3 Tips on Tall Wall Decor – The 3 Worst Things to Do with Art on Large Wall Spaces, Tall Walls and High Ceiling Walls
Oh, boy…here is where I make unintentional enemies. I do not enjoy making people feel badly – angry, guilty, inept, anxious or regretful.
BUT
The truth stands alone. Do not compare yourself with truth. It is not a measuring stick. It is something to strive for. I know it sounds like double-talk but it is not. If I say to you the average watermelon weighs 3 lbs. and your watermelon weighs only 2.75 lbs., it is not a comment about you…or your choice of watermelons.
Please see these “tips” as guidelines to consider…not to beat yourself up with (or me!). Large wall art with high ceiling walls or tall wall spaces is a challenge. It must be, because I was in a doctor’s office recently who had just laid out a small fortune for a professional makeover, and I noticed all three of these wall art decor “violations”.
[Get Excited: There is a bonus #4 tip at the end…]
#1 Worst Thing to Do With Tall Walls and High Ceiling Walls
STOP using generic art! Like big repros of Van Gogh, Klimt, or even Monet – who every interior decorator absolutely LOVES!
Why? Because, remember you mounted the art to be viewed, correct? You want it to please people when they see it, right? You want people to say, “Wow, that REALLY looks SUPER!”
But what will people automatically think when they see the Blue Boy and Pinkie pair on your large hallway wall? This is what they immediately sense: “Well that’s a copy!”
[Note: Oh, well, if you DO own Gainsborough’s Blue Boy and Lawrence’s Pinkie, by all means display them! Otherwise….forget it, please.]
#1 Worst Thing to Do With Tall Walls and High Ceiling Walls
Another way to say this is, “Never use art to just ‘fill a space’ as it looks cheap, quite frankly. Better off leaving the wall blank – and that is a last resort, because it is a lost opportunity to have The WOW Factor in your home, apartment or office.
#2 Worst Thing to Do With Tall Walls and High Ceiling Walls
Egads, no more wraparound canvases, PLEASE! They are just out of date, simple as that. They also scream, “We couldn’t afford, or we were too lazy to seek, an attractive frame!”
Above: Triple yuk!
#3 Worst Thing to Do With Tall Walls and High Ceiling Walls
Don’t load up a large wall with a ton of little pictures and call it great wall decor! Look at this picture of an actual client’s bedroom! What the heck is THAT? It is an eye assault, first of all. Secondly, that many pictures are never all straight at the same time, or – and more common – they are poorly arranged and spaced.
Eeeeeeeek!!
See what I mean? Ohmigod, there are so many things wrong with this I do not know where to begin. Two words come to mind: Hodge & Podge. My second thought is, “
Q: Do you know how many times you are going to mess up that bunch with your butt, and have to rearrange everything – again?
A: Every time you make the bed!”
Conclusion
My son, Zak, who is a fantastic artist, and I formerly owned an art gallery on State Street in Wisconsin, about 3 doors from the Capitol Building. Zak is a wizard at hanging a show and we did one EVERY SINGLE MONTH (five years later, and my brain is still a bit ripe with PTSD) and it was a super challenge. We took an exhibit down last Thursday of the month, and put up all new show the last Friday of every month. One show had 43 pieces…an astounding amount for a single exhibit. The opening with wine and cheese, etc. was at 7PM and we finished hanging at 6:45PM after starting at 9AM and working through lunch. Dinner was cheese cubes on toothpicks. lol.
In other words, we know what we are talking about, so, please consult us if you need art done the right way for your big wall spaces or tall walls or high ceiling décor.
Visit our three categories of offerings on the site here, because with every piece ordered comes free advice.
‘Til next time.
P.S. You are never supposed to send people away from your blog, but I love the app on this site that shows you, when you cursor over the picture, the Before and After effect. https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/art-hanging-mistakes-to-avoid-246124
