How to Place Art over a Sectional

Selecting art above a sectional can be tricky sometimes for homeowners doing it on their own so I am here to help you with some practical advice on what I recommend. This photo is of a living room that I designed to maximize the amount of people to sit in a smaller space, and I love sectionals for that reason. They are not just for family rooms! This is a formal living room, and the space is quite long but narrow in width, so a sectional provides maximum seating opportunities. When it comes to dressing the walls above a sectional, I alway like to consider mixing materials. The first rule of thumb is I always suggest adding sconces to one out of the two walls. Sconces are important for a couple of reasons. They are not only practical for ambient lighting in the room (tip: remember to always put your sconces on dimmers), but they serve to break up the materials by adding a metal component, and as well, they are a great conversation piece. I would then suggest that a painting or a mirror be hung between the two sconces, which therefore provides an opportunity for a statement piece. For this room I selected a mirror because a large window was parallel to the mirror so it reflected back a lot of light and a pretty view. If you choose to use art, make sure it is a statement piece that gives a punch to the room.

On the second wall above the sectional I suggest a collage, and I like this for a couple of reasons. The collage and the other elements work well together cohesively as a grouping. If you were to add two large canvas pieces of art on each wall above the sectional, not only will the two large pieces look uninspiring and uninteresting, the scale will most likely not be right as generally, one end of the sectional is longer than the other. The art and length of the collage should be in accordance with the length of the sectional. By balancing both sides of the sectional with different elements, shapes, and sizes, you create visual interest. Collages do not compete when you have a painting on the adjacent wall, and collages also allow you to add a personal touch with photography. In this photo, the client showcased photography from their trip to Europe. Next time you are selecting art for above a sectional, try to incorporate many different types of wall art to achieve an interesting balance.