How high should I hang my canvas?

A question we are commonly asked is “what is the right height to hang my canvas art?” Hanging artwork at the correct height will help you achieve a professional look and avoid making a common decorating mistake. Here are some tips to get it done right.

1. Hang your canvas at eye level

As a rule of thumb, when pictures are mostly seen by people who are standing in areas such as hallways and foyers, we suggest hanging your artwork so the center hangs at 60” to 66” (152-168 cm) from the floor. This is a comfortable height for most people.

In areas of the home such as the dining or living room, it is important to hang your artwork low enough so you can enjoy it while you are sitting. 

Try sitting across from where you want to hang your canvas and have someone move the art up and down before you decide where it looks best.

2. Treat multiple canvases as one

When hanging multiple canvases the same rule applies. Treat the canvases as one big piece. Whether it's horizontal or vertical, the center of your arrangement should hang 60” to 66” (152-168 cm) from the floor. The example below shows 3 canvases, but you can use the same rule to hang any number of canvases. Play around with different arrangements to find the perfect combination for your space.

3. Hang artwork in relation to furniture 

When hanging canvas art above furniture, we suggest picking artwork or a group of canvasses that is roughly ⅔ the length of your furniture. When hanging above a couch, the bottom of your artwork or frame should hang 8” to 10” above the back of the sofa.

When hanging above furniture like a dresser or desk, accessories such as lamps, clocks, frames or other décor can influence styling. Hang the art about 4" to 8” above the dresser so the two pieces are visually connected. The exact height will be influenced by the accessories used on the furniture.

It’s a good idea to identify the accessories to be used on the dresser before selecting the hanging height of the art. 

The best way to hang your canvas

Canvas art is often sold without any hanging hardware, and hanging it by the frame is not secure and can warp the frame over time. You can add picture wire, D-ring or sawtooth hangers to a canvas, but we prefer using CanvasHangers™. They are simple to use and you get a secure hold that sits flush against the wall and never moves, even in high traffic areas. Check out this blog How to use CanvasHangers to learn more. 

We love designing products to make decorating easy. Click on the live chat below or email us at: questions@utrdecorating.com, and we’ll do our best to help you Create the home you love™

-The UTR Team