The art of avoiding a hanging offence

Is your art stacked against the wall waiting for divine installation? If so help is at hand in the form of professional hangmen, reports Alanna Gallagher

Professional hangman Stephen Kingston, of Art Installation Services, cut his teeth hanging exhibitions with his father, painter Richard Kingston, in the RHA.

"Changing the way your pictures look by relocating where they are hung is the easiest and most cost-effective way to redecorate," says Kingston who, for a fee, will come and assess your collection and offer new suggestions as to where certain pieces should be.

He is one of a growing number of niche specialists who will facilitate this job that you haven't the time, confidence or patience to do yourself.

David O'Donoghue of Works on Paper is another.

For an hourly fee or a job rate, either of them will come to your home, see how you live and resurrect your investments from their temporary resting place on the floor.

This frame game offers you a new pair of eyes on your collection. When Kingston first visits a client he removes all of their existing works from the walls.

He rethinks where they should be positioned and proffers the new suggestions to the client.

"Most can't believe the difference it makes to the way their homes look and feel."

It's very important to make the end result look as if it's gone up over the years, he advises. "Otherwise it can look like you're trying too hard. We take all the paintings down and rehang them in an order that suits your style of home. It looks good but also homely."

The most common mistake people make is that they hang too high, says Tara Murphy, director of the Solomon Gallery. "The centre of the painting should be at eye level, which is approximately 60 inches from the ground."

"Then it's about grouping suitable works together, either by subject matter, by palette or styles," adds Bryan Murphy, director of the Pepper Canister Gallery.

"It's important to create a narrative in a room - trust your eye. You know you've got it right when the overall mood of the room reads like notes on a music sheet - the ambience is melodic," says Bryan.

Kingston's advice is to hang your pictures in a fashion that complements the architecture.

"In a modern setting, plan the way you want to position your paintings using shape and form. Try positioning big pieces in small spaces and small pieces in big spaces to create new senses of scale."

On specialist surfaces, such as designer wallpaper, it is preferable to hang art from the ceiling, rather than from the wall, to prevent damage to existing interior features.

"Rail systems are a wonderful way to showcase your collection and allow you to easily reposition pieces if you want to change the overall look of a room. Their problem is that most require you to reinforce your ceiling to carry the weight of the works," says Kingston.

Take your cues from the property's architecture, or create your own solid lines from fixed points, such as doors, floors or ceilings.

"People are much more prepared to experiment with where and how they now hang their art. Classic settings of one piece over the fireplace and two either side in the alcoves is no longer the rule of thumb," says Kingston who says he'll hang anything.

"It's whatever you're comfortable with, be it a picture of a kitten or a Mondrian."

There are wrong ways to hang pieces but no wrong paintings per se, says Kingston, who suggests that photographs of family and friends and photographic collages are better kept in the more private parts of the home.

"Colour is the first thing you see when you glance around a room so look at the piece's palette to see what other art might suit the colour scheme rather than trying to knit painting styles together."

Space is a premium for most people. Kingston says you should hang the work you most enjoy somewhere you're going to enjoy looking at it each day.

Kingston gets a lot of emergency calls from people who've hung pieces that have subsequently fallen down, some taking part of the wall with them. Make sure your wall fixings match the type of wall you intend to hang on.

Works on Paper offers a method that uses a male and female interlocking system which says goodbye to crooked pictures.

Lighting is also crucial. Traditional picture lights are fairly awful, says Tara Murphy.

"They tend to light the top of a painting and can also look unsightly. There are many new types on the market, but they tend to be very expensive. Recessed ceiling lighting, if you can afford it, is best, although it may not be aesthetically pleasing in a period home. We find a simple table lamp placed nearby will do the trick."

Stephen Kingston, Art Installation Services, 085-7185737

David O'Donoghue, Works on Paper, 01-8878544