Art consultant Louisa Warfield says large artwork can make a space feel more inviting.
Andreas von Einsiedel | Kobes Documentary | Getty Images
Art consultants say there are two common mistakes people make when hanging art in their homes Louisa Warfield.
“First of all, the works they hang are too small for the space. Usually when you go in, you find a couch (couch) with a small photo hanging on it, which looks lonely and desolate,” she said.
Instead, “hang as large a painting as can fit on the wall.” This helps the room feel inviting while also making the space appear larger, Warfield says. Don’t be afraid to hang large artwork in smaller spaces like hallways, Warfield says.
The second mistake is hanging art too high, which makes it harder for the art to “connect.” “Whether it’s a visual connection, you just like the look of it, or an emotional connection, you feel something from it… If the piece is hung too high, it feels like it’s not in the room, “she says.
Art consultant Louisa Warfield says people sometimes make the mistake of hanging art too high. Instead, hang the work at its center approximately 150 centimeters from the ground, as shown in the large painting to the right of the dining room. The works on display are created by contemporary artist David Price and the interior designer is Rachael Harding.
Louisa Warfield Art Consultants
Warfield said the guideline for hanging a work is to have its center about 150 centimeters above the ground. Alternatively, hang it so that your eye level is about one-third of the way below the top of the piece. “These are just guidelines – there are no hard and fast rules,” she said.
“Gallery Wall”
Having a gallery wall with several pieces of varying sizes hanging together is a popular way to display art in your home. Most people are not art collectors who buy works on a specific theme; Instead, they might buy art while on vacation or receive art as a gift, Warfield said.
“As our lives get bigger and bigger, (artwork) often doesn’t match up. But a gallery wall… allows you to bring a lot of disparate pieces together into a very holistic look, “she says.
Warfield recommends giving the presentation cohesion. “It could be as simple as everything having a black frame. It could be as simple as everything being a picture of a flower, or… everything being a black and white photo,” she said. She might add a quirk, such as a pop of red in one image, to stand out from the monochromatic selection.
A “gallery wall” in art consultant Louisa Warfield’s London home. Before hanging your photos, place them on the floor in the arrangement you want, Warfield recommends.
Louisa Warfield Art Consultants
In a large house, a gallery wall might be about 160cm high and about the width of the sofa where the art is hung, Warfield says. She says it’s acceptable to mix larger pieces with smaller ones, and suggests placing the pictures on the floor in front of the couch to decide how to display them. Should the largest image be placed in the middle of the monitor? “There’s no ‘should’,” she said. “There’s a million different ways to do it.”
Warfield charges £175 ($222) plus tax for two hours of advice on what to buy and how to display it. For the hanging itself, Warfield says, it’s worth hiring a professional who knows the best accessories for the size of the art and the type of wall. She said the cost for a professional clothes hanger could be expected to be around £80 an hour.
To match or not to match
You may want the artwork to match the color scheme you choose for your home, Warfield says, but that’s something the art world — which can be elitist — may look down on. Her approach is more inclusive: “You have to do whatever you want at home—it’s your sanctuary,” Warfield says.
“What I advise my clients is, you may want it to match now, but your sofa and your (color) palette will almost certainly change again in seven to 10 years,” Warfield says. If you’re shopping for art and you’re keen on the way it goes, “be sure to note how much you’re spending and, if you change the color of your living room, will the painting last?”
Works by British artist Sophie Carter in a penthouse apartment designed by interior designer Yoko Kloeden. Art consultant Louisa Warfield said she commissioned the piece to reflect the building’s views.
Louisa Warfield Art Consultants
If you’ve recently moved and feel your existing artwork doesn’t fit in the new space, consider reframing or hanging them frameless to give them a new look, or coating them with non-reflective and UV-resistant glass, Warfield suggests. This will show the work more clearly.
for Helen Sunderland Cohen collects modern and contemporary art and photography, and balance is important. “I try to place pieces that feel good in a specific space and interact organically with each other. This can be through color, style or theme. For example, I decided to hang black and white photography in a hallway,” she says via email told CNBC.
The art collector’s approach
Sunderland-Cohen’s London home features an open-plan living area with large windows along the way to showcase her collection.
A fabric monoprint by British artist Aimee Parrott hangs next to the mask by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare, and behind it is an oil on canvas by postwar British artist Prunella Clough. Meanwhile, a bright pink porcelain cone by Simon Bejer – a graduate of London’s City and Guilds School of Art, of which Sunderland Cohen is a trustee – sits on a side table.
Art collector Helen Sunderland Cohen says her goal is to create a “harmonious, balanced” environment when it comes to creating art. She is pictured holding an antique atlas which is part of the Sunderland collection.
Helen Sunderland Cohen
“I… try to arrange the art in a way that coordinates with the furniture, the rugs and the lighting so that everything feels harmonious,” Sunderland Cohen said.
Sunderland Cohen, manager Sunderland CollectionHaving collected a collection of antique world maps and atlases, she said she purchased pieces for her home that she had a personal connection to, such as places where she had lived. “I think a lot of artistic presentation comes down to confidence and intuition rather than worrying about what other people will think or how popular the artist is,” she says.
“I’m fascinated by design and love living with it: even simple objects like a well-designed lamp or a beautiful cushion, or a quirky vase. These items don’t have to be expensive, just engaging and interesting,” she explain.
About The Author
