There are some home decor ideas that seem to be brainwashed in to so many of us, including me. One of these is always going for centre symmetry when it comes to hanging wall art. We tend to feel that art has to be hung in the centre of a wall or centred above a piece of furniture like a bed or a sofa. But who says you can’t go for off center wall decor?
Once you try it, you’ll be hooked because it looks so cool and it really allows your art to stand out no matter how big or small. Read on for some tips on how to start experimenting with off centre art and for lots more photos to inspire you.
While the whole idea of hanging a picture off center may feel completely random, there is always some logic and thought as to where the art goes. The overall effect though is often more eye-catching and dramatic than hanging art in the centre of the wall.
Here are some tips for trying out off center wall decor:
1. If you don’t know where to start, measure where the middle of your sofa or your bed is and then line the left or right edge of your art with the centre.
2. Pay attention to sight lines. For e.g. if you can see a particular wall of a room from another room, hang the art where it can be seen at least partially, from the other room.
3. Got a small artwork that you adore? Using a biggish wall for a small piece of art that’s placed off centre is a great way to draw attention to it and make it stand out. It also makes sure that this piece of art won’t get lost in a gallery wall.
4. If you have a low hanging pendant light, hang your art to the left or right of the lights, leaving some space between the lights and the artwork. This will be very off centre but it will look right. Don’t be tempted to do it on both sides of the light/s though!
5. Another dramatic off centre art hanging idea is placing art on one side of a room only. For e.g. placing it above one side of the double bed only. Or if you have a recess on either side of a door, place art in one recess only.
6. There are times when off centre art can look wrong so trust your instincts. For e.g. If you have a very large piece of art, then putting it a bit off centre will look like a mistake.
7. Don’t be afraid to experiment. If you get it wrong, it doesn’t take much effort to move your artwork so try out different off centre wall decor ideas and see what you like.
The one thing about hanging art off centre is that it never looks boring. But what I love most is how it really makes the art standout more — especially smaller artworks and prints.
This is an easy decor tip that you can try today and see how great your walls will look almost instantly. And once you try it, you may not ever go back to hanging art in the centre!
Are you tempted to move your art off centre?
image credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 & 8 |
P.S. Struggling to find affordable art? Here’s a very budget friendly DIY art idea.
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