How High Should You Hang Pictures, Wall Art, & Mirrors

There’s an art to hanging wall art, pictures, and mirrors. However, it’s not rocket science, and if you follow some basic guidelines, you’ll get it right every time!

And remember, these are only GUIDELINES, not rules. There are always exceptions, as there are tons of picture sizes, wall sizes, high ceilings, and other things to consider when hanging artwork – I can’t cover them all, but I sure as heck am gonna try!

But before we get started, I have something important to say…

First, everything I say is important (wink wink). Second, it doesn’t matter how high your ceilings are or how tall your husband is – none of that matters for how the picture looks on a wall. For reals.

Why?

Regardless of wall height, high ceilings, or hubby’s opinion, there’s still an invisible sightline that we revert to when there’s a tall wall in front of us, and that invisible line sits at approx. 8-9 feet.

Why? 

Because I said so. And many other smart, cute, and talented people said so too. Really, though, it’s what we’ve become accustomed to in the average home over the last 100 years.

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Oh, one more thing…

ARTWORK, WALL ART, PICTURES, & MIRRORS – I use these terms randomly in titles and paragraphs. They all fall under the same guidelines, regardless of the word I use.

Now, let’s break it on down like a cardboard box…

THE EYE-LEVEL RULE WHEN HANGING PICTURES, ARTWORK, & MIRRORS

When hanging artwork at the right height, the eye-level rule states that your art should hang with its CENTER approximately 58 to 62″ from the floor. Sometimes you can pull off 64″, but 58 to 62 is a good rule of thumb, or finger. Where many people go wrong is thinking this guideline applies to the bottom of the frame, and end up with their artwork hung way too high.

Farrow & Ball Clunch

But guess what, Buttercup? While the eye level rule is a good general rule of thumb, use it loosely.

Why?

• If you apply it to every piece of wall art, you’ll have a hot mess on your hands with many of your pieces hanging at the WRONG height.

• This rule is really only applicable to pieces that are approx. 6 to 36″ tall. And even then, it depends on what’s BELOW your wall art. Is it a buffet or a console table? A bench or a headboard?

• The eye level rule works best for those who are approx. 5’2 to 5’6. If you’re taller or shorter than that, your eye level is MUCH different. I’m 5’4, built like a brick shithouse, and when I hang my art, my eyeballs are basically at 60″ from the floor.

In other words, the eye-level rule is a great guideline, but there are many…many exceptions.

Benjamin Moore White Dove with some great south-facing light

WHAT ABOUT THE 57″ RULE?

Be careful with this one. The previous guideline offers a range of 58 to 62″ from the floor to the center of your picture frame, giving you some flexibility based on the size of your art and your personal preferences. Some people say this should be a hard-and-fast 57″. You do you, boo, but a) that’s a bit low for a lot of pieces, b) it’s darn low for a lot of sightlines, and c) I’ll take almost anything hard and fast.

BTW, to show you REAL homes, REAL lighting, and REAL budgets, I only use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients, family, friends, followers, and personal files. THANK YOU all for sending IN your photos; you make my colorful little world go round! 

HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG PICTURES OR MIRRORS ON AN EMPTY WALL?

The ideal height for hanging a picture on an empty wall depends on the size of the piece.

HANGING PICTURES THAT ARE 6 to 36″ HIGH

The CENTER of your picture or mirrors should be approximately eye level. For the average person, this is between 58 and 62″ from the floor. The taller you are, the closer to 62 inches you might want to be; however, I don’t go below 60″ and hardly ever above 62 (I’m 5’4″).

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The 3 pictures in the above photo are hanging on a bare wall with no furniture right underneath them, and they’re approx. 24″ high, therefore, the CENTER of them sits 58 to 62″ from the floor.

HANGING WALL ART THAT’S APPROX 36 to 48″ high

• the range to CENTER goes from approx. 48 to 56″ from the floor

• The closer your piece is to 36″ high, the closer to eye-level the CENTER of your piece should be

• As you get up to 42″ high, the center should sit approximately 54″ from the floor, breaking the eye-level rule unless you’re a lovely little shorty-cakes

• If you have a piece clocking in at a whopping 48″ high, the center should sit approximately 48″ from the floor (can be a bit lower or higher depending on the exact piece, baseboard height, and ceiling height).

In this next photo, these mirrors are taller than 36″, meaning their center sits more like 48″ from the floor (I DO think they could be like 1 inch higher)

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HANGING PICTURES OR MIRRORS THAT ARE TALLER THAN 48″

Funny enough, you’d think the ‘to center’ number would keep going lower and lower, but it doesn’t, as your pieces get TALLER, the center starts shifting back to the original guideline of 58 to 62″ from the floor!

While I’m not much for modern contemporary style personally, I find myself so drawn into this next room with its moody vibe and oversized artwork…

And then there are the anomalies like this bad boy below, which goes pretty much from floor to ceiling. Ideally, this would be on a taller wall (but it’s still kind of cool)…

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Now, I want you to be a total weirdo with me. Grab a tape measure and measure out where 60″ high is on your body. While this can’t be applied to EVERY piece of furniture and wall art, this number is a great place to start.

BTW, there are a TON of tips and ideas in this blog post. I highly recommend focusing on the topics that relate directly to you and your home.

Generally speaking, the center of the average picture or mirror on the average wall will hang approx. 58 to 62″ from the floor. 

HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG PICTURES ABOVE A CONSOLE TABLE, BUFFET, or PIECE OF FURNITURE?

There’s no end to the heights of different pieces vs. the height of the picture or mirror. I’ve broken it down to 2 main groups…

1. FURNITURE THAT’S LESS THAN 30″ HIGH: If the piece of furniture you’re hanging a picture above is lower than 30″, the CENTER of your piece should sit approx. 58 to 62″ from the floor. If possible, use home décor to link the art/furniture pieces so there isn’t such a gaping space between them.
2. FURNITURE THAT’S MORE THAN 30″ HIGH: If the piece of furniture you’re hanging a picture above is TALLER than 30″, there should be approx. 4 to 8″ between the top of your furniture piece and the bottom of the frame.

Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray

The above console table is just shy of 30″, in which case, the 58 to 62″ guideline applies. HOWEVER, because of the ginormous size of the art, it also satisfies the 4 to 8″ rule! Notice how a few taller décor pieces visually link the table to the art.

This mirror is hanging perfectly, about 8″ above the top of the piano, which is a taller piece of furniture…

In this next dining room, because the buffet is taller than 30″, the mirror is PERFECTLY placed (approx. 4″).

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If you have a cabinet or bench that’s lower than 30″, as shown below, you’ll want to lean into the guideline of hanging your artwork so its center is approx. 58 to 62″ from the floor. In this situation, I would lean into 58″ to visually connect it a bit more to the cabinet, using slightly taller home décor as a link between the two pieces.

I have some wickedly talented clients, and I love how this mid-mod style dining room turned out in Benjamin Moore White Dove 

Remember, there are always exceptions. If you’re doubting yourself, get out painter’s tape and some brown paper and cut/tape/map things out on the wall before hammering in a single nail. 

I’m slightly obsessed with the color palette in my next client’s home, and she did a fabulous job of hanging her pictures and mirror above their respective pieces…

Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG PICTURES, ARTWORK, OR MIRRORS ABOVE WAINSCOTING?

If you’re hanging a picture or mirror above standard wainscoting, board-and-batten, beadboard, or even a chair rail…

1. The CENTER of your piece should sit approx. 58 to 62″ from the center of the artwork to the floor
2. OR, depending on the height of your wainscoting/size of your art, approx. 4 to 6″ above the top of the wainscoting (assuming your wainscoting is the standard 36″ high).

The wall art in this next entryway is hanging too high and is too wide for the wall space – it’s trying way too hard to belong (like me at any party).

Benjamin Moore Natural Linen with Navajo White trim and wainscoting

While my client’s color choices in the entryway are pretty, and the home itself is gorgeous, the art just needs to be tweaked (I’d also lower the dining room art by about 5″).

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In the next photo, my client’s large wall art is approx. 30″ high, so it sits approx 4″ above the wainscoting. On the other hand, because the two pieces in the hallway are closer to 20″, they’d look too short if placed this low. Instead, the 58 to 62″ guideline is applied for a more proportional approach…

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However, if the wainscoting were higher than the standard 36″, the two smaller pieces would easily fall under the 4 to 6″ guideline, whereas the large piece might be too big for the remaining wall space! As mentioned earlier, there are SO MANY FREAKIN’ EXCEPTIONS!

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Aside from ‘higher than standard’ wainscoting, the 4 to 6″ guideline is applicable when using mirrors or pictures that are 30″ or higher. This next photo is a great example, and due to the height of the artwork, probably satisfies the 58 to 62″ guideline at the same time!

HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG PICTURES IN A BATHROOM?

There are 3 main areas in a bathroom…

1. Above the toilet
2. Hanging above the towel bar or bathtub
3. On an empty wall (with or without wainscoting/board n’ batten/etc).

THE RIGHT HEIGHT TO HANG PICTURES ABOVE A TOILET

When hanging above the loo (it is a great place to hang out), there should be approx. 58 to 62″ from the center of the picture to the floor. Why? Because the toilet is shorter than 30″. The exception, of course, is if you have a very long, narrow piece, in which case you’ll likely end up 6 to 8″ above the toilet lid.

This art is too small to be here – it needs a new wall or some decor to fill in the blank…

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This art looks much more proportional to its wall and what it’s hanging above, as the vase makes up the visual difference…

Here’s another well-adorned loo…

HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG PICTURES ABOVE A TOWEL BAR?

The average towel bar sits approx. 42 to 48″ from the floor. However, when it comes to hanging wall art above a towel bar, it’s a mixed bag. Some people like their art to sit high so it doesn’t keel over every time they hang their towel up…

I bet these towel rods sit no more than 42″ from the floor (Sherwin Williams Egret White)

Whereas others (myself included) usually want to see the visual connection between their towel rod/towel and their picture, and opt for 6″ or so between their towel bar and the bottom of their frame or canvas…

Here’s another well-hung unit (wink wink)…

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And of course, if you’re hanging a picture on a bare wall, you’ll use the 58 to 62″ guideline and have the center of your piece settle in that range. If it’s above wainscoting/etc, aim for every 58 to 62″ to your picture’s center or 4 to 6″ between the 2 pieces, whichever suits you best.

HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG PICTURES OR MIRRORS OVER A SOFA, SECTIONAL, OR CHAIR?

If there’s too much space between the top of your couch or chair and the bottom of the piece you’re hanging, there will be a ‘visual disconnect’ between the two. This means your piece will act independently of the furniture, rather than serving as a foundation or anchor for a color scheme or theme.

If your wall art or mirror is hanging above a sofa, sectional, or chair, the bottom of the frame should be approx. 8 to 12″ from the top of your furniture.

The art in the above photo is hanging approx. 10″ above the back of the sofa. For the sheer SIZE of the piece, any lower and it would look like it’s hovering over the sofa – any higher and it would be hugging the ceiling too much! Also, keep in mind that if this wall/ceiling were 8 feet high rather than 9 feet, this painting would simply be too big.

And while I rarely refer to ceiling height, when it comes to sofas and sectionals, you can take some minor guidance from it, for example…

• If you have 8-foot ceilings and a moderately large piece, you might leave approx. 8″ between the top of your sofa and the art, so you don’t get too close to the ceiling line.

• If you have 9+ foot ceilings, you might bump up to 12″ so that your picture or mirror doesn’t look like it’s weighing too heavily on your sofa and uses a more proportional piece of the wall. I know we’re talking inches here, but trust me, every inch matters.

• In most cases, the spaces between the top of your picture and the ceiling shouldn’t be less than the space between the top of your furniture and the bottom of the art.

In this next living room, the pair of mirrors is approx. 8″ above the sofa – perfectly placed due to the 8-foot ceiling, but sure as heck can’t go any lower (although I might kick the clock to the curb)…

Benjamin Moore Rodeo

And it’s not just about getting the height right; scale matters as well. In the previous photo with the off-white sofa and large piece of art, this piece is a great size for the wall it’s on, but couldn’t be any bigger.

This next photo is a good example not only of a great vignette (group of 3), but also of wall art perfectly placed above a chair that’s taller than 30″ (the art is approx. 6″ above)…

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist & Escarpment

However, if this piece of art were not quite so tall, it would look janky hanging so low, in which case you’d use the 58-62 inch guideline.

Using what you’ve learned so far, how do you feel about the wall art in this next photo?

IT’S HIGHER THAN SNOOP DOG in an airplane! Seriously, though, notice that there’s more space between the sectional and the art than there is between the ceiling and the art, meaning this installation is TOO HIGH.  Although the art is approx. 12″ above the sofa, because the pieces are taller than not, and the ceiling is 8 feet, they should sit a good 4″ lower.

However, I do like the proportion, as the two pieces are approximately 3/4 the width of the sectional (which is ideal).

How about this next picture?

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This one is STINKIN’ close, but I BET it’s 14″ above the sofa.

Do two inches make a difference? I don’t know, you tell me.

And yes, I love sexual innuendos…and Ryan Reynolds and wine – ALL AT THE SAME TIME. This piece is also a bit small width-wise for the length of the sofa. Again, approx. 3/4 the width or wider is a good decorative goal.

HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG PICTURES OR MIRRORS ABOVE A HEADBOARD?

As with most furniture pieces, it can depend on the height of your headboard and the piece you want to hang above it.

Generally speaking, having approx. 4 to 12″ of wall space between the top of your headboard and the bottom of your piece should do the trick.

This next photo is perfect. The art is hanging approx. 4″ above the headboard – not too low OR too high, creating a seamless look from wall to bed.

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Another great installation, this time of some candle sconces rather than artwork…

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A FEW TIPS FOR HANGING WALL ART OR MIRRORS ABOVE A HEADBOARD

• Secure it safely so it can withstand an earthquake or nocturnal activities (nothing wrong with a nooner either, just sayin’)

• If you have a super short headboard, consider slightly taller art; this way, you can use the 58-62″ guideline while still keeping the art/headboard visually connected

• It’s ideal if the art is approx. 3/4 the width of the headboard or wider – this keeps things looking proportional

Using what you’ve learned so far, what would you say about the wall hangings in this guest bedroom?

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They’re amazeballs. The metal panel sits 4″ above the headboard, and the art above the side table is sitting at the perfect height, considering the 30″ dresser and the sloped ceiling.

How about this next one?

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Pretty awesome. I love my clients.

WHAT ABOUT A BED WITH NO HEADBOARD? 

In this case, I’d fall back on the approx. 58-62″ guideline. But I highly recommend getting a headboard.

HOW HIGH SHOULD A GALLERY WALL HANG ON AN EMPTY WALL?

Gallery walls are tricky.

1. Whether you’re doing a simple grid pattern or a more eclectic arrangement, you need to pretend as though your gallery is ONE BIG PIECE.
2. Lay your gallery out on the floor with the same spacing you want on the wall.
3. Measure the width and height of your gallery and use the OVERALL HEIGHT as your guideline (if you’re doing a random display, your height will be based on the piece that’s placed highest).

Let’s break this next photo down, so we can learn lessons the FUN way…

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1. You need to treat your gallery as though it’s ONE BIG PIECE OF ARTWORK. To get the total height of the above gallery, we add the heights of the two framed pieces. This puts the total gallery height at approx. 36″.

2. However, there’s about 3″ of wall space between the pieces, meaning the total height should be closer to 39″.

3. Using the guideline of ‘if a piece of artwork is taller than 36″, you’ll want to have the CENTER hanging approx. 48 to 56″ from the floor, I would guess this display hangs about 3″ too short.

• If your total gallery height is 24-36″ high, you’ll want to use the general eye-level guideline of 58 to 64″ to the center from the floor; the same you’d use if your gallery were a single piece of this height.

• If your total gallery height is MORE than 36″, you’ll want to lower that center incrementally. The closer your total height is to 36″, the closer the center should be to 58 to 64″ inches. The taller your arrangement is, the more likely your gallery’s center should sit anywhere from 48 to 56″ from the floor.

Before you start hanging, once you have your WIDTH & HEIGHT, get painter’s tape and place it on the wall where it should go based on the above guidelines. Step back and see how it feels. It’s easier to adjust now than later. I find that taking a photo helps me separate myself a bit from what’s right in front of me (#funfact).

THE RIGHT HEIGHT TO HANG A GALLERY WALL ABOVE A SOFA OR SECTIONAL

Again, treat your gallery wall as one BIG piece and determine its total width and height. From there, you can use painter’s tape to get a visual of how a piece this size will look on your wall, and you can adjust accordingly using the same guidelines as suggested for hanging a single piece of art above a sofa.

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If your gallery wall gets closer than 6-10″ to the ceiling (especially with 8-foot ceilings, as shown above), your gallery wall is too tall. In the above photo, notice how the overall size of the gallery was taken into consideration, and the space between the top of the sofa/bottom of the lowest frame is approx. 6″.

And of course, there are always exceptions, as shown with this staircase wall below. While it looks like the gallery wall is resting on the sectional from this angle, in real life, there are 3 feet of walking space between the back of the sectional and the wall.

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HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HANG PICTURES OR ART ABOVE A FIREPLACE MANTEL?

• The taller your mantle is, the less distance there should be between the top of it and the bottom of the picture

• A shorter mantle can accommodate a bit more wall space in between, but no more than 10″

• generally speaking, there should be approx. 4 to 8″ of wall space between the mantel and the bottom of the art

In this next photo, even though there’s no traditional mantel because the surround is taller than 30″, the art is hung at the right spot, approximately 5″ above.

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And whether it’s a grand mantel or a simpler, contemporary profile, the same rule applies, as shown next. However, I DO wish the clock were a bit bigger, proportional to the fireplace’s width…

In this next living room, I would love to see the artwork just 2″ lower. Otherwise, I LOVE the overall vibe and awesome mantel decorating skills…

Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray 25% darker

And if you have no mantel, you just have free-flowin’ brick or stone? We’re back at 58 to 62″ from the floor to the center of your artwork; however, I’d go on the higher side, rather than the lower. If you have a raised hearth, it’s that same distance from the HEARTH (but I might drop it down to 58″).

HOW HIGH SHOULD YOU HAVE MIRRORS ABOVE A MANTEL?

Mirrors follow the same rules as art…

Aim for 4 to 8″ of wall space between the top of your fireplace mantel and the bottom of your mirror.

The mirror in this next living room is perfectly placed…

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Leaning your mirror is also an option, which we’ll talk about shortly…

WHAT ABOUT LEANING A PICTURE OR MIRROR ON A MANTEL OR BUFFET/CABINET?

As promised. The last option for hanging a mirror or picture is ‘leaning’. If the piece you’re placing your mirror on is low enough and the mirror is stable enough (either light enough to sit without sliding out, heavy enough, or supported with an anchor at the back), you can lean your mirror or art.

And if you have a piece of artwork or a mirror you love, but it’s not QUITE wide enough to be proportional, you can mix hanging and leaning to achieve a proportional, balanced look…

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Just remember, if a mirror is sitting on something too high, it’ll be awkward to look at – I hate getting a kink in my neck, as Lord knows I’m kinky enough as it is. Think about how the piece is viewed from a sitting and standing position…

• If it’s a mirror, is it only reflecting the ceiling when leaning?

• If your art is framed with glass, are you only seeing the sheen of the glass, not the artwork itself?

• Is the beauty of the piece devalued because you can’t see it head-on?

A MIXED BAG…

In this next photo, there’s wainscoting and a buffet to consider. I bet the homeowner chose 58 to 62″ from the floor…

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Last but not least, it’s time for a big, fat summary

SUMMARY OF HANGING PICTURES & MIRRORS

• The average picture on the average wall should have its center sitting approximately 58 to 62″ from the floor.
• Hanging a picture or mirror above a piece of furniture that’s less than 30″ high. Assuming it’s the right-sized picture for that wall space, the center should sit approx. 58 to 62″ from the floor.
• Hanging a picture above a piece of furniture that’s more than 30″ high. Aim for about 4 to 8″ from the top of your furniture to the bottom of the frame.
• Above a sofa, sectional, or chair, pictures or mirrors should hang anywhere from 4 to 12″ above.
• Above wainscoting, board and batten, or a chair rail, 4 to 8″ above is the average.
• If you’re hanging a mirror or wall art above a headboard, aim for 4 to 12″ of wall space between the 2.
• As for above a fireplace mantel, 4 to 8″ is the average space between the 2.

So, next time we chat, and I ask you ‘How’s it hangin’?’ – you better have the right answer!

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