Art, Drapery and Rug Placement Guide
The placement rules designers use every day for art, mirrors, drapery and rugs, in one place. Each section links to a calculator that works out the numbers for a specific room.
Hanging art and mirrors
| Rule | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Centre height on an open wall | 57" (145 cm) from the floor to the centre of the piece or group; some museums use up to 60" (152 cm) |
| Above a sofa, console or sideboard | Bottom of the art 8–10" (20–25 cm) above the furniture |
| Width over furniture | About two-thirds of the furniture’s width for a single piece or a group |
| Gallery wall spacing | 2–3" (5–8 cm) between frames, kept consistent; salon-style hangs often use 2–6" (5–15 cm) |
| Nail height | Top of the art minus the hanger drop (the distance from the top of the frame to the taut wire or D-ring) |
The 57" centre is a museum convention for average eye height, not a code. For accessible displays, the Smithsonian recommends centring small items no higher than 40" (102 cm). Try our art hanging calculator.
Drapery
| Rule | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Rod height | 4–6" (10–15 cm) above the frame, or about halfway to the ceiling to make the window look taller |
| Rod width | At least 4" (10 cm) past the frame each side; 8–12" (20–30 cm) lets open panels stack clear of the glass |
| Fullness | 1.5× for a tailored or grommet look, 2× standard (ripplefold at 100%), 2.5× for pinch pleats |
| Float | About ½" (1 cm) above the floor: clean and easy to keep tidy |
| Kiss | Just touching the floor: tailored, but needs accurate measuring |
| Break | 1–2" (3–5 cm) extra, so the fabric bends at the floor |
| Puddle | About 3–6" (8–15 cm) or more extra: romantic and soft, best where panels aren’t opened often |
| Fabric width | Most drapery fabric is about 54" (137 cm) wide; wide-width sheers are 110–118" (280–300 cm) and usually railroaded |
| Yardage allowance | Add about 16" (41 cm) per cut for hems and heading, and round each cut up to whole pattern repeats |
Workrooms vary in allowances and in how they define fullness. Try our drapery calculator.
Rugs
| Room | Guideline | Typical sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Living room, front legs on | Rug at least 6–8" (15–20 cm) past each end of the sofa, with front legs of the sofa and chairs on it | Sofa up to 7 ft: 8 × 10 ft; up to 8 ft: 9 × 12 ft |
| Living room, all on | Whole seating group on the rug, with 8–12" (20–30 cm) of rug past the furniture | As large as the room allows, keeping a border of floor |
| Dining | At least 24" (61 cm) past the table on every side | Table up to 48 × 72": 8 × 10 ft; up to 48 × 96": 9 × 12 ft |
| Bedroom | Under the lower two-thirds of the bed, leaving at least 18" (46 cm) showing at the sides and foot | Queen: 7 × 10 or 8 × 10 ft; king: 8 × 10 or 9 × 12 ft |
| Border to walls | 12–18" (30–46 cm) of floor in most rooms; about 8" (20 cm) at least in small ones | – |
Guidelines from rug retailers including Home Depot; standard North American sizes run from 3 × 5 to 12 × 15 ft. Try our rug size calculator.
