Rule of Thumb: Basic Measurements For Home Decor
Do you ever wonder about measurements when it comes to your home decor, such as just how many inches you're supposed to put between the floor and your artwork or your light fixture? Do you ever wonder just how many inches you're supposed to have between the edge of your rug and your baseboards? Well no worries, we have your answers! This post is going to have a lot of information in it when it comes to measurements, but it’s all very important and easy to follow. We are going to cover the measurement rules when it comes to hanging wall art, light fixtures, window treatments, and rugs. We want to include you in on these secrets so you can consider all these rules when purchasing these items.
Wall Art
If you’re just hanging one piece of artwork, make sure the center of the art is somewhere between 56” and 60” from the floor. If you’re hanging two pieces that are going to be stacked one above the other, make sure the center of both of them combined is between 56” and 60” from the floor. If you’re hanging more than one large piece on the wall, make sure they’re 2” to 3” apart. The smaller pieces can be hung closer if you’d like. When you start to hang art in the living room above a couch or any other furniture, the art or art grouping should be 2/3 the width of the furniture item below it. Keep in mind to put it 5” to 9” between the piece of furniture and the bottom of the artwork.
Light Fixtures
The width of the light fixtures should be at least half the width of the table it is hanging over. The bottom of the chandelier should be 30” to 34” above the top of the table when the ceiling is at least 8 feet high. Every foot past 8 feet, you should add 3 more inches. A light fixture that will not be over a table and will be walked under should hang 7 feet or more above the floor.
Window Treatments
The first and most important rule when it comes to window treatments is to make sure to buy drapery panels that will touch the floor!! It doesn’t matter if it just touches or if it puddles, just as long as it hits the floor. If you have low ceilings, try to mount your drapery rods 4” to 8” about the window casing. To make your windows appear wider and let more light in making the room itself appear larger, extend the rods 4” to 10” wider than the window casing. The last rule about drapery is to make sure that the combined width of the drapery is 2 to 3 times the width of the window. For example, if you have two panels framing a window, each individual panel should be 1 to 1.5 times the width of the whole window.
Rugs
Rugs have all different rules depending on what room they are located in. When you have a rug in a dining room, it should be at least 24” to 30” wider and longer than the dining room table which will allow the chairs to be pushed out with the back legs staying on the rug. When the rug is in the bedroom, make sure the rug reaches 18” to 24” past each side of the bed. In most other rooms, there should be 12” to 18” of bare floor between the edges of the rug and the baseboards. For small rooms, 8” is good and acceptable.
Take into consideration all of these measurements when buying the products. They’re pretty basic and easy to follow, and they will have a huge positive effect on each room. With that being said, don’t be afraid to break some of these rules. Just because these are basic rules, doesn’t mean they should diminish your creativity! You’re supposed to have fun while picking out home décor. After all, it is your home!
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