BUYING GUIDE · 9 min read · Kuriosis Studio Team, Berlin · April 2026
You have the prints. You have the frames. Now what? How you arrange art on a wall matters as much as what you hang. The same three prints can look scattered and random or deliberate and composed — the difference is the hanging method you choose.
Here are seven distinct approaches, from the dense maximalism of the Salon hang to the quiet impact of a single statement piece. Each one suits different spaces, different print counts, and different temperaments.
1. Salon-Style Hanging (Petersburger Hängung)
The original gallery wall. In 18th-century Paris, the annual Salon exhibitions hung paintings floor to ceiling, edge to edge, filling every centimetre of wall space. The German term Petersburger Hängung references the Hermitage in St Petersburg, where the imperial collection was displayed the same way.
Today, salon-style hanging means a dense, eclectic arrangement of mixed sizes and frame styles. It is the most forgiving method — there are no strict rules about alignment or spacing. The goal is abundance and energy, not precision.
Best for: Large walls with at least 5–8 prints. Living rooms, dining rooms, or creative studios. Mix portrait and landscape orientations freely.
Key rule: Even in the chaos, keep a loose centre line at 145cm from the floor. The overall mass should feel anchored, not floating upward.
2. Grid Hanging (Rasterhängung)
The opposite of salon-style. A strict grid of identical frames, evenly spaced, in neat rows and columns. Think Warhol screen prints or a photographer's contact sheet blown up to wall scale.
Grid hanging works best with prints of the same size — A3 is the most versatile — and the same frame colour throughout. It is architecturally precise and reads as a single large installation rather than a collection of separate works.
Best for: Modern interiors, above sideboards or desks. Series from one artist, or prints united by a strong colour theme. Minimum 4 prints (2×2), ideally 6 (2×3) or 9 (3×3).
Key rule: Spacing must be identical everywhere — typically 5cm between frames. Use a spirit level. One frame 2cm off-centre will ruin the entire grid.
Buddha’s Standpoint by Hilma af Klint
Vibrant Poppy Flowers by Sandra Poliakov
Cat in New York by Caroline Bonne Müller
3. Row Hanging (Reihenhängung)
A single horizontal line of prints, aligned at their centre or top edge. This is the method museums use most often for temporary exhibitions — clean, focused, easy to read from left to right. The Tate uses this approach for most of its modern and contemporary galleries.
Row hanging creates a strong horizontal line that can make a room feel wider. It works particularly well in narrow spaces: hallways, corridors, above a kitchen counter, or along a staircase landing.
Best for: 3–5 prints, narrow or elongated walls. Hallways and corridors. Works with mixed sizes as long as the centre line is consistent.
Key rule: Align the horizontal centre of each print at the same height. If your prints are different heights, the tops and bottoms will be uneven — that is fine and expected. What matters is that the visual midpoint holds steady.
4. Edge Hanging (Kantenhängung)
Similar to row hanging, but aligned at one edge rather than the centre. Top-edge alignment creates a strong architectural line at the top with prints of varying height dropping down. Bottom-edge alignment does the reverse.
This method is more dynamic than centre-aligned row hanging and works well with prints that differ significantly in height — a tall portrait-format print next to a square one, for instance.
Best for: 3–6 prints of mixed formats. Rooms with bold graphic prints like Geometrics 2 by Jazzberry Blue that benefit from clean architectural lines.
Key rule: Pick one edge and commit. Top-edge is the default choice — it gives the arrangement a clear ceiling and lets the prints breathe downward.
5. Symmetrical Hanging
Two prints flanking a central element (a mirror, a window, a large statement piece), or a balanced arrangement mirrored across a vertical axis. Symmetrical hanging is formal, calming, and immediately reads as intentional. As the Victoria and Albert Museum documents, symmetrical arrangements have been a staple of domestic interiors since the Georgian period.
This is the standard approach above beds, fireplaces, and dining tables — anywhere the furniture below has its own symmetry. The wall arrangement echoes the balance of the room.
Best for: 2, 4, or 6 prints in paired arrangements. Above beds, fireplaces, or console tables. Calm, balanced interiors.
Key rule: Symmetry is all or nothing. If the left and right sides do not mirror each other exactly, it looks like a mistake rather than a choice.
Browse All Art Prints at Kuriosis →
6. Staircase Hanging (Treppenhängung)
Prints follow the diagonal line of a staircase, stepping up (or down) with each flight. This is one of the trickiest arrangements to get right, but also one of the most dramatic — a staircase gallery wall turns an otherwise transitional space into an experience.
The key is to follow the angle of the handrail, not the angle of the steps. Cut paper templates, tape them to the wall, and step back to check the line from the bottom of the stairs before committing to nails.
Best for: 4–8 prints of mixed sizes. Staircases with at least 2 metres of wall height. Works well with salon-style eclecticism.
Key rule: Maintain a consistent distance from the stair line. The centres of the prints should trace a line parallel to the handrail, roughly 145cm above each step.
7. Single Statement Piece (Einzelhängung)
Sometimes one print is enough. A large-format piece — 70×100cm on paper or canvas — hung alone on a wall creates focus and calm. There is nothing competing for attention, nothing to compare it with. The art speaks for itself.
Statement pieces work best when the print is bold enough to hold the wall on its own. A detailed Japanese landscape like Road to Nikko by Hasui or a large abstract composition can carry a 3-metre wall easily. Smaller, quieter prints may feel lost without company.
Best for: Above sofas, beds, or dining tables. Large prints (70×100cm or A0). Minimalist interiors where every object needs to earn its place.
Key rule: The print should fill two-thirds of the wall width or be centred above the furniture below. A small print on a large wall reads as lonely, not minimal.
"There is no wrong way to hang art — only ways that work better for specific spaces. A grid in a hallway feels institutional. A salon wall above a bed feels chaotic. Match the method to the room."
— Kuriosis Studio Team
Which Method Should You Choose?
Small Wall / Few Prints
Row hanging (3 prints) or symmetrical hanging (2 prints). Clean and proportionate.
Large Wall / Many Prints
Salon-style or grid. Both fill large spaces confidently.
Modern / Minimalist
Grid or single statement. Let the architecture breathe.
Eclectic / Personal
Salon-style or staircase. Embrace the mix.
Prints that suit any hanging style:
Fresh Blue by Angelo Cerantola
Nenokuchi Lake by Hasui
Japanese Azaleas by Ogawa Kazumasa
The Kuriosis Approach
All our prints are produced in our Berlin studio with archival pigment inks on museum-grade materials. Whether you are building a grid of six matching prints or a salon wall that grows over years, the colour and quality will stay consistent across every order.
