The ultimate hanging guide for renters

The time between outgrowing crumpled posters scruffily Blu Tack-ed to a bedroom wall and actually owning a property of one’s own where picture hooks can be affixed with gay abandon, can be lengthy, frustrating, and if you don’t think creatively; artless AF.

As it stands, home ownership is nowt but a pipe dream for an unhappy majority of us, and with the quality and aesthetics of our homes dictated by landlords with zero vibes, or faceless letting agencies, making them beautiful, art-filled spaces can feel like a project fraught with obstacles. Hello inevitable clause in the tenancy agreement that says you simply can’t hammer nails into the walls [clearly these people have never heard of polyfiller, but go off].

One could, we suppose, go down the ‘ask for forgiveness, not for permission’ route. Just pop your pics up on the understanding that your landlord might take it as an opportunity to withhold some of that tasty deposit money? Why not? ??‍♀️ But, if you don’t fancy taking the risk, here are some alternative ways to display art in your rented home.

Instagram followers will have seen us post about the magic formula for hanging frames on the wall, but luckily this isn’t the only way to play with height and proportion. Easels, pedestals and plinths are creative [and museum-approved] methods for making sure your favourite pieces are still at eye-level.

? https://www.cassart.co.uk/easel-category

Leaning your framed pieces and canvases against the wall from the floor [or breeze block ?] needn’t be a compromise, as tbh it looks really stunning, especially when you group multiple pieces of different sizes and scales together.

Those who live on the edge/have real faith in advertising: this one’s for you. These things seem like they shouldn’t work, but they actually do! Command™ Strips can hold up to 7kg in weight [using multiple Strips will hold even heavier pieces too] and when you want to take them down again, they don’t leave a mark. You’ll probably never go back to nails or hooks again ?

? https://command.3m.co.uk/3M/en_GB/command-gb/products/?N=5002385+8711749+8723963&rt=r3

You’ve probably already thought of this radical idea of putting art on shelves, but what about the bathroom shelf? Or the kitchen shelf? What could be more decadent than admiring a beautiful canvas while cleaning your teeth, or a Darklight framed print nestled in-between the soy sauce and the olive oil? 😉 No room is off-limits. We do not, however, recommend using a radiator in lieu of a shelf as the heat will do bad things to your print.