The Simple Way to Hang Pictures in your Home

If you're like me, hanging a picture up in your house can be a trying experience. Is it too high? Is it level? Is my wife going to ask me to move it another five times? If you've ever wondered if you're hanging your pictures correctly, here's a new rule of thumb used by museums and galleries around the world. 57 inches.

Most of us do hang things too high in our own homes. Art galleries around the world use the 57 inch rule. The center of whatever you're hanging should be 57 inches off of the floor. That way the entire picture is at eye level and you don't have to crane your eyes to view it. Now obviously if you're tall, or shorter than average, the height of the picture can change too. Just land it somewhere in the 56 to 60-inch range to land at eye level.

Now you can estimate where the nail goes, or you can figure it exactly. Here's how. Measure how tall the picture is and divide by two. Then measure from the top of the frame to the picture wire when it's tight. Subtract that from the first number, and then add 57 inches. That's how high the nail should be from the floor. You're welcome.