It takes me a while to hang pictures. I usually lay them out on the floor in the store if I’m buying more than 3. Then I position them. Step back. Hum. Haw. Reposition. Step back…Repeat.
Then I’ll go home after they are purchased and do the same thing. Lay them out how I had done in the store, but then think “hmm, this wall is longer than what I had thought it was when I did this in the store”
So the pattern repeats itself in my living room until I have a layout I like. Then I would struggle hanging them up…as I am in no way a patient person but know they can’t be all slanty and oddly spaced out. The worst is buying those frames that don’t have wires or a single hangything but TWO hollowed out holes/or hangythings. So you have to be perfect in measuring your nails. I hate that. I’ve now started to not even bother to buy those frames.
Then I’d have everything up on my wall and the inevtiable palm to forehead moment of “well that smaller one would have been so much better vertical…..”
So, I’d take it all down and start over. It used to be a big ordeal….but now not so much.
Now, I’ll position what I have on the floor just to get the idea and feel of things. Then, I’ll cut out newspaper to the size of each frame. I will then take the newspaper and put it up on the wall with tape and stand back and see if that layout works. I can shift it around and see nearly every possibility without taking what would appear to be a machine gun to a freshly painted wall.
Once I have it how I like it, I’ll nail in the centre of the newspaper (ah, wired back frames are the best.)
Next, rip off the paper, and hang the corresponding frame. Ta-Da!
theoldnewhouse 