Hilary Reid is an avid eBay shopper and museum-goer who loves tracing the origins of trends and collecting New York collectibles, from flight attendant jumpsuits to the resurgence of marzipan.
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If you've been working on improving your brain over the past few months, you're not alone. A recent poll of 1,054 people found that 70% said they had decided to work on an internal project in the past few months. However, home improvement doesn't have to mean taking a sledgehammer to a wall. One of the easiest ways to spruce up your home is to display framed artwork, but this can often seem like a strangely daunting task. To find the easiest way to hang framed pictures, mirrors, and even decorative plates, we turned to David Cassel, owner of art placement and installation company iLevel. He also installed a decorative plaque in Martha Stewart's “Winter House” earlier this month. Cassel asserts that hanging things on walls is easier than we think. “You don't have to be afraid of drilling nail holes in the wall,” he says. “Maybe if you don't like it, there's another photo to cover it.” According to Cassel, below are the best tools and tips for hanging pieces in his home.
First, you will need a level, a hammer, a picture hook, a nail, a tape measure, and a pencil. We recommend using a 24-inch spirit level. The price may reflect its sturdiness, but anything in the $15 range is fine.
We recommend using blue painter's tape to place a small piece at the bottom of where you plan to attach the frame to the wall. This way, if you make a mistake, you can mark it with tape and easily remove it without leaving any marks on the wall.
People are confused by the idea of hammering them into the wall, but these picture hook nails will not cause any structural damage. He probably won't hit a pipe or appliance with a three-quarter inch nail. . Open holes can be easily fixed. You can literally fill the hole with toothpaste. Or the way we used to do it at summer camp in New Hampshire. If it's so isolated that you don't want to go to the hardware store to remove the stain, you can at least touch up a little bit with watercolors or something that looks good on the walls.
OOK hooks are sold at hardware stores and all have their weight listed on the package. This refers to the weight that an individual hook can bear. We always recommend hanging everything on two hooks. That way it stays stable and the painting stays in place and doesn't bend when a bus passes by or a subway rattles the building.
The back of the frame usually has a small screw hole and a wire running across the back, or a D-ring, which is a metal hook shaped like the letter D that can be secured to the frame with a screw. I prefer to use only D-rings instead of wires to make the pieces more stable. D-rings usually come with about 3-inch screws, so all you have to do is use a screwdriver to screw them into the left and right sides of the back of the frame. It should be screwed in at an equal distance from the top of the frame. It's about one-third the length of the frame.
Our principle is that there are no rules, just hang things where they look the most beautiful. But if you need a formula for displaying paintings, here it is. Most importantly, decorate so that the center is 60 inches. This means that the center of the painting will all be 60 inches measured from the floor to the wall, even if they are different sizes. You often see them in galleries and museums, where several different sizes are lined up.
First, take one picture and measure it from the top of the frame to the bottom. Divide that number of inches in half. So if your painting is 24 inches from top to bottom, the split will be 12 inches. Next, measure the distance from the top of the frame to the D-ring (let's say 6 inches). Then subtract that 6 inches from the 12 inches in your original calculation, leaving you with 6 inches. Add this number to the centerline height (60 inches). In this example, the total height from floor to wall is 66 inches. Mark that spot on the wall. Next, measure the width of your frame. Divide that number by 2 and measure the number of inches to the left and right of the first mark. These are her two sides of the frame, where the left and right hooks will rest. If you follow these steps, you can make straight drawings, paintings, photos, anything.
However, it is rare to actually hang something 60 inches in the center. It's really a matter of personal preference. And a flexible perspective. For example, people who hang artwork in children's rooms at adult height but where the children can't see it always seem insensitive to me.
When inserting the nail into the picture hook, you need to insert the nail at a slight angle. Otherwise, that 30 pound photo could easily pull that little Brad off the wall.
Hanging a mirror is similar to hanging a picture, but mirrors are generally heavier than paintings, so the hardware needs to be a little larger. Use the blue tape first to see how it will look in your space, then use the D-ring. D-rings come in three basic sizes. One hole is suitable for 30 or 40 lb loads, and three holes are used for hanging very heavy items. Each of these 3-hole D-rings can hold between 75 and 100 pounds, so if you use two of them, you'll have a total capacity of 150 pounds.
We just recently did this large project for Martha Stewart at her home in Bedford, where we displayed these plate arrangements. To do that, use a plate hanger that you can find at most hardware stores. The plate hook used varies depending on the plate. The grip itself that holds the plate is brass or white and usually has a small nylon sleeve to protect the plate. So, if your plates are white, try buying a white plate hanger. If you want to hang them in groups, we recommend placing them on the floor first. To hang, you need to start somewhere. It's a little easier since you only use one hook for each plate. If you have a specific spot where you want the plate to sit, lower the hooks 2 inches.
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