6 Unexpected Places to Hang Art
Most of us know the usual spots for wall art: over the sofa, above the bed or centered on a big empty wall. But some of the best places for art are the ones you barely notice at first. Here are six places worth looking at differently.
It might be the narrow wall hidden behind a door, a shelf under the stairs or even a closet that feels more functional than finished. These smaller, less obvious spaces can be surprisingly good places to add art, especially when the goal is not just to fill a blank wall, but to balance the room, tie colors together or give an overlooked corner a little more personality.
Behind the Door
That slim wall behind a door is easy to miss because, most of the time, you are looking at the door itself.
Once it is closed, though, you may have just enough room for a narrow canvas or vertically oriented piece. This can work especially well in bedrooms, lofts and other spaces where large stretches of open wall are hard to come by.
It is not a spot that needs a lot of decorating. One well-placed piece can make the area feel intentional without adding clutter. Just be careful that the art will not be hit by the door as it opens and closes.
Under the Stairs
The space under a staircase can be tricky to decorate because of its unusual shape. It is often treated like leftover space, but that is exactly what can make it a good spot for art.
A piece can fill an open wall beneath the stairs, sit above a small bench or help define a pet nook tucked into the area. Since the architecture already creates a natural boundary, the artwork does not have to be large to make the space feel more considered.
Rather than filling the area with more furniture or storage, art can give it a purpose of its own.
On a Bookcase
A bookcase does not have to keep all of its artwork inside the shelves. Hanging a piece directly on the outer frame, in front of the shelving, adds another layer to the arrangement and breaks up the repetition of books, objects and open cubbies behind it. It is an unexpected placement, but one that can make a built-in feel much more collected. This works especially well on larger bookcases, where a single piece can interrupt the grid and give the eye a clear place to land.
In the Bathroom
Bathrooms can have a surprising amount going on visually. Tile, mirrors, glass, fixtures and flooring, bathrooms bring together a lot of different surfaces in a relatively small space.
Art can help pull those elements together.
A unifying piece that repeats a color already in the room can make the space feel more connected, while something with a contrasting color or subject can keep it from feeling too coordinated.
It is also one of those rooms where a little art can go a long way. Even a single piece can make the bathroom feel more finished and more in step with the rest of the house.
Inside a Closet
A walk-in closet or dressing area is probably not the first place you think of when deciding where to hang art, which is exactly why it can be such a good one.
Most closets are built around shelves, drawers, mirrors and hanging clothes. Adding artwork gives the eye something else to focus on and can make the space feel more like a room than a storage area.
If there is a mirror nearby, the artwork can also be reflected in the space, giving it even more presence.
And because a closet is usually a more private part of the home, it can also be a good place for something you simply love looking at, whether or not it coordinates perfectly with the rooms around it.
On the Floor
Art does not always have to go on the wall.
A larger piece leaning against a wall can make a reading corner, bedroom or quiet sitting area feel more relaxed. It is especially useful in a spot where hanging art might feel too formal or where you want the arrangement to lok a little less planned.
Leaning artwork can also help draw attention to a corner that might otherwise fade into the background.
Sometimes the unexpected part is not where the art goes. It is the fact that you chose not to hang it at all.
The best place for art may be the one you almost overlooked.
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