1. Step one in all projects – recruit a helper! As Tom Sawyer quickly discovered, working on a project is much easier when you have a helper (or two).  Hanging frames, display cases or shelves is easier if you have extra hands.  One person can hold things while another takes measurements and hands you tools.

2.  Decide where you want to hang your objects and how they will affect the décor of your room.  Once you are ready to get started, collect all necessary materials you will need and put them close by where you're working.  Hold your objects up or have a friend hold for you and experiment with moving closer to, and then further away from, the other furnishings. Try to notice when the furnishings start to feel crowded.  You want to use the space you have efficiently, but you don’t want to crowd things. You can center items over a piece of furniture such as a large couch or table or you can center on the wall itself, with furniture pieces spaced around it unevenly.  Both ways can work - it’s your call. Definitely mix and mingle pictures in different shapes and sizes, keeping the weight of the composition well distributed.

3. Your work should be hung so that the center point of the object or grouping is at about eye level for the average person. While this won't be possible in every situation, it's a good guideline to keep in mind and you might start with 56” from the floor and adjust if needed. This is always a good rule of thumb to start with but If you want to create a more striking arrangement, hang your frames, display cases or shelves above eye level. Measure the distance on either side of the frame toward the edge of the adjoining artwork or piece of furniture. The spaces should be even on each side.  A helper could be especially useful now to hold the picture while you stand back and view it from a distance. 

4. It’s important to remember is that a grouping of picture frames, display cases & shelving should be viewed as one unit. Test an arrangement of objects by laying everything out on the floor or a table and try different combinations until you hit upon one that works. Sketching an arrangement on paper is also a good method since you'll be able to trace around each object and determine where hanging hardware should be installed. Temporarily tape the paper up on the wall as a template and step back for an overall picture of what things will look like.

5. Grouping is important. In groups, try to avoid straight lines across your wall. Objects look much better when hung in an interesting pattern. You can get more objects on a wall this way, and the appearance of the group as a whole adds to the interest.

6. Another approach is to lay out rulers or tape on the floor to form the outside boundaries of a framing, display case & shelving grouping.  This is useful when a wall has boundaries that must be observed such as a chair rail, windows, heating vents, etc. and helps keep your arrangement the proper size.

7. Proper lighting is the big secret to successful displays and most homes do not have the proper lighting to display objects correctly. The best displays use a section of track lighting and 50 watt halogen flood lights that can be directed towards the objects you want to display. This makes an incredible difference and you can turn an average display into a museum quality display just through the use of light. Regular light bulbs aren’t designed for this, you need to use lights designed for this purpose.  It’s best not to use spot lights unless the light is a long way away from the object.

8. If you are in a remodeling mode, consider painting the walls to work with the objects you plan on displaying on the wall.

9. If you have a chair rail, typically mounted at one-third the wall height, use it to reinforce the strong horizontal lines of a group display. 

10. Try to avoid a hodgepodge of frames, display cases and shelves. Group & edit your objects to a favorite few and unify them with a single theme.  This is where planning ahead will help you arrive at the best solution.  Choose items that are related in theme for each group. You can spread out dissimilar objects between walls and rooms.

11. Break things up by changing the way things are displayed.  A wall shelf allows you to line up some objects together, instead of framing them separately.  Mix in a small display case in with picture frames to add interest.  Use some flat traditional frames with a deeper shadow box as a focal point.

12. Choose a wall which will display your work to its best advantage. Consider the size of the items with the size of the wall and any furniture that is in front.  A large space would benefit by having a group arrangement for a greater visual impact.  A small wall may only need a single object.  When hanging objects close to furniture, be sure to allow enough space between to prevent overcrowding.  Consider proper scale when decorating your walls. Support large furniture with large wall hangings and small furniture with small wall hangings. Hanging small pictures over a large sofa or large pictures over a small loveseat will appear awkward and disrupt the balance of your room.

13. Never hang valuable artwork or collectibles on outside walls, over a usable fireplace, in bathrooms or in direct sunlight.

14. Your arrangement should be close enough together to work as a group.  If you have too much space between objects you lose the visual effect of a group.  Pay attention to color and texture when working out your arrangement.  Keep the weight of your coposition well distributed.