Hanging guide

Hang it at eye level.

The tools, the height and the gaps. A few rules of thumb, then measure the wall you have.

Prints and posters
Hanging guide

In this guide

01

Tools

02

Height on the wall

03

Above furniture

04

Pairs and rows

05

Gallery walls

06

Rails and shelves

A white desk with a framed print leaning on the wall, a notebook and a pencil

01 Tools

A short list, and a pencil.

You need less than you think: something to measure, something to mark and a level. The fixing is the part worth choosing carefully.

Shop framed prints

01

Tape measure

Measure the wall, the furniture and the outside of the frame.

02

Pencil

Mark the centre line lightly, and check it before anything goes into the wall.

03

Spirit level

A short level is enough to keep a frame straight.

04

Fixings

Choose a fixing for the wall: masonry, plasterboard or timber.

05

A second pair of hands

Large or glazed frames are easier to place with help.

A bare white wall with a picture hook and a faint pencil mark in daylight

02 Height on the wall

Centre it at eye level.

For a print on an open wall, a common rule of thumb is to put the centre at about 145 to 152 cm from the floor. In a room where people sit, the furniture usually sets the height.

Centre at 145 cm

Read the print sizes

01

Standing view

About 145 to 152 cm to the centre is a common starting point for an open wall.

02

Seated view

In a living or dining room, sit down and check the print from where people look at it.

03

Above furniture

Let the top of the sofa, sideboard or desk set the height, then keep the gap steady.

04

Small rooms

A slightly lower centre can make a print feel part of a small room.

A large framed print above a linen sofa in a living room

03 Above furniture

Leave a steady gap.

Above a sofa, a bed, a sideboard or a desk, leave about 15 to 25 cm between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame.

Shop gallery posters

01

Sofa or bed

A gap of about 15 to 25 cm keeps the print connected to the furniture without crowding it.

02

Sideboard or desk

Use the same gap, and check the print against anything standing on the surface.

03

A lamp or a vase

Leave room for the tallest object that will sit in front of the print.

04

A pair over furniture

Centre the pair on the furniture, not on the wall, and keep the gap between frames equal.

A pair of framed prints above a desk in a home office

04 Pairs and rows

Treat a pair as one piece.

Two prints hung together read as one object. Hang them as a pair from the start, with the same gap and the same top line.

Shop framed prints

01

One composition

Choose the frames and the gap together, so the pair looks deliberate.

02

The gap

A steady gap, narrower than the width of one frame, holds the pair together.

03

Top or centre

Line up the tops for frames of the same height, or the centres for different heights.

04

Over furniture

Centre the pair on the furniture below it, not on the wall.

A salon-style gallery wall of mixed oak and black frames above a sofa

05 Gallery walls

Build a wall, not a rectangle.

A gallery wall is a composition, not a grid. Start with the largest piece, then let the others answer it.

Shop gallery posters

01

Start with the largest

Put the largest piece at eye level, slightly off centre, then build around it.

02

Keep the gaps equal

A steady gap between every frame reads as one composition.

03

Lay it out first

Move the frames around on the floor before anything goes on the wall.

04

Mix the sizes

Different sizes are fine; keep the outer edges calm and the gaps even.

06 Rails and shelves

Let the rail carry the wall.

A picture rail takes the frames without a new hole for every change. A leaning shelf does the same at the bottom of a wall.

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Read the print sizes

01

Two points

Hang a frame from the rail on two cords, so it stays level.

02

The bottom line

Let frames of different sizes share a bottom line, or a centre line.

03

Leaning frames

Lean larger frames against the wall on a shelf, with the bottom held by the shelf edge.

04

Leave space above

Keep a little space between the top of a leaning frame and the shelf above.

Ready to hang

Start with one wall.

Choose the print, the size and the frame, and the rest follows.

Shop framed prints

Print sizes

Hang it at eye level.

A short list, and a pencil.

Centre it at eye level.

Leave a steady gap.

Treat a pair as one piece.

Build a wall, not a rectangle.

Let the rail carry the wall.

Start with one wall.

Hang something good.

We value your privacy

A short list, and a pencil.

Centre it at eye level.

Leave a steady gap.

Treat a pair as one piece.

Build a wall, not a rectangle.

Let the rail carry the wall.

Start with one wall.

Hang something good.

Hang it at eye level.

A short list, and a pencil.

Centre it at eye level.

Leave a steady gap.

Treat a pair as one piece.

Build a wall, not a rectangle.

Let the rail carry the wall.

Start with one wall.

Hang something good.

New on the wall: occasional letters

We value your privacy

A short list, and a pencil.

Centre it at eye level.

Leave a steady gap.

Treat a pair as one piece.

Build a wall, not a rectangle.

Let the rail carry the wall.

Start with one wall.

Hang something good.

New on the wall: occasional letters