Ideal Hanging Height

When you have space above a piece of furniture, the height of the furniture determines how high you install the mirror. Hang the mirror so the bottom is 4 to 6 inches above the upper edge of tall furniture; for example, maintain 6 inches between the bottom of the frame and the top of a six-drawer chest. This creates a visual break and doesn’t allow the mirror to tower over the item below. For furniture less than 30 inches high, hang the mirror as close to eye level as possible, which ranges from 57 to 65 inches from the center of the mirror to the floor. Go slightly lower than this when hanging a mirror over a buffet console in a dining room. Because people are mostly sitting in this type of space, natural eye level is lower.

A sofa and the wall hangings above it should complement each other to create a cohesive, balanced look. Hanging wall art that’s at least two-thirds the length of a sofa displays visually pleasing balance between a sofa and the wall hangings above it. In addition, avoid hanging wall art that extends beyond the length of a sofa, as the art can appear to overpower a sofa, creating a top-heavy appearance. Whether you choose one large piece of artwork or an arrangement of several pieces, adhering to recommended scale guidelines helps to create aesthetically pleasing balance.