How to Display Art in Your Home: A Practical Guide

Posters trapped in cardboard tubes. Paintings sitting on the floor, leaning sheepishly against the wall. Framed prints stacked three deep like vinyl records waiting to be flipped through.

No judgment, but…there’s a better way!

You bought the artworks with the best of intentions. They’re meant to be looked at and enjoyed, after all.

But loving art and investing in it doesn’t necessarily prepare you to know what to do with it once you get home.

Where, exactly, should it go? How high? What if you put a nail in the wrong spot? What if you hang it and then realize it should’ve gone somewhere else?

Questions like these often get in the way, and before you know it six months have passed and the painting you were supposed to be enjoying just feels like a reminder that you spent money on something you’re not even using.

You’re not alone! We’re here to share some tips to get you unstuck and confident displaying artwork at home.

If You Only Read One Thing…

Start with one piece: hang it, live with it, and see how it feels. Most work looks best when the center sits around 57–60 inches from the floor—but adjust based on your furniture and what looks right to you. Keep art out of direct sunlight and away from high-humidity spots. And remember: you’re allowed to move things. Your collection doesn’t have to stay frozen in place.

Start With One Piece

Whether you’re just thinking about buying art for the first time or drowning in un-hung work, our advice is the same: get unstuck by taking action on just one piece.

Don’t try to figure out an entire gallery wall or design a room around it. Choose a spot and get it up one way or another; 99% of the time wherever you choose will be better than not being able to look at it at all.

Art changes a space. But you won’t know how it changes your space until it’s actually up. Starting with one piece lets you experiment without the pressure of getting everything perfect at once.

Where to Hang (and Where Not To)

The general guideline is to hang work at eye level, which usually means the center of the piece is around 57–60 inches from the floor. But “eye level” depends on your height, your furniture, and how you move through the space.

A few context-based adjustments:

• Above a couch or console: Leave about 6–8 inches between the furniture and the bottom of the frame.

• In a hallway or entryway: Think about where your eyes naturally land when you walk through. Taller people may want things slightly higher; if you have kids, consider hanging things lower.

• In a dining room: If people will mostly see the art while seated, hang it a bit lower than standard eye level.

And here’s a permission slip: it’s okay to hang things lower or higher than the “rule” if it feels better to you. The rule is just a starting point.

Where to Avoid

• Direct sunlight. It will fade the work over time, especially prints, photographs, and textiles.

• High-humidity areas. Bathrooms and kitchens can damage paper-based work or cause mold on canvas.

• Above heat sources. Hanging work above a radiator or fireplace can warp frames or damage the piece.

If you love a piece and want it somewhere tricky, ask the gallery or the artist whether it can handle those conditions. Some work is more resilient than others.

Grouping Work: One Piece vs. a “Gallery Wall”, and everything between

Gallery walls are trending?!? I guess so, if something can be trending since the 17th century.

In art historical terms, what we think of now as a gallery wall display (a carefully arranged, non-grid-like, densely-packed group of artworks on a single wall) has traditionally been known as a “Salon hang” or ‘salon-style’, in practice at least since Louis XIV’s reign.

While you can’t go wrong with a display approach that’s been in vogue for 350 years, it’s by no means the only way to go (and certainly not the easiest!)

Here are some options:

The Grid

Same-sized frames, evenly spaced. This is the most structured option—works well if you want the wall to feel intentional. It’s also the easiest to plan because the math is straightforward.

Best for: Minimalists, renters, anyone who likes symmetry.

• Choose frames that are all the same size.

• Decide on spacing (usually 2–4 inches between frames).

• Measure and mark with painter’s tape before committing to nails.

The Salon Wall

Different sizes, different frames, arranged in a way that feels organic but still balanced. Harder to pull off, but when it works, it feels genuinely collected and personal.

Best for: Maximalists, people with an eclectic collection, anyone going for a “curated chaos” vibe.

• Lay everything out on the floor first.

• Start with the largest piece and build around it.

• Take a photo of the layout you like, then measure and transfer to the wall.

• Use painter’s tape to mark spots before hammering nails.

OR: watch some TikToks of people hacking this with paper cutouts; could be a huge time saver!

Pro tip: Keep roughly equal spacing between all pieces (2–3 inches) even if sizes vary—it creates visual cohesion.

The Lean

If you don’t want to commit to hanging, you can lean work on a shelf, mantle, or console. This gives you flexibility to move things around, swap pieces in and out, and experiment with what you like living with.

What’s the difference between this and the works you have leaned against the wall at the end of the hallway near the laundry room? Intentionality.

Best for: Renters, anyone who likes to change things frequently, people who are nervous about putting holes in walls.

• Choose a stable surface (mantle, shelf, console, or floor against a wall).

• Lean larger pieces in back, smaller ones in front.

• Mix in objects—books, ceramics, plants—for visual interest.

The Single Statement Piece

One large piece on an otherwise empty wall. Simple, confident, and it lets the work breathe. 

Best for: Minimalists, anyone with a large piece they love, people who want a focal point without clutter.

• Choose your largest or most visually striking piece.

• Hang it on a wall with minimal other distractions.

• Resist the urge to fill the space around it—let it stand alone.

Living With It (Not Just Hanging It)

You don’t have to treat art and design objects like museum artifacts. You can move them if it stops feeling right. You can rotate pieces seasonally or when your taste shifts. You can take something down and put something else up.

Still worried about holes in the wall? We’re obsessed with the wide array of solutions available from 3M’s Command Strips product line, including Poster Strips, Wire-Backed Picture Hanging Hooks, Universal Picture Hangers, and Jumbo Canvas Picture Hangers. Using these hidden, damage-free, removable hardware options make moving work around a total no-brainer. Perfect for the less decisive amount us!!

Your collection doesn’t have to be static. It can evolve with you. The goal is to live with work that makes you happy right now—not work you’re keeping up out of obligation or because you spent money on it.

If you want to try rotating:

• Keep a few pieces in storage (properly wrapped, in a dry place).

• Swap pieces seasonally—lighter, brighter work in summer; darker, cozier work in winter.

• Move pieces between rooms as your space or mood changes.

• Reevaluate kids’ room art works once or twice a year, inviting their input. This can be a good summer break activity, or a positive back-to-school prep ritual alongside the evolved fashion sense they are bringing with them into the next grade.

FAQ: Hanging and Displaying Art

What’s the best way to hang art without damaging walls?

For lightweight pieces (under 20 lbs), 3M Command strips work well. For heavier pieces, use proper wall anchors or find a stud.

How do I hang art on brick or concrete?

Use masonry anchors or a drill with a masonry bit. Or lean the work on a shelf or mantle instead.

Should I frame everything?

Not necessarily. Some work looks great unframed (canvases, wood panels). But paper-based work—prints, drawings, watercolors—are best framed for long-term protection.

How high is too high?

If you have to crane your neck to look at it, it’s probably  too high. Most people tend to hang art too high rather than too low.

Can I hang art in a bathroom?

Yes, but avoid paper-based work or anything that can’t handle humidity. Well-framed photographs, oil paintings on canvas, and sealed ceramics are usually fine.

What if I want to move something I’ve already hung?

Do it. You’re allowed. Patch the old holes with spackle (or toothpaste, wink wink), paint if needed, and move on.

The goal isn’t to create a perfect, Instagram-ready space. (Unless it really is—in which case: More power to you! Godspeed! Tag us!) The goal is to be surrounded by visuals that make you feel a certain type of way in each room, whether it be calm, energized, focused, invigorated, welcoming.

That means giving yourself permission to hang things imperfectly, to move them around, to live with one piece instead of five while you figure things out, and to change your mind.

Need a kickstart? Browse work at Visual Index or reach out for guidance on placement and installation.

Next in this series: How to Care for Your Collection. Even though we think taking care of art is generally pretty straightforward, there’s definitely more to it than the occasional swipe with a feather duster.