Shopping for and buying the perfect piece or collection of wall art for your space is only half the battle. It may be an absolutely beautiful choice and you may be anxious to get it up on the wall, but if it is hung in a haphazard fashion, without some planning and forethought, the impact of the piece will be lost.

Here are some professional tips on how to get the most from your newly purchased wall art.

· Plan your arrangement

It is best to visualize how you want the room to look before purchasing and hanging wall art and, of course, it is critical that you know how much space you need to fill. Consult interior design books and magazines for inspiration. In addition to color, wall art creates dimension so it has more visual impact that a flat piece of art, such as a painting. For example, you may choose a piece of art depicting leaves in a metal wall hanging. Does it look best hung vertically or horizontally? Your decision will be based on the size of your space and whether you are grouping other decorative items with your leaf metal wall hanging.

· Create a focal point

Your focal point can be one large piece, such as a stunning musical notes wall hangings above a sleek black grand piano. Or you may choose to create a grouping with a combination of wall art and paintings. The most dominant artwork should be the primary focal point; place the other pieces around it in a pleasing fashion. You may find it helpful to work out your arrangement first on the wall or large table.

· Hang them in a row

Go for a very hip and modern look or a traditional gallery look when hanging wall art pieces that are of the same size and shape. You can hang them in a horizontal or vertical row at perfectly spaced intervals or create a grid.

• Create a cluster of interest

Smaller pieces of art can be arranged together to create interest and impact. If pieces are in different sizes they can be tied together by theme. For example, in a country home, framed antique farm scenes of different styles can make a pleasing arrangement on an entry wall, hallway, or along a staircase.

For a modernist or casual approach you can arrange pieces of wall art in a tight fitting grouping reminiscent of a jigsaw puzzle. The shape of the pieces playing against each other has as much effect as the pieces themselves.

• Place wall arts in suitable rooms

Theme is an important consideration when selecting and hanging wall art. A scattering of Leaf metal wall hangings could look wonderful in a family room or living room that has a natural or botanical theme. Musical note wall hangings make a dramatic statement in a music or media room.

• Hang artworks at eye level

Hang your art so that the center of the piece is approximately 60 inches from the floor. This height will allow you to view and appreciate the piece without straining. Hanging a piece too high will make it appear to be floating above the room, rather than part of the room. If you are hanging very large piece of art on a very large wall, or one that spans more than one level of your home, the general rule of thumb is to center the artwork vertically and horizontally on the wall.

• Accentuate focal points with wall art

Hang art above focal points in a room, such as a fireplace or a large piece of furniture. But don’t just hang one dinky picture over a fireplace and call it a day. Make sure the piece is big enough to complement the size of your mantle. Add depth by placing other items like candlesticks, hurricane glass, topiary or an antique clock on the mantle. The piece on the wall and the items on the mantel should slightly overlap (visually) so that they seem connected.

• Mount securely

When hanging a large or heavy piece of art use a tool known as a ‘stud finder’ to locate the nearest stud and mount your screws in the stud if that location will work. If not, install mollies to anchor screws. Use two or more screws to evenly distribute the weight.

All text copyright Relica. Photo from Flikr - "No Name" courtesy of goatling.