Few things personalize your home more than hanging your favorite pictures throughout the house, condo, or apartment. Pictures can show off your wonderful family, capture your best vacations, or simply allow you to express your one-of-a-kind creativity and style. But how can you best display your pictures? If you aren’t sure how to arrange pictures on a wall, you’ve come to the right place.
The great news is that there are many different ways to arrange pictures on walls that look great. In this article, we’ll offer you several popular options, including tips on how to hang two pictures, three pictures, and more.
First, let’s quickly discuss the proper height to hang pictures.
How High To Hang Pictures
The general rule for the proper height to hang pictures is for the picture’s midpoint to be between 57 and 60 inches from the floor. If your ceilings are higher than the standard eight feet, you can get away with hanging your artwork a bit higher.
Of course, rules of thumb are just a starting point. Don’t be afraid to switch things up to match the realities of your living space. For example, strive for at least three to six inches between the top of your furniture and the bottom of the picture frame. If you are stacking photos vertically on the wall, you may need to adjust how high you hang the pictures to accommodate the entire grouping.
Now that we have the basics of hanging height out of the way, let’s look at different ways to arrange pictures on walls.
How To Arrange Two Pictures on a Wall
Do you want to showcase partner photos? How about hanging pictures of your two adorable kids or your two amazing pets? There are plenty of reasons to hang two pictures. Here are several ways to make your dual frames look great.
1. Two Pictures Side-By-Side
If you want to go the sweet-and-simple route, hang your pictures side-by-side on the wall. Hanging them side-by-side also creates the illusion of a longer wall, which can help a smaller space seem bigger. Use the same picture size and frame to maintain consistency. Or, if you want to add a unique flair to the arrangement, choose different frames that better match the personality or themes of each subject.
When hanging two pictures next to each other, be sure to take some measurements first. Ensure you center your pictures comfortably with a bit of space between them.
2. Two Pictures Horizontally
Have a room with low ceilings? You can create the illusion of higher ceilings by hanging one picture directly above another, making the room appear taller with a unique use of open wall space.
Using the same size picture and frame will add symmetry to the space, but you can also spice things up with different frames or pictures of different sizes.
3. Two Pictures Staggered
Hanging two pictures staggered (i.e., not in alignment) can be visually compelling and help take up white space on a larger wall. This arrangement can work with identical frames and picture sizes or with unique frames and different-sized pictures. Just make sure to keep the pictures close enough together so they can be appreciated as a thematic pair.
How to Arrange Three Photo Frames on a Wall
Hanging three pictures on a wall works especially well due to the rule of threes and the understanding that odd numbers of items in design tend to work best.
4. Three Pictures Side-by-Side
Consider hanging three identical frames side–by–side with a different image in each frame. You can also opt for one large image in the center flanked by two smaller images on either side. For example, you may want to showcase a wedding picture of you and your betrothed kissing to seal the deal as the focal picture flanked by smaller individual portraits.
5. Three Pictures Staggered
You can really get creative by staggering three or more pictures. You can hang your pictures horizontally or vertically with the middle picture out of alignment. Another option is to hang the pictures in a diagonal pattern across a large wall. You can even hang two pictures in vertical alignment and the third in horizontal alignment or vice versa. The key to pulling it all together is to set each picture the same distance apart. Keep your tape measure handy for this option.
6. Three-Panel Triptych
Are you especially proud of a gorgeous landscape or cityscape picture you took? Display your creativity with the three-panel triptych arrangement. This arrangement is made up of three large panels that, together, make up a single image. Many online picture and framing sites can help you create a triptych of a single image. Triptychs can include as few as two panels or more than three, but three is a great option. Line your panels up side-by-side or stagger them to add a little whimsy to your wall.
Hanging Four or More Pictures
Hanging four or more pictures on a wall may seem complicated, but it’s not. More pictures mean you have more options for showing your artistic flair! Let’s look at some great options for hanging all those pics of your kids, family, vacations, and more.
7. Four Pictures in a Square Layout
Just because a square is a simple shape doesn’t mean this layout needs to be boring. Choose gorgeous matching frames to help this arrangement pop. Another option is to mix the images up beautifully with diagonal pairings. Get funky by choosing frames in different sizes or different orientations.
8. Classic Gallery Arrangement
One of the easiest ways to display all six pictures of your dogs (or kids or classic cars) is to use the classic gallery style. Choose the same frames, image size, and orientation for your pictures and hang them in a symmetrical grid, creating a beautiful, clean look.
9. Mismatched Gallery
If you want a little more of a controlled, messy look, go for a mismatched gallery (which you can also call a picture collage). Unleash your inner interior decorator as you play around with different frames, image sizes, and orientations. The slight chaos makes this arrangement tons of fun and adds an extra visual element to the display.
A fun alternative to the mismatched gallery is to start with one to three larger focal pictures and put them in the center of the gallery, surrounded by smaller pictures.
10. Grid Gallery
Are you having trouble choosing which pictures you want to hang? Then you might want to try the grid gallery layout. This arrangement works best with a large set of smaller pictures. As the name implies, simply hang the pictures up in a clean grid with each row and column in perfect alignment. This arrangement can take some time and effort to perfect, but you’ll end up with a clean and crisp arrangement that doesn’t leave out any memories.
Other Things To Consider
When you think about how to arrange pictures on a wall, don’t get too hung up (pun intended!) on the arrangement itself. Here are a couple of other things to consider.
Change Out Your Pictures
Keeping the same pictures hanging on the wall for years can become a little stale after a while. Consider spicing things up a bit by changing out your pictures with the turn of the seasons or as your family members grow older.
Carefully Consider Your Frames
Your pictures are only a part of your arrangement. The frames you choose can have a huge impact on the overall composition. Play with themes through the frames. Similar-looking pictures can look more cohesive if they have matching frames. Different frames can add more pop to your arrangement or better reflect the subject of each picture.
Protect Your Pictures
If you like to regularly change out your pictures or experiment with different frame colors and styles, make sure to keep your valuable pieces safe when they aren’t on your walls. If you don’t want to fill your closets with unused pictures and frames, store your inactive pieces safely and securely in a personal storage unit until you’re ready to hang them again.
Time to Refresh Your Walls
Now that you know how to arrange pictures on a wall, you don’t have an excuse for bare walls or old, stale arrangements. Refresh your pictures, shop for some new frames, and let your creativity take over. The right pictures on walls can truly make your home a one-of-a-kind place that makes you feel great every time you walk through the door.
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