How high to hang art
Put the centre of the artwork 145 cm, or 57 inches, above the floor. Most art in most homes is hung too high.
The 145 cm rule
Galleries and museums commonly hang work so its centre sits at average eye height, about 145 cm or 57 inches (Apartment Therapy). At that height the art sits in the room instead of above it, and pieces on different walls line up without anyone measuring twice.
How to measure it
- Mark 145 cm on the wall with a pencil.
- Halve the height of the frame. A 70 cm tall frame: 35 cm.
- Measure from the top of the frame down to the point where it will hang: the taut wire, or the hanger on the back.
- The hook goes at 145 + half the frame height − the hanger drop. For a 70 cm frame with a 5 cm drop: 145 + 35 − 5 = 175 cm.
Groups: treat them as one picture
For two, three or a whole gallery wall, find the centre of the group, not of each frame, and put that at 145 cm. Hang the biggest or central piece first and build outwards. See gallery wall spacing for the gaps.
Above a sofa, bed or sideboard
Furniture wins over the eye-level rule when they disagree. Keep 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 in) between the furniture and the bottom of the frame, even if that moves the centre a little above 145 cm. Above a bed, leave a little more room for the headboard.
High ceilings and stairs
- High ceilings: keep the centre at 145 cm and let the art be bigger, not higher. The ceiling is not the reference; people’s eyes are.
- Staircases: keep each piece at 145 cm above the step directly below it, so the line of centres follows the stair.
- Dining rooms: people sit, so centring a little lower, around 135 cm, often feels better.