Coinciding with the current craving for relaxed, lived-in design, a more laid-back approach to displaying artwork has made its mark in the world of interiors.
While hanging pictures may have been a popular way to fill an empty wall and show off your most prized pieces, not hanging your pieces is the cooler, more effortless (and far easier) design trend that designers are choosing over a traditional gallery wall.
While traditional design deserves ample praise in the right context, interior designers are welcoming pared-back details that actually feel liveable. Whether it's a collection of sentimental photographs or a striking canvas that makes color the star of the show, think twice about hanging a print on your walls, as this simple tweak brings fuss-free elegance to any empty corner.
While there are easy ways to hang art that stray from a good-old-fashioned hammer and nail, simply propping up your prints against a wall or on a surface feels far less rigid and far more chic, lived-in rather than fussed over.
Take this entryway as proof. While it still makes the gallery wall the star of the show, the larger canvases on the floor bring an instantly more relaxed feel. The owner and designer of the apartment, Philip Gorrivan, explains, 'This entry foyer happens to be from my apartment in Manhattan. It reflects my belief that interiors should feel collected over time. It's also a mixture of both pieces I’ve acquired, some important, others not, along with my children’s artwork and gifts from people.'
Instead of a design that feels regimented, not hanging art feels familiar and approachable – and far less of a design decision. Philip continues, 'The one thing they all have in common is that they are meaningful to me. Not hanging some of the artwork keeps the space dynamic; it allows pieces to move, overlap, and evolve over time. I love the tension between the formally hung works and those casually leaning, which gives the arrangement a sense of life and authenticity.'
Leaning your art, rather than hanging it in place, also allows you to swap out pieces for new additions with ease.
While three framed photographs grace the wall above this entryway console, a collection of pictures positioned in the center of the table brings an uncomplicated feel, a middle ground between traditional and pared-back design.
Interior designer Laura W Jenkins explains, 'For this project, the home was an original 1905 Queen Anne Victorian with its original plaster walls.' Choosing to opt for a more relaxed, less permanent alternative, Laura hung pictures from wire as well as on the table. 'Here, the pictures are above a console table where art books were also stacked, mainly out of necessity for storage, but I also loved how artful they look. All of it comes together to add that perfectly imperfect touch that I am always looking to achieve.'
While standing art adds balance to formal spaces that feel more disciplined, the technique works in more contemporary settings, too. Layered with organic textures and neutral tones, this minimalist living room welcomes the effortless art at its center.
Its interior designer, Annie Harrison, founder of Fare Inc, explains, 'We decided not to hang artwork in this space as our clients wanted to explore different art in different locations, choosing to move the pieces around as and when they felt like it.'
Annie continues, 'The walls are covered with limewash paint, which is incredibly hard to patch and touch up. Propping art rather than hanging it offered a relaxed and informal design decision, not having to worry about fixings and any damage to the walls.'
Artist Caroline Walls' home features not only art hung on walls, but prints, paintings, and illustrations gathered on the floor of her apartment's living room.
Caroline says, 'Our terrace in Melbourne, Australia, is a quiet composition of layered stories – eclectic artworks, books, and a rotating soundtrack of records that shape the rhythm of our days. Rather than filling every wall, we’ve chosen to let pieces gather in thoughtful vignettes on the floor, where original artworks lean casually beside sculptural objects and art book stacks.'
'These small groupings create moments of pause throughout our home – intimate, evolving, and a little undone – allowing each work to breathe while inviting a more personal, tactile way of living with art.'
Picture Perfect Picks
Featuring a scalloped rattan border, the TRIVIALSKOG frame will instantly elevate any picture. Generous in size, position it against the wall of an entryway or at the base of a living room fireplace.
Featuring a dark wood frame that holds a delicate coral drawing, this vintage botanical print couldn't be more charming. Small but mighty, it's best in a collection of other botanical-inspired prints.
Perfect for leaning in small corners that need filling, Lulu and Georgia's Arlen picture frame feels simple yet elevated, ideal for elevating sentimental photographs or hand-drawn illustrations.
This dreamy watercolor landscape will transport you to a place of the utmost serenity. Perfect in a bathroom or bedroom, it's best placed in an elegant wooden frame.
Perfect for lovers of vintage style, this charming wooden picture frame features a bobbin design that will transform artwork into moments worth appreciating.
Perfect for a corner of a kitchen, this still life of a clementine will cheer up an empty surface. Try propping it against a countertop for an effortlessly chic set-up.
While hanging artwork will always be timeless, the laid-back, fuss-free alternative of propping it against walls is perfect for spaces in need of some lived-in charm. An easy, adaptable way to show off your art collection, it lacks the regimented feel of art hung on walls, exuding the style and sophistication that transitional design is all about.
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