Paintings have been used for eons as decorative pieces for the home. They are used as a means of defining one’s style, taste and interests. If you’ve collected a few paintings over the years and you’re a bit stymied on how to display them for maximum decorative effect, read on.

Atop Flat Surfaces:

For a casual approach or one that is a little unexpected, display painting on top of furniture. A small or medium size painting is elevated to new heights by placing it on an easel atop a console table in the entry. Accent your bedroom with a grouping of paintings arranged on top of the dresser; simply lean them against the wall. A similar approach can be used in the dining room on a server or buffet. If using multiple paintings, pair down other accents on top of the furniture to keep clutter at bay. With a single painting, a few well chosen accessories may be offset atop the opposite side of a large piece of furniture.

A fireplace is an automatic focal point and the mantle is an ideal spot for displaying paintings in this way. Let unframed paintings lean against the wall and slightly overlap each other for a casual acquired effect. Cluster several paintings on one side of the mantle and balance them with other accents on the other side. For example, a grouping of unframed beach scenes can be balanced with a candlestick under hurricane glass and scattered large and medium conch shells.

As Wall Art:

Of course, the tried-and-true method for displaying paintings is to hang them on a wall and in this case, arrangement is all-important. Create a gallery effect by lining paintings equidistant from each other at approximate eye level. Consider the shape and size of your wall; for instance, with a narrow wall, a vertical arrangement may be most advantageous.

The important thing to keep in mind when arranging paintings on a wall is to create balance. Imagine a horizontal line on the wall and balance paintings above the line with those below. Paintings can be perfectly aligned above and below this line or staggered equidistantly for a more dynamic effect. To give you grouping even more impact consider installing molding right on the wall to act as a ‘frame’ for the paintings. Or outline a rectangle or square with painter’s tape and paint a block of color on the wall that will serve as a contrasting frame and focal wall for artwork. Another approach is to mix a different type of wall art with your paintings: For example, a large decorative iron wall art or metal wall plaque could offset a trio of smaller paintings.

Tips for Effective Groupings:

Paintings may be grouped around any chosen criteria to bring unity and impact to the grouping.

• Group paintings by subject, theme, color, artist, style, time period or artistic movement. Even a group of painting that may seem unrelated by theme might be united by a repeated color.
• Paintings of different styles, colors, and subjects can be united by choosing the same frame and matting for each. If they are of the same size, arranging them in a perfect grid will add movement and rhythm, with the arrangement itself being part of the artistic composition.
• With paintings of different sizes, small and medium paintings can counterbalance a larger painting hung in the center of the space. Or set the largest painting off center and let a grouping of smaller paintings create balance beside it. Play with the arrangement first on the floor until you come up with a creative design that suits your artistic style.