Ask the Expert: 5 Tips for Arranging Art, According to a Museum Curator

Photograph by Jonathan Pilkington for Remodelista;  styling by Alexa Hotz

Janet Bishop is the curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; here's her advice on how to display art in your own home:

RM: Advice on how to hang art? JB: As a rule of thumb, hanging art on a center line of 58 to 60 inches works well.

Photography by Brandon Webster courtesy of Fowlkes Studio

RM: Should we avoid sunlight? JB: You wouldn’t want to put works on paper or photographs in areas that are flooded with sunlight, especially watercolors or color photographs.

Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista

RM: What’s your art pet peeve? JB: It always makes me a little sad is when I visit a lovely home that has no art at all...

Photography by Mimi Giboin for Remodelista

RM: Framing tips? JB: I generally prefer wooden frames with simple profiles that complement but don’t distract.

RM: Advice on large pieces of art? JB: I like to see a mix of small and large works...things that you need to get up close to in order to fully appreciate, and larger ones that offer focal points.

Photography by Devon Banks, courtesy of Yun Architecture