Where to Hang Art: The Places We Often Overlook

When we think about hanging art, our attention tends to go to the obvious places.

The empty wall above the sofa. The space over a fireplace. The middle of a gallery wall.

These are wonderful places for art, of course. But some of the pieces that bring the most character to a home are found somewhere less expected - tucked between two windows, propped amongst books or hanging on a small patch of wall that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.

Art doesn't need a grand empty wall to justify its place in a room.

Sometimes, the quieter spots are the most interesting.

In the kitchen

Kitchens are often full of things chosen for practical reasons, which is precisely why a piece of art can feel so good in one.

Look beyond the main walls. A small landscape beside a doorway, a still life above a worktop or a little piece tucked onto open shelving can soften the more functional elements of the room.

Leaning artwork can work particularly well here too. A small framed print propped against the wall amongst ceramics, cookbooks and objects you've collected feels relaxed rather than overly styled.

Just keep artwork away from direct heat, steam and splashes - the charming little spot immediately beside the hob probably isn't the one.

Between windows

The narrow stretches of wall between windows are easily overlooked, particularly when they don't seem large enough for a conventional piece of furniture or a statement artwork.

But they're often perfect for something smaller.

A portrait, little landscape or vertically proportioned print can turn an otherwise forgotten strip of wall into a deliberate moment.

Rather than thinking about whether a piece is large enough to fill the space, consider whether the space is just large enough to give the piece somewhere to breathe.

Above a radiator

The wall above a radiator can become something of a no-man's-land.

It's usually too shallow for furniture, yet often occupies a prominent position within the room.

Art can give it purpose.

A single piece can work beautifully, as can a small grouping if you have more height available. The radiator itself provides a natural visual anchor underneath, in much the same way as a console or sideboard might elsewhere.

Do be sensible about heat, though. Avoid placing valuable or delicate artwork immediately above a particularly hot radiator, and leave some distance between the heat source and the frame.

In the bathroom

Art in bathrooms can be wonderfully unexpected.

A small framed piece above the loo, beside a mirror or on an otherwise empty stretch of wall makes the room feel considered in exactly the same way as the rest of the house.

The important thing here is moisture. A well-ventilated cloakroom or bathroom with relatively low humidity offers much more freedom than a steamy shower room.

If conditions aren't suitable for a treasured original, save that for elsewhere.

Beside the bed

We often think of art in a bedroom as something that belongs centrally above the headboard.

It doesn't have to.

A smaller piece hung beside the bed can create a much quieter moment, particularly above a bedside table or lamp. Two sides of the bed don't need to mirror one another either - artwork on one side and something entirely different on the other can feel much more relaxed.

Bedrooms are particularly lovely places for pieces that don't need to make a statement. Something you enjoy seeing first thing in the morning is reason enough.

Above a doorway

There is something inherently characterful about art hung a little higher than expected.

The space above a doorway is particularly good for smaller pieces that might feel lost on a large wall. It draws the eye upwards and can make a room feel as though every part of it has evolved gradually.

This works especially well in rooms with generous ceiling heights, or where a collection has naturally begun to spread beyond the conventional hanging zone.

It doesn't need to be symmetrical. That's rather the point.

On shelves and furniture

Not all art needs to be hung at all.

Leaning a framed piece on a shelf, mantel or piece of furniture gives it an informality that's difficult to recreate on the wall.

It also makes moving things around wonderfully easy.

Layer a small artwork behind a lamp, prop one amongst books or let two differently sized pieces overlap slightly. The aim isn't to create a perfectly arranged vignette, but to allow art to sit amongst the other things you live with.

This can be a particularly good way to introduce smaller pieces into a room without feeling as though every one needs its own patch of wall.

In hallways and passing spaces

Hallways, landings and the small spaces between rooms are often treated as routes rather than rooms in their own right.

Art can change that.

Because you tend to see these spaces in passing, they can also be wonderful places to be a little less cautious. Hang several small works together. Put something somewhere slightly off-centre. Choose the portrait that's a little peculiar or the abstract you weren't quite sure where else to put.

Not every piece needs to command a room.

Some simply need to catch your eye as you walk past.

Don't be afraid of a small piece on a big wall

There's an instinct to believe that the size of the artwork should correspond to the size of the wall.

Sometimes it should.

But a small piece surrounded by plenty of empty space can have extraordinary presence.

Instead of disappearing, it asks you to come closer. And in a room containing larger furniture and bolder elements, that moment of restraint can be particularly effective.

So don't automatically discount a piece you love because you think it's too small for the space you have in mind.

Try it first.

Let your collection move around

Where you hang something today doesn't need to be where it lives forever.

Move art between rooms. Swap pieces around. Lean something that used to hang. Hang something that has spent a year propped on a shelf.

As a collection grows, the relationships between pieces change too.

That's part of the pleasure of living with art rather than simply decorating with it.

If you're still choosing pieces for your walls, our How to Choose Art for a Home That Feels Collected guide is a good place to begin.

And once you've found something you love, our StudioStig Guide to Framing Art Prints explores how different frames and mounts can change the way a piece feels.

There doesn't need to be a perfect place for every artwork.

Sometimes you find the piece first.

The place for it can come later.