While I was in graduate school for photography, I supported myself working on the installation crew for a large gallery. One of the things I learned was how to hang wall art like a pro.

Before I worked in the gallery, I’d always heard it was best to hang artwork at ‘eye level’. This concept is at best misleading, and at worst, blatantly incorrect.

I am four feet eleven inches tall. While I believe this makes me the best height for photography dogs, it also means my 'eye level' is going to be completely different from the eye level of my 6’5” brother.

Here are 3 things you MUST know before hanging your artwork:

1. Art on the wall

Start by dividing the height of the frame by two. From that number, subtract the distance from the top of the frame to the hanging hardware. Add this number to 60. Once you have your final number, measure from the floor and make a small pencil mark on your wall. Use a hammer or drill to install your hanging hardware, pop your artwork on (carefully!), and you are good to go.

The truth is that, technically, the center of a piece of art should typically be 57” to 60” from the floor. At some point, someone decided this was ‘the average eye level,’ and thus the rule was made golden by someone who didn’t know any better.

2. Above a sofa or a desk

The golden rule is to hang it 4 to 6 inches above the top of the furniture. There's some wiggle room here, but always be careful not to hang your art too high or too low.

3. Wall arrangement

A pro-tip is to lay your art out on the floor first to see how it will look arranged on your wall. I really like to test my plans by arranging sheets of paper on the wall with painter's tape before I actually commit to the placement.

We all know that it's not always so simple to find a completely blank wall that's waiting to be outfitted, especially if you live in a small space. When you're surveying the land (so to speak), consider what spaces you're working with and how your art would fit into those areas.

My secret weapon: I prefer to use larger artwork and frames in my projects, rather than multiple smaller pieces. It's just easier to fill in spaces when you have less space to fill!

When my clients commission a certain size artwork, I always comp the cost of hiring an art installer to hang their art for them. At the end of the day, don’t ever hesitate to someone to help, just remember, your typical handyman may not have very much experience hanging artwork. This is why I only work with art installers. They will have special training and loads of experience both handling and hanging your precious artwork.

The three things you must know before hanging your artwork.