PERK UP YOUR ROOMS WITH COLORFUL ARTWORK!

Adding artwork to your walls is a quick and simple way to enhance a a room’s look, add new interest and show off your personal tastes.

Now is the time to take a fresh look at your living space! Look around you and visualize three or four of Gale Tuoti’s southwestern prints in a nice framed grouping on your walls – let your imagination run wild and be creative – it’s fun to try something new!

But whatever new art you may choose to hang, and before you pick up a hammer and start making holes in your wall, here are some ideas for how to hang the art.

l. Generally speaking, most pictures look best when hung at eye level or slightly lower. Hanging pictures too high is the most common mistake people make. Pictures should be eye level to the average viewer - the top of the picture should be about 55 to 58 inches from the floor.

2. Create a focal point by grouping together a collection of different frames. You can put the frames on the floor first and try out different arrangements. When grouping pictures, keep the space between them small, only a few inches apart so they don’t look as if they are floating alone on a big wall.

3. It is usually best to use real picture hooks that are inexpensive and come in many different sizes for different frame weights. A single nail will hold up pictures, but if brushed up against may fall off the wall.

This is less likely to happen with a hook.

4. Hammering picture hooks into plaster walls can often cause small pieces of the wall to chip off, so it helps to apply a piece of masking tape over the chosen spot and embed the nail directly through the middle of the tape. The tape can also help prevent the wall from chipping if you have to extract it later. If hanging pictures on a brick wall, you may want to consult a local expert at one of your home improvement stores.

5. If you are hanging something very heavy, like a large mirror, it is best to consult a professional.

6. When hanging pictures in a child’s room, choose Plexiglas instead of glass. If it’s broken, Plexiglas won’t shatter like glass, and the broken pieces aren’t as sharp.

7. If your picture is slipping to one side, try twisting some tape around the hook or nail. Or use earthquake putty on the corners of the upper frame to secure the piece in place.

Now look around you – doesn’t it feel great to have done it yourself, and to have a new look in your home or office? We would bet that your friends will notice and give you compliments!