Hang Artwork Around Your Home

We've all heard the saying: "If these walls could talk…" Well, we’re here to tell you that they can – through art!

Whether it’s a gallery wall of photographs or a single impactful painting, there are so many ways that artwork can tell your home’s story.

To learn how to showcase art in only-at-Anthro fashion, we asked our resident Prop Stylist, Jonathan Thornton, for his tips and tricks. So, grab a sturdy hammer, a handful of nails, and a level (or not – fast-forward to leaning and layering below!), and read on to see how to hang artwork in every corner of your home.

The first step to hanging up your artwork collection is – surprise – acquiring it! According to Jonathan, there's a simple sentiment behind his advice for new collectors: Keep it personal.

“The best way you can start curating art is to find pieces that you connect with, and help guests learn something about you,” says Jonathan. “To me, art is very personal. It’s reflective of where I’ve been and where I’m going, and it tells whoever is visiting my home a little about me.”

Do you love to travel? Find pieces that inspire the jetsetter in you. A fashionista? Build out a collection of art that reflects your wardrobe as much as your tastes. "Art is the easiest way to reflect your personal style in your home. It adds personality, color, and texture," says Jonathan.

In spaces of your home with walls that are narrower – think halls, entryways, stairwells, or powder rooms – stack art on top of each other. This draws the eye up and makes the space feel grander.

Introduce pieces that are rich in color, or detailed in composition, like desert or seaside landscapes. "Landscapes feel very vast, so creating a stack of them in a slender spot gives a sense of how vertical the space is and how high the ceilings are," says Jonathan.

To lean or not to lean? That is the question... but we're all for the new trend of leaning art, mirrors, or decorative ladders – and that's because there are lots of benefits. It's great for surfaces where nails are a no-no (think stone, marble, tile, and brick) and offers natural depth and the opportunity to layer.

“It’s so simple to lean a piece of art to add a little bit of color and visual impact. You don’t have to nail anything. It’s no mess, no fuss, and you can change it out as you feel," says Jonathan.

Leaning art also gives a few more angles for light to interact with its frame. Here, a focal mantelpiece moment is created by layering a captivating portrait over our Gleaming Primrose Mirror.

A buffet or sideboard piece is the perfect place to let your decorative objects shine. When it comes to art, opt for a piece that can interact with, or offset the items and objects you want to display on your furniture's surface.

A great tip from Jonathan? Consider hanging an oversized work of art off-center to create a 2:3 ratio. It makes a space feel more collected, and less contrived.

"With this buffet, we chose to hang the art a little bit right-of-center. It's a nice way to add balance as a counterpoint to the lamp," says Jonathan. "We also chose this floral piece because it interacts nicely with the elements that are already present, so the vase breaks the frame, as does the bowl."

Let’s face it: White walls are daunting. But is a space ever truly a blank? Look around your home and consider it all. The crown molding, the sconce, the doorway peeking into another room. Let the small details in your home drive your inspiration, or start with a subject matter that you're passionate about.

"For me, I think a successful gallery wall is a space where I want to pause and linger, and consider what's been placed," says Jonathan. "I love when I have friends and family over and they ask me about my pieces. When they ask me why I chose something, they'll get a good sense of not just my style, but my home's style as well."

You may think of a gallery wall as a polished assortment of art and photos existing on a large, white wall – but it doesn't need to start there. A dimly lit corner can be just as great of an opportunity to create exhibit-worthy depth and dimension.

"The thing I love most about gallery walls is your opportunity to juxtapose different styles and subject matters. It's really easy to choose a single focus color and have that message carry through the space," says Jonathan.

"I always start a gallery wall with a foundational piece. Typically, this is the largest piece but it can also be one with a pop of color, or a piece you really love. I'll base the composition around that foundational piece, and then I'll play with layout. If I want it to feel more formal, I'll work with in a grid with various spacing. If I want it to feel more casual, I'll work in frames that are different orientations or styles for a more organic, collected look."

You probably don't think of the kitchen as the first space in your home to showcase art, but trust us: Its potential is undervalued. As the hearts of our home, kitchens deserve to have some beautiful non-utilitarian elements.

"In a kitchen, you don't necessarily think of art on your countertop, but what better way to add color? Be inspired by your surroundings," says Jonathan.

Lean a work of art against your backsplash that reflects your seasonal dishes or a fresh fruit basket. When fall turns the corner, swap out the art with an autumnal still life or a snowy landscape in the wintertime. Just like your pantry that shifts with the season, so can the art – and because it's leaning, changing it up is as easy as pie.

Just remember the true cardinal rule of hanging wall art: There's no wrong way to do it. "Hang what you like, like what you hang," says Jonathan. "There you go."

Shop our full assortment of wall art at anthropologie.com/decor-art.