Whether you're using photographs, paintings, or tapestries, wall art offers many great options for adding visual interest to your home, but selecting the pieces is just half the job. Our real estate agents share top tips on hanging wall art for optimum effect.

1. Use Appropriate Hardware
   Shape and size will be the primary factors in decidingthe type of hardware you use. For example, mirrors usually weigh more than paintings or photographs, so you should use sturdier hardware. Use two hooks, especially with larger items, so their placement remains stable.
   
   
2. Maintain Proportion
   Asingle piece or grouping should correlate to the amount of space where it will hang.Let the shape of the wall dictate size, placement, and orientation.
   
   
3. Everything's Relative
   Don't forget to consider the relation of wall art to other furnishings and features in the room. As a general rule,artwork should be approximately two-thirds the size of a pieceof furniture it will hang above, or the same size as the fireplace opening if the art is going above a mantle.
   
   
4. Frames as Art
   There's nearly as wide a range of frame styles as there is of actual artwork. In addition to holding a piece of art, frames serve as an element of the overall effect.Should you go modern? Vintage? Wood? Color? Give careful thought to what types of frames will best help to achieve the look you're aiming for.
   
   
5. Leave the Food on the Plate
   Carefully arranged and stylized pictures of fruit, pasta, and other food items hanging in the kitchen have become cliche. Not to mention that realistically, for many of us, our culinary efforts suffer in comparison. As the focal point of the home, kitchens certainly benefit from wall art. Black-and-white or vintage photos, graphic prints, andchalkboard art are just a few creative options that make a refreshing change from pictures of food.
   
   
6. Symmetric or Asymmetric?
   Wall art groupings aren't required to be arranged in a precise lineup. Symmetry lends itself well to several pieces that are similar in size, shape, and subject, but asymmetry creates visual energy with objects that are largely unrelated. Just don't make the mistake of confusing "asymmetrical" with "random." Determining the specific placement is just as important, if not more so, with asymmetricalarrangements.
   
   
7. The Eyes Have It
   Experts agree that the most common error people make with wall art is hanging the pieces too high. The rule of thumb, used as a standard in galleries and museums,is that the midpoint of a piece of art should be 57 inches from the floor. This number is based on the average height of humans, putting the art comfortably within most people's line of sight.
   
   
8. Do a "Dry Run"
   You may have a vivid picture in your mind's eye of how you want to arrange your works of art, but that doesn't mean it will look the same on the wall. Lay a sheet of kraft paperon a large table or floor, then place the pieces on top. Try different configurations until you find just the look you want. Trace the outline of each piece on the kraft paper, taking care to mark the location of the hanging point. Now you have a custom template to help you place the hardware.

Want more easy and effective ways to style your home for maximum buyer appeal? Contact us at The Masiello Group.