Hanging art in a home requires more than a hammer and nails. Getting it right can make the difference between art that adds interest to a room and art that looks out of place.

It’s not about color coordination. Other issues are much more important. Here are some basic tips for arranging and hanging art in your home.

Think proportionally. A large wall will completely overpower a smaller work of art. You can save your smaller pieces for walls chopped by doors or windows. Another option is to group smaller works in interesting ways. This gallery approach demonstrates that smaller art can work well in a large space if it’s grouped.

Hanging art in a line at eye-level like this provides a clean design from a distance and an easy opportunity to study each piece from up close. Having all the frames in the same color also pulls the images together.

Another alternative with smaller pieces is to lay them out in a rectangular area, balancing dark and light as well as sizes. Start by laying them down on the floor where you can move them around until you have a pleasing arrangement. Another way to determine a workable layout is to cut newspaper to the size of each image, and tape the shapes to the wall with masking tape, moving them until you’re satisfied. Replace each newsprint shape with the appropriate painting, print or photo.

If you’re not sure which image or images you want on each wall, simply set the art on the floor just below where you’re thinking of hanging it. As you walk through your home, imagine it hanging on the wall above. Within a few days you’ll know whether it’s in the right place.