Pop a painting on any wall and you’ve instantly energized it, but where are some places that can you hang a painting to really make an impact? We’ve culled through hundreds of designer rooms to discover some of designers’ go-to spots. Whether you just scored a vintage painting and you’re wondering where to hang it — or you’re looking for a reason to hunt down more! — here are some inspired places to display them.
RELATED READ: How to Decorate with Vintage Paintings
On a kitchen counter
Whether you’re short on wall space or your kitchen could use a punch of color, stationing a piece of art on a countertop can have a striking effect. You’ll generally want to stick to smaller pieces that feel in scale with your countertop. Use an easel to prop them up and make them easy to move should a larger cooking project arise. As for what kind of art works best? Landscape paintings and still lifes will feel on-theme for a kitchen. Generally, you’ll want to save portraits or abstracts for other rooms in the house.
Over a single nightstand
Don’t let the lure of pairs detour you from placing a one-of-a-kind painting over just one of your nightstands. A painting is a perfect way to balance an off-center architectural detail, like an asymmetrical window that sits over only one side of the bed. Similarly, a painting can balance a single lamp or sconce that’s only present on one side of the bed. Since this is the bedroom, a piece with some sentimental value is never a bad idea, be it a landscape, portrait, or abstract.
In a gallery wall
Have you tried hanging a newly-acquired painting everywhere, only to resolve it doesn’t look quite right anywhere? In these cases, try incorporating the piece into a larger gallery wall arrangement. Oftentimes, a painting is too small to make the correct impact solo. Pairing it with a group of paintings — or sometimes even just stacking it with a single other painting — can suddenly make it feel like a custom fit.
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Lead Design by Art Home Garden / Photo by Nick Glimenakis
