Salon style hanging in action. Installation view, Dawn Till Dusk at Jen Bekman Gallery.

Now that we offer custom frames, our prints arrive in your mailbox ready to hang and looking fab! But how you go about hanging your artwork says as much about you as the pieces you collect. Hanging artwork in a row or grid is especially great when your collection has similarly sized or themed works, and it makes for a clean, classic presentation. But salon hanging is excellent for displaying works of different sizes, media and themes.

Salon style hanging originated in the 17th century, in what would eventually become the Paris Salon we're familiar with. The Salon and its presentation of artwork—wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling, to maximize exhibited artists—were instrumental in bringing art to a larger audience, especially once the Salon was opened to the public in 1737. (Art for the masses? How forward-thinking!)

Jeffrey Teuton, Director of Jen Bekman Gallery, uses salon style hanging often at the gallery, so we had a one-on-one with him for a salon hanging tutorial. Get your hammer, nails and level ready!

Jeffrey Teuton, Gallery Director at Jen Bekman Gallery. Photo by A. Jesse Jiryu Davis for thelodownny.com

"Showcasing a collection and a variety of pieces makes a statement about that person," Jeffrey says about exhibiting your artwork, then adds, "It’s a portrait of that collector."

Jeffrey also points out that you should be looking for an organic flow to emerge among the works. And it is perfectly acceptable, if not encouraged, to mix painting and photography, black and white and color, he notes. But, balance and flow are key.

Salon style hanging in action. Installation view, Dawn Till Dusk at Jen Bekman Gallery.

Jeffrey's Steps on Salon Hanging:

1. Measure out the wall you’re trying to fill. "You have to know the space you’re working with," says Jeffrey.
2. Lay the artworks on the floor before hanging them directly to the wall. If you start hammering away willy-nilly, you’ll end up with one too many holes on the wall and likely an imbalanced and uneven display.
3. Remember: It’s not just about the size of the artworks, but about a balance.
4. You’ll want to start with an anchor, a focal point. This could be the biggest piece, or your favorite piece, but it will set the tone.
5. Arrange artworks around your focal point in a pattern of your choosing. "You’ll start to notice that the work interacts with other works, that it is having a dialogue and engaging with the other pieces around it," he explains.
6. Once your pieces are in the desired layout, it’s time to move them to the wall.
You’ll want to either use two nails (instead of just one) or hanging wire to ensure the pieces stay put and don’t shift. Even things like closing of doors and rumbling of nearby trains can “unstick” an artwork and cause it to become uneven if not anchored to the wall properly.
7. In general, you'll want to hang your anchor at eye level, or around 58" from the floor to the center of the artwork. Other pieces will hang lower, higher or level, depending on your selected flow and balance. Also, when installing artwork over furniture, leave at least 8” between the base of the frame and the top of the furniture. And remember, avoid hanging your artwork in direct sunlight!
8. Step back and observe your masterpiece!