8 = 167 cm. Put the nail at 167 cm.
How High to Hang Wall Art: Common Mistakes
- Hanging too high: the single most common error.
- Applying the 57-inch rule above a sofa: the furniture should set the height instead.
- Leaving a big gap above furniture: art and furniture look disconnected.
- Measuring to the top of the frame: measure to the hanging point.
- Centring each frame in a group separately: centre the whole grouping.
Planning Before You Make a Hole
Trace each frame onto paper, cut it out, mark the hanging point and tape it to the wall. Live with it for a day, adjust, then hammer the nail through the paper at the marked point. It's the easiest way to get how high to hang wall art right first time. For a complete grouping plan, see our guide on how to arrange a gallery wall, and for more ideas, our living room wall decor guide.
Wall Decor From Global Swanky
Browse more in our Home Decor collection.
1. Round Decorative Wall Mirror
The Round Decorative Wall Mirror starts at $144.19, in sizes including 35 cm and 60 cm rounds. Hang a mirror using the same height guidelines as wall art.
2. Retro Classical Oval Mirror
The Retro Classical Oval Mirror is $45.83, a vintage-style piece for hallways and above consoles.
3. Artificial Flower Hoop Wreath
The Artificial Flower Hoop Wreath is $11.46, a light circular piece that's easy to hang at eye level.
4. Macramé Woven Wall Hanging
The Macramé Woven Wall Hanging is $15.29, adding texture to a narrow wall or a child's room.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart should gallery wall frames be?
Keep 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) between frames. The exact gap matters less than keeping it consistent across the whole grouping.
What is eye level for hanging pictures?
Most designers and galleries use 145 to 152 cm (57 to 60 in) from the floor to the centre of the art, which matches average standing eye level.
How do you hang art above a sofa?
Size it to about two-thirds of the sofa's width and hang it with the bottom edge 15 to 25 cm above the sofa back, so the art and sofa read as one unit.
Is there a picture hanging height chart?
Yes: centre at 145 cm on an open wall; bottom 15 to 25 cm above sofas, consoles and headboards; a little lower in dining rooms; and following the stair slope in stairwells. See the chart in this guide.
What is the art over furniture rule?
Art above furniture should be about two-thirds of the furniture's width and hung 15 to 25 cm above it. The furniture, rather than the 57-inch rule, decides the height.